Merry Christmas

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Merry Christmas

PG-13

2005

1h 56m

Holiday

War

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

74%

Tomatometer

112 Reviews

89%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

With the advent of World War I, Europe is thrown into a brutal and vicious chaos as men are forced to kill or be killed. While blood soaks the battlefield as Christmas approaches, the men in the trenches of the Western Front face a transformation, however fleeting, toward peace and goodwill. Against all odds, four unlikely individuals from opposing sides (Diane Kruger, Benno Fürmann, Guillaume Canet, Gary Lewis) bond during this bloodless respite to experience the hope and goodness in humanity.

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Critics Consensus

The poignant humanity on display in Joyeux Noel makes its sentimentality forgivable.

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Shubhra Gupta

The Indian Express

Apr 26, 2019

[Merry Christmas] underlines all that unites us at a time when all seems to separate us.

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Rick Groen

Globe and Mail

Dec 14, 2014

3/4

Unfolding slowly, then building in momentum like the hymns themselves, this entire sequence is tremendously affecting.

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Simon Crook

Empire Magazine

Dec 14, 2014

3/5

A vivid, quietly powerful recreation of a truly extraordinary moment in history: just not an overwhelmingly moving one.

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Joseph Tomastik

Loud and Clear Reviews

Nov 3, 2024

4.5/5

To my knowledge, there has never been a story that better shows how powerful the holiday in and of itself is than Joyeux Noël.

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Robert P

@Superbad Sep 24, 2026

Merry Christmas = a *4* movie...

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thiago s

@Thiagostone Dec 18, 2025

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

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Kyle M

@RT77296778 Jan 6, 2025

The “goodwill toward men” ideal was truly embraced briefly amid WWI in what could be considered a factually bizarre turn of events wherein humanity display actually comes forth in front of militaria triggers. Both a satisfying dramatization and continuous thought-provoking endorsement that questions the higher authorities’ sense of power disabling any sort of humane empathy that was arguably witnessed amongst the fraternized men from both sides of the fight, and that’s where the actual honor lies. (B+)

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Dave P

@DavePett Dec 23, 2024

A highly underrated Christmas movie with a powerful message of peace

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Mark J

@RT91128775 Dec 17, 2024

One I like to watch each year but would definitely recommend everyone see it once at least. Probably a very romanticised version of what actually happened but a nice story. Felt they could have shortened it slightly to help with pacing.

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John B

@RT93282932 Jan 6, 2024

Very cool story about how the spirit of Christmas allowed soldiers in war to find their common humanity.

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Christian Carion

Director

Diane Kruger

Anna Sörensen

Benno Fürmann

Nikolaus Sprink

Guillaume Canet

Lieutenant Audebert

Gary Lewis

Palmer

Dany Boon

Ponchel

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Synopsis

With the advent of World War I, Europe is thrown into a brutal and vicious chaos as men are forced to kill or be killed. While blood soaks the battlefield as Christmas approaches, the men in the trenches of the Western Front face a transformation, however fleeting, toward peace and goodwill. Against all odds, four unlikely individuals from opposing sides (Diane Kruger, Benno Fürmann, Guillaume Canet, Gary Lewis) bond during this bloodless respite to experience the hope and goodness in humanity.

Director: Christian Carion
Producer: Christophe Rossignon
Screenwriter: Christian Carion
Production Co: Artemis Productions, Senator Film Produktion GmbH, Nord-Express Productions [fr]
Rating: PG-13 (Some War Violence|Brief Sexuality/Nudity)
Genre: Holiday, War, Drama
Original Language: English
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Mar 3, 2006
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 1, 2011
Runtime: 1h 56m
Sound Mix: Dolby

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