Review

A Merry Little Ex-Mas: The Most Awkward Christmas Reunion Since Fruitcake Became a Thing

If you’ve ever watched Hallmark movies and thought, “You know what would make this cozier? An ex-husband, a new girlfriend, and a snowstorm,” then A Merry Little Ex-Mas is your cup of lukewarm cocoa.

The film follows a soon-to-be-divorced couple who, for reasons known only to people in Hallmark holiday movies, decide to spend Christmas together one last time—for the kids, of course. It’s all tinsel and tension until the husband’s new girlfriend shows up, uninvited but fabulously dressed, turning the cabin retreat into a festive hostage situation with eggnog.

Alicia Silverstone brings her trademark charm, looking like she’s perpetually one gingerbread cookie away from a breakdown. Oliver Hudson, meanwhile, delivers the classic “I still have feelings but also can’t fix a broken roof” energy that fuels 90% of Hallmark movies. And Jameela Jamil? She saunters in like she accidentally wandered onto the wrong set but decided to stay for the free peppermint bark.

There’s mistletoe, mixed signals, and more emotional whiplash than a reindeer on caffeine. Yet somehow, amidst all the awkward encounters and small-town snowball fights, you’ll find yourself rooting for everyone—except maybe the new girlfriend, because, well, rules are rules in the world of Hallmark holiday movies.

In the end, A Merry Little Ex-Mas reminds us that nothing says Christmas like unresolved romantic tension, questionable decisions, and the faint sound of sleigh bells underscoring your existential dread. And that’s the real Hallmark spirit.