Nativity! Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

A teacher lies about Hollywood making his nativity play into a movie, and then somehow it almost happens thanks to a chaotic teaching assistant and some extremely enthusiastic children.

🍿 Nativity!: Detailed Plot Synopsis

Introduction to Paul Maddens and St. Bernadette’s

Paul Maddens, a disheartened primary school teacher at St. Bernadette’s in Coventry, harbors resentment towards Christmas due to a past heartbreak. He’s tasked with directing the school’s annual nativity play, a responsibility he dreads. The rival school, Oakmoor, led by Paul’s competitive former classmate Gordon Shakespeare, always puts on a lavish production, adding pressure on Paul.

The ‘Hollywood’ Lie and Mr. Poppy’s Enthusiasm

In a moment of weakness during a conversation with Gordon, Paul boasts that his ex-girlfriend, Jennifer Lore, a Hollywood producer, will be attending St. Bernadette’s nativity play and potentially turning it into a film. This lie is overheard by the enthusiastic and eccentric teaching assistant, Mr. Poppy, who spreads the news like wildfire. The school and local media become abuzz with anticipation.

The Nativity Play Takes Shape and the Trip to Hollywood

Fueled by Mr. Poppy’s boundless energy and the children’s excitement, Paul reluctantly starts preparing the nativity play. As the pressure mounts to deliver on the ‘Hollywood’ promise, Paul decides to travel to Los Angeles with Mr. Poppy and two of his students to find Jennifer and convince her to attend. Their journey leads them to Beverly Hills, but Jennifer is not the powerful producer Paul imagined.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Paul Maddens (Martin Freeman): A heartbroken primary school teacher who lies about Hollywood coming to his nativity play.
• Mr. Poppy (Marc Wootton): The eccentric and enthusiastic teaching assistant who fuels Maddens’ lie and creates chaos.
• Jennifer Lore (Ashley Jensen): Paul’s ex-girlfriend, a Hollywood secretary, whose (falsely claimed) producer status drives the story.
• Gordon Shakespeare (Jason Watkins): Paul’s competitive rival and teacher at a posh school, determined to have the best nativity play.
• Mrs. Bevan (Pam Ferris): The headmistress of St. Bernadette’s, who hopes the Hollywood rumour will improve the school’s reputation.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Mr. Poppy: “A sparkle bottom!” – Mr. Poppy says it with excitement, when they are trying to come up with ideas for the nativity play.
• Paul Maddens: “They’re just kids, Poppy.” – Exasperated Paul explaining how teaching is not like he imagined and the limitations of primary school children.

💰Box Office

• Budget: N/A
• Domestic Gross: N/A
• Worldwide Gross: $8,499,046

💥 Nativity! Reviews

Personal Review

Okay, so ‘Nativity!’ isn’t high art, but it’s pure Christmas cheer. I laughed, I cringed, but mostly I felt warm and fuzzy. Mr. Poppy is absolutely bonkers, but he brought the kids to life, and the final nativity play was surprisingly catchy. I especially loved Bob! It’s a great film to watch, and definitely puts you in the mood for Christmas.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Families looking for a heartwarming Christmas movie.”
  • “Fans of Martin Freeman and British comedy.”
  • “Anyone who enjoys feel-good stories about community and self-belief.”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Some mild slapstick humor and potentially over-the-top performances might not appeal to all viewers.”

Professional Reviews

• IMDB: “While aimed at children, ‘Nativity!’ is an emotionless tale of adults trying to bring Hollywood to Coventry. Humor revolves around immature children, unlikely to please anyone past puberty. The narrative lacks emotional depth. ‘The School of Rock’ did this far better.
• IMDB: “A great idea is lost in this semi-improvised comedy. It lacks laughs, dialogue and over stretches credibility. Teachers encourage school brawls, sneak kids into maternity wards, and abduct children to California. Infuriating, more ‘Surviving Christmas’ than ‘It’s A Wonderful Life.’
• IMDB: “Heartwarming and completely joyful. It’s about a teacher who lies to his rival that his Hollywood ex girlfriend is coming to see their nativity play. He loves the British humour and of course the kids and the trip to Hollywood is hilarious and the 20 minute musical finale is stunning.

Audience Reactions

The kids’ natural performances and hilarious antics stole the show.: Viewers generally loved the feel-good vibe and British humor.

Mr. Poppy is either loved or hated, but always memorable.: The film is praised for being a heartwarming family movie.

Overall Consensus: A charming, albeit predictable, Christmas comedy with heartwarming moments and memorable performances, particularly from the children.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “The film is largely improvised, with the actors given scene outlines rather than a full script, allowing for spontaneous and natural interactions, especially with the children.”
• “Many of the children cast were local to Coventry and had no prior acting experience, adding to the film’s authentic and heartwarming feel.”

🖥️ How to Watch Nativity!?

As of today, you can rent or purchase ‘Nativity!’ on platforms like Apple TV and Prime Video. Check your local listings for availability on other streaming services. Unfortunately, ‘Nativity!’ is not currently available on any major streaming subscription services like Netflix or Hulu. Purchasing options include digital downloads and physical copies via Amazon and other retailers.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Nativity!, you might like these similar films:

• School of Rock (2003): Features a substitute teacher inspiring a group of kids to embrace their talents and put on a performance.
• Elf (2003): It embodies the spirit of Christmas and childlike wonder, creating a similar heartwarming and comedic experience.

🛒 Nativity! Related Products

• Nativity! The Musical – Official Script and Score: Relive the magic with the official script and score to create your own stage production.
• Nativity! Movie Poster: A high-quality print of the official movie poster.
• Nativity! DVD: The original Nativity! film on DVD
• Nativity! – Mr. Poppy’s Joke Book: A collection of Mr. Poppy’s jokes.

🎧 Soundtrack

Nativity! features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Teenage Dirtbag” – performed by Maeve Dolan
• “She’s the One” – performed by Robbie Williams
• “Nativity Song” – performed by Various Artists

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

Hip-Hop Nativity – SNL

Okay, you HAVE to see this SNL sketch! It’s a hilarious, modern take on the Nativity scene, complete with hip-hop choreography. Trust me, you’ll be laughing so hard you’ll need to catch your breath.

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