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I'll Be Home for Christmas

Play trailer Poster for I'll Be Home for Christmas PG Released Nov 13, 1998 1h 26m Holiday Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
23% Tomatometer 43 Reviews 41% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Estranged from his father (Gary Cole), college student Jake (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) is lured home to New York for Christmas with the promise of receiving a classic Porsche as a gift. When the bullying football team dumps him in the desert in a Santa suit, Jake is left without identification or money to help him make the journey. Meanwhile, his girlfriend, Allie (Jessica Biel), does not know where he is, and accepts a cross-country ride from Jake's rival, Eddie (Adam LaVorgna).
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I'll Be Home for Christmas

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Critics Consensus

Neither parent nor child will find any merriment in this mess.

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Critics Reviews

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Lisa Schwarzbaum Entertainment Weekly This family comedy finds unearned laughs in old women and dog flatulence. Rated: D+ Sep 7, 2011 Full Review Lael Loewenstein Variety Arrogance gives way to humility, making this an appropriate, if thoroughly cliched, Christmas morality tale that's sugar-coated with an attractive cast spouting sitcom-quality dialogue. Apr 16, 2008 Full Review Louis B. Parks Houston Chronicle None of the cast comes off well, but they have little to work with, since the dialogue sounds like it was made up on the spot and performed without rehearsal. Jul 21, 2005 Full Review Common Sense Media Editors Common Sense Media Jon Taylor Thomas' yule tale charming for tweens. Rated: 3/5 Jan 1, 2011 Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews An innocuously entertaining comedy... Rated: 2.5/4 Dec 24, 2010 Full Review Pablo Villaça Cinema em Cena Um filme natalino que advoga a eficcia da mentira e do egosmo como formas de ser bem sucedido. Rated: 2/5 Dec 19, 2008 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (636) audience reviews
Ed R My favorite Christmas movie of all time! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/08/24 Full Review Derek L Even though Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Jessica Biel did their best throughout the entire film, story and character wise, it was rather messy and underwhelming with little or no character growth. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 12/24/23 Full Review Sally F That was not a feel good Christmas movie, the main character Jake, was the worst person ever. Movie was mediocre, plot was basic. Don't waste your Christmas time on this movie. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 12/15/23 Full Review Tyler J Cheesy in all the right ways! Jonathan Taylor Thomas at his BEST! (I'll hear arguments for Wild America) One of the best one-liner movies of all time. Honestly, GOATed! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/24/23 Full Review Audience Member I can’t believe it took me this long to discover and watch this movie. Very enjoyable, I will definitely be watching it again (and again). Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/19/23 Full Review Dara C Desert Santa Buzzard Tumbleweed!! Christmas classic, it'll be my 23rd time watching it this Christmas. Eddie and the boys Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/14/23 Full Review Read all reviews
I'll Be Home for Christmas

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Cast & Crew

Deck the Halls 6% 30% Deck the Halls Watchlist Fred Claus 20% 45% Fred Claus Watchlist TRAILER for Fred Claus Nativity! 48% 67% Nativity! Watchlist The Santa Clause 73% 66% The Santa Clause Watchlist TRAILER for The Santa Clause Jingle All the Way 20% 41% Jingle All the Way Watchlist TRAILER for Jingle All the Way Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis Estranged from his father (Gary Cole), college student Jake (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) is lured home to New York for Christmas with the promise of receiving a classic Porsche as a gift. When the bullying football team dumps him in the desert in a Santa suit, Jake is left without identification or money to help him make the journey. Meanwhile, his girlfriend, Allie (Jessica Biel), does not know where he is, and accepts a cross-country ride from Jake's rival, Eddie (Adam LaVorgna).
Director
Arlene Sanford
Producer
David Hoberman, Tracey Trench
Screenwriter
Tom Nursall, Harris Goldberg
Distributor
Buena Vista Pictures, Buena Vista International [us]
Production Co
Walt Disney Pictures, Mandeville Films
Rating
PG
Genre
Holiday, Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 13, 1998, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA)
$12.2M
Runtime
1h 26m
Sound Mix
DTS, SDDS, Dolby Digital
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