Tori Brazier
Published November 29, 2025 12:00pm
Updated November 29, 2025 12:17pm
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Deck the halls with festive rom-coms, fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la (Picture: Netflix)
We may not be in December yet, but Netflix’s cheesy Christmas movie season has kicked off already, snowing down an array of improbable rom-com shenanigans upon us.
Having offered up Lindsay Lohan, topless magical snowmen and a topless troupe of male dancers led by Chad Michael Murray in 2024, 2025’s roster of talent includes Alicia Silverstone, Minka Kelly and Sex Education and Barbie star Connor Swindells…
And yes, a topless firefighting scene too, obviously.
This year’s slate comprises of A Merry Little Ex-Mas, Champagne Problems, Jingle Bell Heist and My Secret Santa.
But which of these new flicks are worthy of your time, whether for an enjoyably brainless 90-odd minutes of winding down – or even perhaps of a repeat slot in your annual festive viewing schedule?
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Read on for my thoughts, as they’re released – and as I have time to watch them (hey, it would be nice to live in a world where this was all I had to do in a day). I’m ranking them as we go, tweaking the order, so check back again when they’re all out.
A Merry Little Ex-Mas
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Previous Page Next PageCurrently, this is the best of the bunch in my eyes.
It has a different vibe to the lighter, full-on glossy affairs with its focus on older characters and an established relationship that’s in trouble – I was actually pleasantly surprised from the off as it starts with an animated explainer at the beginning to catch you up on the protagonist’s life.
Although, lest you think this is particularly serious, this is also the film that has a character strip to his underwear while attempting to fight an indoor fire, as you do.
A Merry Little Ex-Mas has more heartfelt ambitions than the norm in its ‘genre’ (but still a lot of silliness, fear not) (Picture: Marni Grossman/Netflix)
Starring Alicia Silverstone, Oliver Hudson, Jameela Jamil, Pierson Fodé and Melissa Joan Hart, A Merry Little Ex-Mas follows Kate (Silverstone) and Everett (Hudson) as they attempt to quietly divorce after drifting apart over the years.
However, their plans to enjoy one last family Christmas together with their young adult kids is thrown off course when Everett’s glamorous new girlfriend (Jamil) unexpectedly arrives.
It’s still not the most original premise, but A Merry Little Ex-Mas does boast a script better than the bare minimum and decent performances. It’s exploration of family drama is a little bit different to the norm too, without straying into deep territory, which would defeat its purpose as a Netflix Christmas movie.
Champagne Problems
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Previous Page Next PageChampagne Problems is more of the usual frothy fare when it comes to a Netflix festive rom-com – you get Paris at Christmastime and some fun supporting characters.
It’s the perfect film to watch while ironing, folding laundry or decorating the tree – and while that seems faint praise, would I watch it again? Yes absolutely.
I was largely mesmerised by Tom Wozniczka (Slow Horses), out here oozing effortless French charisma as an avid reader wanting to open a bookshop that also serves wine (sign me up immediately).
Minka Kelly twinkles just about enough too as business executive Sydney, sent to Paris to acquire a famous champagne brand for her company. On the one night off she promises her sister she’ll have, they enjoy a meet-cute and a… rendezvous (although demurely cut away from so we can watch some fountain statues getting hot and heavy instead).
Champagne Problems gives fans the French romance we’d a;; daydream about (Picture: Mika Cotellon/Netflix)
The next morning it turns out he’s the champagne heir and very sceptical of Sydney’s employer thanks to their cut-throat reputation.
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It’s the standard comedy of errors and misunderstandings, and Riley from The Twilight Saga: Eclipse even pops up as Sydney’s work nemesis – you just know a serious businessman with that many highlights in his hair is bad news.
Sydney is a very bland leading lady, but functions well as a cipher through which any viewer can enjoy the romance they too deserve with a sexy Frenchman.
And that Die Hard line had no right to go as hard as it did.
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