The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Christian Review
When a Christmas movie has “pageant” in the title, it might not instantly grab your attention. After all, we’ve seen Christmas pageants, attended them, and probably daydreamed through a few. But The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is a movie that brings something surprisingly fresh to a well-worn holiday tradition. It’s more than a retelling of the nativity story or another nostalgic holiday special. Instead, it’s a gentle, occasionally humorous, and sometimes downright messy look at kindness, faith, and how they can show up in the unlikeliest places—even in a group of kids who look like they’d rather burn down a Christmas tree than decorate it.
The Herdmans: Not Your Usual Christmas Kids
The movie is based on Barbara Robinson’s classic 1972 novel, which, for many, still feels like one of those timeless middle-grade reads that had a way of sneaking in big lessons about kindness and acceptance without feeling preachy. Robinson introduced the Herdman kids, a rough-and-tumble bunch who, to put it politely, don’t exactly live up to the Christmas card image of “goodwill toward men.” In fact, they’re more likely to be found wrestling or breaking things than singing carols. But they get roped into the annual church Christmas pageant, and that’s when things take a wild, unexpected turn.
It’s easy to see why this story keeps finding new life, and in this film adaptation, directed by Dallas Jenkins, we’re reminded just how radical it can be to welcome outsiders. Jenkins, known for his work in faith-based media, takes a more delicate hand with the spiritual messaging than you might expect, especially in a genre that often goes all-in on sermonizing. Instead, he lets the Herdmans and their antics do most of the talking.
Kindness and Chaos: A Different Kind of Nativity
The Herdmans bring a gritty reality to the nativity, a rough-around-the-edges approach that’s anything but staged perfection. And yet, their unpolished take has a rawness to it that, in a way, makes it feel more sincere. The story reminds us that sometimes the people who know the least about church can offer the purest perspective. The Herdmans’ surprise involvement pushes the other kids, and the audience, to reexamine a story that can start to feel routine. Through their rough-edged participation, the nativity story becomes new again, something real and relatable, stripped of its usual glimmer and glow but still deeply touching.
A Quiet Reminder: Look Beyond the Surface
The movie doesn’t hammer you over the head with its message. Instead, it nudges you. There’s a gentle insistence on viewing the story of Christmas—of Jesus and the nativity—with fresh eyes, reminding us that faith is often messy and unpredictable, like life itself. It’s a reminder to look beyond the usual holiday decorations and focus on the heart of Christmas: love, acceptance, and understanding.
The Herdmans don’t fit the “typical” Christmas image. They’re loud, rebellious, and even disruptive. And yet, it’s this very quality—their complete lack of pretense—that ultimately brings a rawness and authenticity to the story that we might not otherwise see. Watching them attempt to understand, much less perform, a classic Bible story, reminds us of the humanity at the core of our faith. They aren’t following a script or worrying about making it look beautiful; they’re just trying to make sense of it all.
A Few Stumbles Along the Way
While the film’s heart is in the right place, it’s not without a few hiccups. The Herdmans, particularly Imogene, are interesting characters, but they’re kept at a distance, which can make it hard to fully invest in their journey. The movie occasionally sacrifices depth for lightheartedness, and in doing so, misses out on some more poignant moments. It seems to linger on the surface when it could be digging deeper into who these kids are and why they act the way they do.
It’s as though the film is trying to do two things at once: offer a family-friendly, feel-good Christmas movie and deliver a sincere message about inclusion and faith. Sometimes it manages both beautifully, and other times it stumbles. There’s a sense that more could have been done with the Herdmans’ backstories, their motivations, and the challenges they face in their daily lives. Instead, they remain partially obscured, like background characters in their own story, when they could have added more emotional depth to the film.
A Few Surprises Among the Familiar Holiday Beats
Despite these shortcomings, the film finds moments of brilliance in its simplicity. Jenkins makes the wise decision to keep the tone light, adding humor in unexpected places, which keeps the film from feeling too self-serious. There’s a scene where the Herdmans—completely unfamiliar with the Christmas story—ask questions that, to them, are completely logical, like why Mary and Joseph had to stay in a barn or how exactly a baby fits into a manger. For those who’ve grown up hearing the story year after year, these questions feel innocent yet provocative, asking us to consider the humanity of the story we so often recite by rote.
This film isn’t likely to change the world or become a Christmas classic that’s rewatched year after year, but it does capture a certain warmth and sincerity that can be hard to find in holiday movies. It’s the sort of film that you might not think about much after you’ve seen it, but that you’ll appreciate in the moment, particularly on a cold winter evening when you’re looking for something that feels familiar but isn’t entirely conventional.
Why This Film May Be Worth Your Time
Ultimately, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is a gentle reminder to look beyond appearances, to consider the unlikely messengers in our lives, and to make room for others—even those who might not fit into our usual idea of what’s “appropriate” or “respectful.” It’s a story that understands that faith isn’t something polished and perfect; it’s something you live, sometimes messily, often imperfectly, but always with a sincere heart.
In a world that’s quick to label people as “good” or “bad,” “Christian” or “unchristian,” this film gently pushes us to reconsider these distinctions. In the end, we’re all a bit like the Herdmans—rough around the edges, unsure of the story, but trying to understand, to connect, and to find a place where we belong.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever may not be a perfect film, but it’s a heartfelt one, offering just enough warmth, humor, and humanity to remind us that Christmas isn’t about perfection. It’s about the grace we extend to others and the beauty we can find in even the most unexpected places. So, if you’re in the mood for something a little different this holiday season, it might be worth spending a quiet evening with the Herdmans and rediscovering what makes Christmas special.
