Grumpy Christmas review: There is no Feliz Navidad without family

Don Servando, popularly known as the Grumpy Grandpa, is back to create more trouble in Grumpy Christmas. The Mexican Christmas flick marks Don Servando's return after his adventures in The Patriarch (2016). Released on 21 December 2021 on Netflix, Grumpy Christmas encapsulates the spirit of family and togetherness over Christmas.

Grumpy Christmas was directed by Pedro Gonzalez and Raul Martinez and stars Hector Bonilla in the lead role of the Grumpy Grandpa. Other members of the cast include Benny Ibarra, Jacqueline Bracamontes, Angelica Maria and Renata Notni.

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Grumpy Christmas brief summary: What is Don Servando up to this time?

Grumpy Christmas is Netflix's latest addition to its Mexican movie catalog. This year, for Christmas, Don Servando (Hector Bonilla) and his new extended family take a trip to the beach to spend Christmas with Alma's aunt Alicia. As the patriarch steps into the matriarch's den, things take a turn for the worse. A comical and immature power grab conflict ensues between the two oldest members of the family.

Don Servando's selfish need to prove his dominance and control over how the family celebrates Christmas leads him to almost ruin Christmas and hurt Alicia. Meanwhile, other members of the family battle their own issues.

Enemies turned lovers might be an overdone trope, but in Grumpy Christmas, the couple does not resemble the ones commonly seen in rom-coms. Safe to say, by the end of the film, Grumpy Grandpa is not so grumpy anymore, and the family realizes what's most important on Christmas. It's not how they celebrate it but who they celebrate it with.

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Is Grumpy Christmas worth watching?

There can never be such a thing as enough holiday movies. Grumpy Christmas is Netflix's latest addition to the category. However, it is anything but a regular Hallmark-style Christmas movie.

Despite its unique selling points that include a senile couple and a huge Mexican family Christmas on a beach, Grumpy Christmas does not manage to stand out as something special. The film features heartfelt themes like the importance of family and the joy of togetherness, but it fails to call up emotions beyond the surface level. The comedy is also juvenile and falls flat throughout the movie.

It can be argued that perhaps the emotions got lost in translation, which is often the case with non-English films. But Don Servando did seem too old and done with being the crowd's favorite mischievous octogenarian grandpa.

Catch Grumpy Christmas on Netflix if you're missing the spirit of family this festive season, but don't expect too much from the holiday flick.