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Once-famous actor Chris Flint (Steve Le Marquand) suffers a sharp fall from grace due to his alcohol addiction, falling out of favour with virtually everybody in his life. After leaving rehab, Chris gains a sponsor in Nick (Darren Gilshenan), and he relocates to a halfway house in Sydney's western suburbs, where he also lives with a musician, Joy (Hannah Joy). Chris hopes to get his life back on track, avoiding alcohol and gaining a job as a shopping centre Santa Claus. Through his work, he encounters his estranged daughter, Noelle (Nicole Pastor), who wants nothing to do with him after his previous misgivings. With support from Nick and Joy, Chris hopes to win Noelle back over, organising a special lunch for Christmas Day and extending an invitation to her. But Chris still struggles to suppress his demons, which threaten to undo his hard work and his progress.
The Christmas setting is fundamentally window dressing, as Christmess is not necessarily about Christmas or intrinsically linked to the festive season - instead, this is primarily a character study and a drama. Davis lets the narrative unfold at a measured but captivating pace, facilitating smaller moments of contemplation and conversation, and allowing the characters to grow and develop properly. Davis works through ample dramatic material without devolving into boredom, a testament to the calibre of the movie's writing, directing, editing and acting. Christmess does not skimp on the laughs, as there are hilarious moments scattered throughout, but the humour is character-based, emerging organically from the conversations between the characters. The laughs ensure that Christmess is not too gloomy or one-note, but they also don't cheapen the material. It's a tricky balancing act, but Davis miraculously negotiates the tonal changes with the confidence of a seasoned professional.
Shot in authentic Western Sydney locations, Christmess is thick with atmosphere, encapsulating the general feeling that surrounds the Christmas season in Australian suburbia. Although a low-budget movie, it looks astonishingly expensive thanks in large part to the achingly gorgeous cinematography courtesy of Chris Bland and the low-key, affecting score by Matt Sladen. Western Sydney is not exactly eye-catching, but Bland's compositions are incredibly striking, making Christmess feel cinematic through and through. The technical execution is immaculate, with the limited budget never becoming apparent or detrimental.
The actors are a huge asset, perfectly bringing the material and these characters to life while alternating between drama and comedy. Rather than casting for star power or eye candy, the performers here were clearly selected for what they bring to their respective roles. Steve Le Marquand is the standout, ably embodying the washed-up actor and always coming across as incredibly authentic. Also worth mentioning is Hannah Joy, a musician who makes her feature film debut here. On top of skillfully handling the dramatic material, she shows off her musical talent as well, performing several original songs that provide a refreshing change from the usual Christmas tunes we usually hear in these types of movies. Rounding out the central trio is a highly endearing and believable Darren Gilshenan, who is perhaps best known for playing Terry Moody in A Moody Christmas.
Do not expect a happy ending from Christmess, with Davis more interested in life's harsh realities than wrapping everything up with crowd-pleasing sentimentality. This is not to impugn sentimental Christmas movies as a whole, as they are perfectly satisfying when executed correctly, but Davis does right by this story with its downbeat conclusion. As a result, Christmess is not easy to forget. There are not many Australian Christmas movies as of 2023, but Christmess is one of the best, standing alongside Da Kath & Kim Code and the superb miniseries A Moody Christmas.
7.7/10
