Oh. What. Fun. critique – Michelle Pfeiffer shines in Amazon's undercooked holiday film

If youve already had your fill of Netflixs formulaic and often joyless Christmas movies this season, Amazon is offering a slightly more ambitious alternative. Alongside the usual low-budget Hallmark-style productions, such as Tyler Perrys Finding Joy, Amazon presents Oh. What. Fun., a holiday film that attempts to evoke the charm of classic big-screen family comedies.

Directed by Michael Showalter, known for The Big Sick and Wet Hot American Summer, the movie boasts a strong ensemble cast including Michelle Pfeiffer, Felicity Jones, Jason Schwartzman, Danielle Brooks, and Chlo Grace Moretz. Its soundtrack features contributions from artists like Fleet Foxes, Gwen Stefani, and Sharon Van Etten, giving it an unusually high-profile musical backdrop for a Christmas film.

Despite its effort and recognizable talent, the film struggles to deliver genuine enjoyment. Rather than crafting a truly engaging holiday story, it often feels like a marketing vehicle for Amazon, with its festive plot appearing secondary to retail promotion. The story centers on Claire (Pfeiffer), a mother who feels overlooked during the holiday season and becomes obsessed with winning a TV contest celebrating the best Christmas mom. When her children forget to nominate her and leave her behind at a concert, she sets off on a personal journey to reclaim her sense of respect and self-worth.

While the premise has potentialexploring a mothers frustration at being undervalued during Christmasthe execution falls flat. Claires fixation on the contest turns her into a caricature, and the scripts escalating absurdities dilute the emotional core. Moments of possible dark humor or genuine insight are lost amidst increasingly alienating silliness.

Pfeiffer struggles to bring depth to her character, who is at once relatable and bizarrely extreme. Supporting performances, including Brooks as an upbeat delivery driver, Jones navigating an American accent, and Joan Chen in a brief role, provide small highlights but fail to lift the film overall. Cameos, a bar dance number, and other familiar holiday tropes feel borrowed rather than inspired, echoing films like The Family Stone without matching their charm.

Ultimately, Oh. What. Fun. suffers from an unconvincing script, implausible family dynamics, and humor that rarely lands. Despite the talent involved and the festive effort, the film struggles to entertain and falls short of its promise. The result is a Christmas movie that delivers far less joy than its title suggests.

Oh. What. Fun. is now streaming on Amazon Prime.

Author: Ava Mitchell