A Merry Little Ex-Mas
“Sometimes the only way forward is back to where the heartbreak began.”
Netflix’s new Christmas offering, A Merry Little Ex-Mas, understands something
significant right out of the gate: Christmas isn’t always peaceful. Sometimes it’s
awkward. Sometimes it’s loud. Sometimes it forces you to sit across the table from the
person who broke your heart. Pretending everything’s fine while passing the mashed
potatoes. When all you want to do is pour it over their head.
That’s where A Merry Little Ex-Mas lives in that uncomfortable, oddly familiar space
between nostalgia and emotional landmines. It’s cozy, yes. Festive, absolutely. But it’s
also gently messy in a way that feels surprisingly real for a holiday rom-com.
At the centre of A Merry Little Ex-Mas is Alicia Silverstone, who brings warmth,
humour, and emotional credibility to a story that could have easily slipped into cliché
territory. Instead, A Merry Little Ex-Mas becomes a thoughtful, easy-to-watch Christmas
film about love, history, and what happens when moving on isn’t as simple as everyone
thinks it should be.
Silverstone plays Kate Holden, a woman who has spent the past year rebuilding her
life after separating from her husband, Everett (Oliver Hudson). Kate is doing all the
“right” things, focusing on herself, finding her rhythm again, convincing herself she’s
fine. And she mostly is. Until Christmas shows up, dragging unresolved feelings along
with it.
Because of a series of well-meaning but poorly thought-out family decisions, Kate ends
up spending the holidays under the same roof as her ex, Everett, their son Gabriel,
and the rest of the family. Kate was supposed to have a calm family Christmas. But it
turned into an emotional obstacle course, filled with shared memories and unspoken
truths. The kind of tension that only exists between two people who once loved each
other deeply.
Alicia Silverstone holds the film together.
Silverstone is genuinely good here. There’s a softness to her performance that feels
lived-in rather than performative. She doesn’t overplay Kate’s pain or turn her into a
caricature of the “sad divorcee.” Instead, she lets the character exist in those quiet,
complicated spaces — the forced smiles, the pauses, the moments where you can tell
Kate is asking herself questions she’s been avoiding all year.
She’s funny without pushing the jokes. Emotion without turning the film heavy. And
most importantly, believable. Kate feels like someone you know. Someone you’ve been.
Someone who’s trying to figure out whether moving forward means letting go
completely or finally facing what was left unfinished.
A Merry Little Ex-Mas is very much Alicia Silverstone’s movie, and she carries it with
ease.
Oliver Hudson brings charm and complication.
As Everett, Oliver Hudson plays the ex who’s hard to hate, which is precisely why he’s
so frustrating. He isn’t cruel, no. He isn’t dismissive, no. He’s kind, attentive, and still
clearly cares a lot for Kate. Their chemistry doesn’t come from grand romantic gestures.
But from familiarity, shared glances, inside jokes, the ease of two people who know
each other’s rhythms by heart.
A Merry Little Ex-Mas wisely avoids turning their breakup into something dramatic or
villainous. Instead, we get what many real breakups are: miscommunication, emotional
distance, timing that never quite lined up. That realism lends weight to their
interactions and makes their story more engaging than a standard holiday love triangle.
Family chaos done right.
The Holden family is loud, opinionated, loving, and just intrusive enough to feel
authentic. Jameela Jamil brings sharp humour as Tess, adding a modern edge to the
family dynamic, while Pierson Fodé as Chet Moore injects just enough awkward
energy to keep things lively.
The family means well — they always do — but their version of helping often looks like
emotional meddling wrapped in Christmas lights. It’s funny, relatable, and usually
where the film’s best moments come from. The movie understands that Christmas isn’t
just about romance; it’s about family dynamics that resurface whether you’re ready for
them or not.
The romance works because it takes its time.
What A Merry Little Ex-Mas does well is resist the urge to rush its emotional payoff.
Kate and Everett don’t magically fix everything with one heartfelt speech. They talk.
They argue. They acknowledge the hurt. They sit with the discomfort. And through
that, the film suggests something refreshingly honest:
Sometimes closure doesn’t come from erasing the past — it comes from understanding
it.
All the Christmas comfort you want
The film delivers exactly what you want visually from a holiday movie: snow-covered
settings, warm interiors, over-the-top decorations, and Christmas sweaters that should
probably be illegal. It’s festive without being overwhelming, polished without feeling
artificial.
Where it stumbles (just a little)
Yes, there are familiar beats — the almost-kiss interruption, the misunderstanding that
lingers slightly too long. But these moments don’t derail the film. They’re part of the
genre, and A Merry Little Ex-Mas earns enough goodwill to get away with them.
Final thoughts
A Merry Little Ex-Mas is a warm, comforting holiday film with emotional depth that
sneaks up on you. Anchored by a grounded, genuinely engaging performance from
Alicia Silverstone, it offers a love story that feels earned rather than forced.
It’s not trying to reinvent the Christmas movie — it’s just trying to tell a familiar story
honestly. And that’s more than enough.
If you’re looking for something cozy, emotionally resonant, and easy to settle into this
holiday season, this one’s worth the watch.
