Your Christmas or Mine? is proof that originality still exists, if not in Hollywood, then at least in Great Britain.
Students James (Asa Butterfield) and Hayley (Cora Kirk) are dating and decide to surprise each other at Christmas time, each ending up with the other's families. Hayley stays with James' military upper class father, Lord Humphrey (Alex Jennings), while James ends up with a working class family in Macclesfield.
There is contrivance to make the story work but it also has excellent character acting, cozy (yet chilly) Christmas scenery, and memorable one liners.
Natalie Gumede is good as cougar / older sister Kaye, as is David Bradley (Harry Potter) as Jack (a grouchy land owner) and June Watson is brilliant as the nan who speaks her mind.
Angela Griffin and Daniel Mays round off an excellent cast, as Hayley's interracial parents. Butterfield and Kirk are the glittery glue holding this entire thing together. Good festive fun.
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DIRECTED BY: Jim O'Hanlon. SCREENPLAY BY: Tom Parry. RUNNING TIME: 95 minutes. CERTIFICATE: PG. UK.
