I'll Be Home for Christmas

PG

Released Nov 13, 1998

1h 26m

Holiday

Comedy

List

23%

43 Reviews

Tomatometer

41%

25,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

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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Critics Consensus

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

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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

StephenPaul C

LOL, the funniest 01 hour: and 26 minutes ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/19/23

Full Review

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Arlene Sanford

Director

Jonathan Taylor Thomas

Jake Wilkinson

Jessica Biel

Allie

Adam LaVorgna

Eddie

Gary Cole

Mr. Wilkinson

Eve Gordon

Carolyn

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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

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: Robin French
Screenwriter: Tom Nursall, Harris Goldberg
Distributor: Buena Vista International [us], Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co: Mandeville Films, Walt Disney Pictures
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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