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Nativity! review

Nativity! is simply a lovely, beautiful and funny film. Mr. Maddens, a primary school teacher played by Martin Freeman, attempts to run a successful school nativity after the headmistress has thrust the duty upon him.

His protests of “the children are useless. I’m useless!” and “it was a disaster four years ago” are met with headstrong determination from the headmistress and so the story begins. Mr. Maddens is loved by his pupils. Though he’s not very cheery with them and a little bit strict, he cares in his own way. His new teaching assistant, Mr. Poppy however, loves all the same things the kids do, he plays cool games in the yard, he takes them on ill-advised field trips, he makes a cape out of his snorkel jacket and chases round the yard with them and the kids love him. Mr. Maddens, in the meantime finds himself engaged in silly rivalry with an old college mate, Gordon Shakespeare, a teacher from a nearby and rather privileged school to beat their nativity production.

As you can imagine, it all gets very messy, particularly when Mr. Maddens finds himself telling Shakespeare that his ex-girlfriend, now a producer in Hollywood, is coming with a crew to film the kids play at St. Bernadettes. Suddenly the school nativity has become a whole lot more serious with parents, teachers, journalists, the local tv station all showing a  sudden and overwhelming interest.

If you like films with smart, talented, funny kids you’ll like this. If you like films that pull on your heart strings you’ll like this. If you like not-too-Christmassy Christmas movies, you’ll like this. If you liked Martin Freeman in The Office and Love, Actually – you’ll love him after this

Many thanks to Kate Bowe PR for the opportunity to see the film.

Nativity! is out in the cinemas on 27 November next.

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