Now that we are officially past December 25^th, one might think it is time for The Christmas Break (2023).  Yet, we still have a little shy of two weeks to go until the Christmas season ends.  Personally, I love it because I am Catholic and our celebration encompasses the Gregorian and Julian renderings of the day we mark as the birth of Jesus.  In case you are not familiar with those words, Western Christianity (and most of the world) is on the updated Gregorian calendar, and Orthodox branches are on the Julian timeframe.  This means nothing to today’s movie, but I am thankful that Catholicism is on the updated Gregorian rendering because this means I am that much closer to being done with films like this one.  If not, it would currently be December 14^th, and I would still have nearly a month more of so-called Holiday cinema.  Still, this one is set in Ireland, so I guess that counts for something?

I know I just said The Christmas Break is set in Ireland, but fairly newlywed couple Caroline (India Mullen) and Jack Bradford (Justin Long) live in Chicago, so hooray for that, too.  As it is that time of year, they are hosting a holiday party at their house.  Among their guests is another married pair and their new baby.  Jack is immediately attached to the wee one, which Caroline notices.  Afterwards, as they are cleaning up from the soiree, he brings up the possibility of them having their own children.  She kindly, but firmly, puts an end to that discussion when she mentions her career and how hard she has worked to get to her executive position.  She does not want to jeopardize further advancement by starting a family.  He is disappointed but understanding, choosing instead to focus on their exciting upcoming trip to Ireland to spend Christmas with her family.  As they leave the airport, he insists on being the one to drive despite it being on the other side of the road and car, but gives up abruptly when he makes the wrong turn pulling out of the parking lot.  His quick acquiescence is apparently typical for him, and another sign that he is not ready for a family in her eyes.  Their first stop upon arriving in her home town is Reilly’s Pub, which has been in her family for generations.  She is shocked by how few customers are present, which should be busier given the time of the year, but he is just impressed by everything around him.  His exuberance carries over to meeting all her siblings and their children, quickly becoming the fun uncle that all the young ones like to be around.  For her, she is more interested in figuring out what is going on with her father, Calum Reilly (Owen Roe), and the reason for his flagging business.  This includes Caroline dodging questions as to why she has yet to get pregnant, including more from Jack, who has been having fun with his nieces and nephews.  Such has been his enjoyment that the following day, he volunteers to watch the infant and two young brothers while she goes to the competing pub in town with her sisters.  She wants to check out the establishment despite the fact that it is owned by Cormac (Tom Moran), her ex-boyfriend before she left for the United States.  While Caroline is there, she finds that she cannot keep up with her sisters’ consumption of alcohol, and soon must vomit in the restroom.  We all know what is going on, right?  But, for good measure, I will tell you that she leaves the bar to, as surreptitiously as possible in such a small town, purchase a pregnancy test.  While on this secret mission, she happens to encounter a harried Jack, who has lost track of Patrick (Hughie Blacker) and Sean (Lucas Mahon), the energetic aforementioned brothers.  With Sean successfully corralled, he must climb on top of a Christmas display to wrangle Patrick, but puts down the baby where a nosy local eventually finds her and takes it upon herself to return the infant to her parents.  Everything comes to a terrible conclusion when he chases the boys down to a Nativity scene in which the rest of the family is participating just as the baby is being delivered.  Everyone believes that Jack has messed up royally, including Jack.  That night, he is adamant that he is not ready to be a father despite Caroline being about to tell him that she is expecting.  In the morning, she learns from her mother, Nadine Reilly (Bríd Ní Neachtain), that Calum is planning on selling the pub.  It seems a foregone conclusion anyway considering that there is a wager on an upcoming Irish football match between squads from Reilly’s and Cormac’s establishments.  When Jack suggests that Calum’s grandson, Liam (Arlo Buchanan), who is terrible at the sport, does not need to play, Jack is forced to replace the teenager.  Jack is even less of an athlete, and halfway through the game he makes the suggestion that the more gifted Saoirse (Aoife Hughes) go in for him.  This is successful and renews his standing in the eyes of the Reillys.  Caroline also takes this opportunity to tell Jack that she has decided to purchase her father’s pub and that she has changed her mind about starting a family.  Rather than being elated like she expects, he feels left out of the decision-making process.  They are soon separated by revelers.  Eventually, Caroline gets some advice from her mother, while Jack shares his thoughts with Liam.  Caroline and Jack come to the same conclusion that whatever it is that is about to happen, they would rather experience it with each other.  They have the reunion you would expect, and celebrate with the rest of the family at Reilly’s for one last Christmas in the family business.

The fact that Caroline and Jack work out their differences on starting a family makes The Christmas Break a confusing title.  Originally, I picked it because I thought it might have something to do with the time off people take around the Holidays.  It sort of pertains to that idea considering that the Bradfords are technically on vacation.  Yet, it becomes clear that this is a story about a modern marital issue that is tailormade for a Catholic analysis.  Like most of these movies, it is a romantic comedy with a Christmas backdrop.  Things always get tricky no matter the subgenre when the potential birth of a child is involved.  What I am happy to report is that there is never a thought about abortion.  This could have something to do with the fact that ending the life of a child in the womb was only made legal in Ireland within the last ten years.  As such, and especially in rural parts where this is set, views on this practice are probably still against it no matter how “forward thinking” these areas are becoming.  I doubt the people who made this movie had these ideas in mind, but my job is to give you that extra context.  In a broader sense, the film offers an opportunity to talk more about the Church’s teaching on married couples and children.  It is reasonable to expect that Caroline, at least, has a Catholic background since she is Irish.  At the same time, she has that regrettable notion that career and family are mutually exclusive imperatives.  Catholicism tells us that there is nothing wrong with a woman being successful, or that she must do nothing but give birth to babies.  Where the Faith and modern society depart is in how to manage such things.  Today, the prevailing trend is to take contraception and be as promiscuous as you like.  Such behavior is damaging, even in the confines of a marriage.  What Christians are encouraged to do is practice natural family planning (NFP).  This makes a husband and wife more intimate with each other as they explore fertility in a deeper way.  Such philosophies are a bit above this film, but maybe this is how Caroline will approach her cycle in the future?

To imagine that Caroline would be into NFP after the events of The Christmas Break is likely wishful thinking on my part.  What I can also wish for, and not get, is for the calendar to leap ahead to January 12^th.  Since that will not happen, here is another Christmas movie with little original to offer you.