“I got nothing out of this movie.”

El Camino Christmas: 1 out of 5

It doesn’t work as a Christmas movie, it doesn’t work as a cops & robbers movie, it doesn’t work as an ensemble comedy — it just doesn’t work. The trailer was enticing and Netflix has earned my trust, so the wife and I gave it a shot. I mean heck, it is a Christmas comedy by Netflix starring a bunch of actors who we like — what could be bad?

It has more cliché characters, jokes, “twists,” and resolutions than I previously thought was possible in a single 90 minute movie. Every person in this film has about as much depth as a puddle. The main character’s motivation is to find his father, which you will figure out in the first act of the movie because, well, there is only one option. Nothing happens in the development of this story that you won’t see coming from a mile away… except the ending, which is so bad, so cheesy, and so happy, that it’s the only thing I can say I was actually surprised by.

I haven’t seen a single film by David E. Talbert, but judging his movies by the cover, it seems like he is a hard-working, formulaic, light-hearted comedy kinda guy. He has continued to find work over the years and I’m sure has many fans, but based on El Camino Christmas, I have a feeling I will never be one of them.