The Herdmans are absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world. They lie, they steal, they bully…and now they’ve hijacked the town Christmas pageant. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever follows six siblings who sneak into church searching for snacks and walk away with the lead roles in the town pageant. Grace is directing the performance for the very first time, but she and her daughter Beth and husband Bob are in over their heads, especially against a town that wants them to kick the Herdmans out. But the play’s mischievous stars might unwittingly teach a community the true meaning of Christmas.
KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Adele B. comments, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is an energetic and fun family movie. The emotional depth of the characters and the heart-warming themes are what truly drew me in and kept my attention.” Isabella V., adds, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever manages to perfectly mix comedic and heartwarming moments. It is an incredible watch – it’s unique compared to other Christmas movies and the cast’s performance is outstanding.” Josephine K. wraps it up with, “The film’s message is that love, family and acceptance are the true meanings of Christmas. This film is a powerful reminder of the importance of community and togetherness.” See their full reviews below.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
By Adele B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 11
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is an energetic and fun family movie. The emotional depth of the characters and the heart-warming themes are what truly drew me in and kept my attention.
The story starts with Beth (Lauren Graham) reminiscing about her home town’s most famous event – The Christmas Pageant. In a flashback a younger Beth (Molly Belle Wright) thinks the pageant is boring and needs changing. She just may get her wish when Mrs. Armstrong (Mariam Berstein), long time pageant director, breaks both of her legs and her mom, Grace (Judy Greer), steps in to direct. Then, the Herdman family’s six kids, considered renegades, decide to join the pageant. Will the town realize that maybe the Herdman’s aren’t so bad and put on the best pageant ever?
The movie has tremendous emotional depth. The cast really connects with each other in a very realistic and fun way. Their effortless chemistry with each other leads to both comedic and touching scenes. I love when Imogene (Beatrice Schneider) plays Mary in the pageant and she cries on cue while she is holding a baby Jesus doll. Her believability made me teary eyed. Another favorite scene is when Gladys (Kynlee Heiman) plays the Angel of the Lord, and she excitedly and loudly tells the shepherds to find baby Jesus. It is a great comedic release. The Herdman kids’ realistic struggles from neglect and bad behavior modeling really comes through, as we see them act out so much. It is so heartwarming when Beth‘s dad, Bob (Pete Holmes), brings them a whole ham for Christmas as a positive gesture. The costumes are also noteworthy and match each character quite well. One of my favorite outfits is Gladys’s detailed angel costume. I also like Beth’s blue turtleneck sweater and Imogene’s unique style, like her jean jacket.
Kindness and inclusivity themes are woven throughout the movie. We are reminded that everyone deserves a chance for love and to not judge a book by its cover or people by how they look. Find what’s truly inside them.
I give The Best Christmas Pageant Ever 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18 plus adults. It releases on Blu-ray™ and DVD October 28, 2025.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Isabella V., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 14
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever manages to perfectly mix comedic and heartwarming moments. It is an incredible watch – it’s unique compared to other Christmas movies and the cast’s performance is outstanding. The production is executed perfectly, making it an ideal movie to watch during the holiday season.
The story is narrated by an older version of the protagonist, Beth (Molly Belle Wright, Lauren Graham) and follows her mom (Judy Greer) trying to take over the town’s national Christmas pageant when the usual director gets injured. However, there’s trouble when the worst group of kids in town, the Herdmans, take over the pageant and her mom must deal with the consequences.
The story is told incredibly well, with a mix of narration and live events. I became invested easily, and feel that the narration allows for added context to scenes that need it. It’s a very unique Christmas movie in that, rather than focusing on the protagonist, it tells the story from the perspective of others. This makes for great plot development, as the audience doesn’t automatically know everything about these characters, just how Beth sees them. The movie offers a range of tones, from extremely funny to extremely sad or heartwarming. The humor is amazing; I found myself laughing aloud multiple times. There’s many well-placed gags, partially thanks to the narration. However, the movie is also heartbreaking at times, and I found myself tearing up during the last couple minutes. These features are both heavily helped by the great performances from the cast, with the standout being Beatrice Schneider as Imogene Herdman. Her acting is outstanding and really allowed me to feel bad for Imogene, who I disliked in the beginning. She shows a huge range, both comedically and dramatically. My favorite part is its message and how the characters develop. Discovering why the Herdman kids behave the way they do, over the course of the film, is heartbreaking and watching them overcome it when no one else believed in them is so satisfying.
The film’s message is to not judge people who you don’t know, because you never know what may be going on with them or how they might change. Be forewarned that there is mild violence between the children.
I give The Best Christmas Pageant Ever 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to ages 8 to 18. It releases on Blu-ray™ and DVD October 28, 2025.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
By Josephine K., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13
This movie is superb! The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is heartfelt and thoughtful. The characters are well defined and develop nicely throughout the film. Also, the time period is fascinating and delightfully simple.
The story begins with a girl named Beth (Molle Belle Wright) and a rowdy clan of trouble-makers, known as the Herdmans. Beth’s mother (Judy Greer) is hosting their town’s monotonously traditional Christmas pageant and the Herdman’s have decided to make a troublesome appearance and take center stage. So it’s up to Beth, her mother, and the ever problematic Herdmans to prove to everyone, and to themselves, that they really can make this year’s pageant the Best Christmas Pageant Ever!
This film is delightful. It is an emotional masterpiece. The Herdmans are a difficult bunch, but as their experiences are revealed, it’s easier to empathize with them. The characters’ backgrounds are intricately developed and fascinating – each has their own riveting backstory. This film takes place in the early 70s and portrays the innocence of that time period. The little details that show the time period such as the corded wall phone and the various hair styles are delightful. My favorite character is Imogene Herdman (Beatrice Schneider) because, though she presents like she is tough, she is actually kind and fiercely protective of her siblings. My favorite part is when Imogene returns something to Beth because it shows her growth throughout the film.
The film’s message is that love, family and acceptance are the true meanings of Christmas. This film is a powerful reminder of the importance of community and togetherness.
I give The Best Christmas Pageant Ever 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults. It releases on Blu-ray™ and DVD on October 28, 2025.
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