The Best Christmas Pageant Ever has been one of my family’s favorite books for a long time. It’s very nostalgic for me as we read it every year before Christmas. Because it is one of my family’s Christmas as traditions, you might understand why I was very excited, but also nervous, when I found out they were turning it into a film last year.

The opinion and review I offer for the film is my own, and does not mean you should be restricted in your own opinions of the movie, but, ultimately, I loved it. I loved the dynamic they had at home, especially the relationship between parents and siblings. In some ways, it felt kind of familiar to my own family and allowed me to connect with the characters. I think that the movie did really well in connecting with the viewer’s emotions. There were times I laughed, times I was angry, and even times I cried.

I was pleased to find that the directors did not stray far from the book I had come to know and love. Each actor seemed to fit the character described in text by Barbara Robinson. I loved seeing the fictional characters brought to life, giving a face to the story. I especially thought that Mariam Bernstein did a wonderful job portraying Mrs. Armstrong, the stuffy committee leader, and the actors of the Herdmans did well capturing the crazy, mean, but ultimately, misunderstood kids.

Though I really enjoyed the movie overall, there were times I was a bit bored because of the lack of scene diversity, but this did not take away too much from the movie and I don’t think it is a reason not to watch it. There were also some variations from the book, like more attention given to Imogene however; I actually enjoyed the depth it added as it allowed the audience to better understand her. 

In the end, this movie was very heartwarming and hopeful, a good reminder of what Christmas is about, and I will definitely be watching it again. In the end, I give it an nine out of ten and would highly recommend.