Chhavi Jain 
Every Christmas movie tries to warm your heart. A Merry Little Ex-Mas goes a step further… it gently breaks it, heals it, and wraps it in fairy lights. From the very first frame, this movie announces that it’s not your typical sugar-cookie holiday romance. So let’s take a dive into yet another early Christmas flick of 2025!
A Christmas Romance That Starts With a Breakup
A Merry Little Ex-Mas begins with divorce paperwork, or as the protagonists insist, “A CONSCIOUS UNCOUPLING.” But let’s be honest: from the moment Kate (our luminous, quietly powerful female lead) and Everett (the soft-hearted, occasionally clueless husband) appear together on screen, you know in your bones that divorce is the wrong ending for them. Their chemistry feels lived-in, textured, heartbreakingly familiar: like two people who never stopped loving each other, only stopped knowing how.
Even as they start dating new people, even as they pretend they’re ready to move on, every shared glance carries a history. Every accidental touch carries longing. And every scene whispers the same message: These two are not done. Not even close.
Adding sparkle and humour is their daughter’s boyfriend… affectionately known as the Harry Potter weirdo. He’s awkward, adorable, and unexpectedly profound, injecting the film with quirky warmth and pure holiday charm.
Yet the real emotional punch comes from unexpected places. A standout moment, one that left me misty-eyed, is the college essay written by Kate and Everett’s son. In it, he calls his mother the person he looks up to the most. For a woman who spends the entire film terrified that her children will “turn out like her,” the essay becomes a mirror, reflecting her strength, her resilience, and her immense capacity for love. It is, without exaggeration, one of the most beautiful scenes in recent Christmas cinema.
Everett, too, tries to right his wrongs. His apology is tender, raw, and brimming with genuine remorse… until he fumbles disastrously with the line about “being better the next time he gets married.” Ouch. The air disappears. Al’s heartbreak erupts. And we, the audience, feel the sting burn through the screen.
A Heartfelt Journey Toward Redemption and Second Chances
But Christmas stories are about redemption… About vulnerability… About coming home.
And slowly, through soft conversations, shared memories, and snow-dusted realisations… Al (Kate) and Betty (Everett) find their way back to each other. Their reunion is gentle, authentic, and deeply satisfying. It’s not a rushed kiss under the mistletoe; it feels like two souls recognising each other again.
Visually, the movie is a holiday dreamscape: glowing lights, warm kitchens, gingerbread houses, snowy sidewalks, lovingly wrapped presents, flickering fireplaces. The cinematography feels like being hugged. By the end, as Al learns to finally love herself and Betty understands what truly matters, the film gifts us a finale filled with emotion, connection, and the magic that only Christmas can bring.
A Merry Little Ex-Mas is more than a holiday romance. It’s a celebration of messy relationships, imperfect people, and second chances. A movie that believes love isn’t always simple…but it’s always worth fighting for.
HOC Rating – ★★★★
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