Dealing with Christmas Parent Guide

Greg (Matthias Quiviger) is an undercover cop whose job makes it impossible to see his daughter, Romy (Emie Vannier), consistently. He can’t even keep his promise to spend Christmas with her. But when Romy wishes that her dad was like the dad in her favorite Christmas movie, Greg finds himself transported inside the movie, and the on-screen dad, Richard (Eric Judor) ends up in the real world. In each other’s bodies and lives and with only walkie talkie watches for communicating back and forth, the two dads will have to find ways to repair each other’s family relationship in order to switch back.

Since this is the second body swap film I’ve seen this season (the other being Family Switch), I bet you’re expecting me to complain about the lack of originality. However, Dealing With Christmas manages to do something I would have thought impossible: it tells an original and interesting story. By switching bodies and places between the real world and a movie universe, the film is able to breathe new life into a tired idea and have a fun time doing it. The two worlds are distinct from each other in tone, colors, and dialogue, which makes for an entertaining contrast. The fake movie world is particularly well done, as it leans into being a cheesy Hallmark-style flick with a greedy real estate developer, a local contest with a big monetary prize, and the need to save the family home. The movie daughter even yells about how her mom is forcing her failed dreams onto her and won’t let her follow her passions. Absolute gold. By contrast, in the real world, Richard has to deal with drug dealers, cops, and the very real possibility of being killed if he makes the wrong move.

I laughed out loud multiple times as I watched the two very different characters adapt to their new situations. Yes, one of the two worlds is dealing with some troubling subject matter, but the situational irony manages to keep it from getting too dark, and Eric Judor has amazing comedic timing in his earnest and naïve character. In the end, both men learn a valuable lesson about valuing family and being good dads, with a bit of holiday cheer to boot.

As festive and funny as this film is, it is not appropriate for young viewers or sensitive audiences. Between the drug dealing plot elements, violence, and profanity, it’s not exactly the type of holiday feature to put on for the whole family. But for adults who are prepared to overlook some negative content, Dealing With Christmas is a delightful surprise. An important note is that there is not currently an English dub available, so subtitles are the only option if you don’t speak French. Ah, well, Joyeux Noel, anyway.