What becomes immediately apparent with Christmas . . . Again?! (2021) is that it is a pretty unapologetic rip off of Groundhog Day (1993).  I fall short of being definitive here because I have no idea if this was intentional.  Yet, it would be difficult to believe if they did not realize what they were doing.  I used the word “unapologetic,” though, because there is not a whisper of a reference in Christmas . . . Again?! to the more famous Bill Murray film.  This fact leads me to question whether whoever thought of the idea for this movie believed they were doing something original.  Then again, everyone on set would have also had to have been ignorant, and that does not seem likely.  Forgive me, but I cannot imagine a scenario where nobody in the vicinity of rolling cameras did not say out loud, wait, is this not all really familiar . . . ?  Even though it is nothing new, I did not hate the experience of watching it.

It is not yet Christmas . . . Again?!, but rather the day before the holiday.  Rowena Clybourne (Scarlett Estevez) is excitedly telling her mother, Carolina Clybourne (Alexis Carra), about how the twelve-year-old is looking forward to renewing the traditions she has become attached to with Christmas.  Carolina listens intently, but points out there will be some changes this year.  This is because her and Mike Clybourne (Daniel Sunjata), Rowena’s father, are divorced.  Rowena is not thrilled by this reminder, but determined to stick to their usual plans.  On Christmas morning, she is awakened by Louie (James McCracken).  He is not part of her family, but the annoying young son of Diane (Beth Lacke), Mike’s new girlfriend.  I do not have a lot of experience with such arrangements, but apparently in this universe it is acceptable for the ex-husband to come to his former wife’s home with his new family to celebrate holidays.  Rowena does not like this arrangement, particularly when their presence disrupts her carefully made plans.  To put it bluntly, she behaves like a brat.  On top of being obviously disgruntled, she reacts poorly to her gifts, tries to interrupt her Uncle Gerry’s (Gabriel Ruiz) attempt at stand-up comedy, and gets herself into situations that generally turns her family’s opinion against her.  Having had enough, she walks outside their house and in frustration throws a snowball at a plastic Santa Claus on their front yard.  After it hits, a startled man claiming to be the genuine Kris Kringle (Gary Anthony Williams) steps out from behind the decoration.  Given her age, Rowena claims to not believe he is who he says, but he does make a few convincing arguments.  Wishing to test his authenticity, she wishes to be able to redo Christmas so that she can make it what she wants it to be.  There is a driving wind, which I suppose is meant to indicate the granting of the wish, before Santa disappears and Rowena is ushered back inside.  She wakes up in what she believes to be the following morning, and the fact that things appear to be repeating she takes as simple déjà vu.  It takes a few times repeating the day for her to realize what is happening.  Once she understands the process, though, she sees it as an opportunity to do whatever she wants.  What does she do with her newfound power?  She steals from her mother.  I do not know how else you explain somebody her age getting the money needed to order a stretch Hummer limousine for herself, driven by Santa.  Because she has essentially given up on her family, she proceeds to do the things that she had always done on this day of the year.  This includes, perhaps more importantly, attending the annual Santas versus Elves hockey game; going sledding; walking about the Christmas festival in town; and ascending to the top of the John Hancock building to lean out over the town in the slanting windows.  Did I mention this film is set in Chicago?  This film is set in Chicago.  She does these things a number of times, waking up in the morning and apparently abandoning her family.  It is while at the hockey game that she has another encounter with Santa, who tells her that spending time with family is important this time of year.  This gives her a new idea: get her parents to reunite.  This way, she can once again do all the things she loves.  It is in contriving a series of mishaps that put Carolina and Mike next to one another on the couch that she sees the limits of her powers.  No matter what she does, she cannot change their hearts.  It is also at this point that she learns that Mike is engaged to Diane.  Rowena spends the next number of Christmases despondent, not wanting to accept change.  What breaks her funk are some wise words from her sister, Gabby Clybourne (Ashlyn Jade Lopez).  Gabby tells her younger sibling that when Rowena was born, there were some hard adjustments that the previously only child had to make.  This gives Rowena a new perspective, helping her to know that change is inevitable.  Thus, she decides to spend the next number of days getting to know these people who are to become a major part of her life.  She also goes into the neighborhood and does a number of charitable acts, deeds of such magnitude that the recipients of her favors come to her house to show their appreciation.  It turns into the most perfect Christmas ever, which may sound cheesy (because it is) but this is Disney.  Because of its perfection, it lifts her wish, and she awakens to Boxing Day (look it up) with a fresh appreciation for her now extended family.  Before the movie ends, she has one last interaction with Santa where it is suggested that she had been on his naughty list.

I could not blame Santa for putting Rowena on the naughty list in Christmas . . . Again?!, if Santa was not a ridiculous fantasy shoved onto our collective conscience every year as we close in on December 25^th.  Still, as a Catholic I can appreciate the opportunity for redemption offered by a person whose powers increasingly seemed to rival God himself in these movies.  My apologies for venting my Christian frustrations with the current state of the holiday.  At least the movie gives us Catholics a glimmer of hope when it is mentioned that Abuela Sofia (Priscilla Lopez) and Abuelo Hector (Tony Amendola) attended Midnight Mass the previous night.  It is remarkable to me that the people who only step foot in a church on Christmas and Easter (“Chreasters,” it would seem) do not see that as something they would want to experience more regularly.  Then again, Mass is not like that every Sunday.  Still, this speaks to the problems with the holiday as it is currently celebrated that align with the way in which Rowena learns to appreciate her family.  You see, going to church is not about what we get out of doing so, though us Catholics have the opportunity to receive the body of Christ all year long.  There is not a single day when Mass is not celebrated, save for Good Friday, but it is still a day to gather in the pews.  Beyond this, the important thing is to come and encounter God.  It can happen in the Scripture, the music, or just being in His presence.  It is also about making an effort to do so.  Rowena wants to do what she wants, which is basically why Sundays (or the Saturday Vigil if you are a Catholic like me) see fewer people coming.  Being with God in His house is not a burden, just like Rowena’s family.  It is a chance to grow in closeness with God, a process that will also change over time, but hopefully always deepen.  The more you can connect, the better.

In case you missed it before, Christmas . . . Again?! is available on Disney+.  With as many of the seasonal films I have seen lately, I chose it because I thought it suited how I am beginning to feel about this genre.  It is marginally inspiring all the same, which means I give it a fair recommendation.  I can do without some of the elements, but it lands in a good place overall.