The Christmas Switch Review: It’s time for Christmas movies to warm us up before the festivities begin, and Netflix has ushered in its holiday films to fill its audiences with cheer, celebrating family. In this Netflix holiday film, two sisters belonging to completely opposite worlds swap lives with one another for the holidays to get a fresh start, only to realise that there’s much more to each other than they give credit for.
The premise, as one can guess, brings plenty of fun complications that will invariably be solved quickly enough for everyone to get together for the holiday cheer. It’s a light-hearted romp that is perfect for a night in on the sofa.
The cast includes Felice Jankell, Happy Jankell, Christian Fandango, Celie Sparre, and Anastasious Soulis, and is directed by Adam Pålsson. The Netflix film (Bara till jul) is adapted from Eleonor Sager’s book Christmas in St. Anna.
The Christmas Switch Review
A Familiar Story With a Festive Twist
If you’re familiar with this brand of movies, then The Christmas Switch will come as no shocker. Mathilda and Freddie, sisters with completely opposite personalities, switch lives weeks before Christmas, which gives rise to surprising complications. It’s a film about holiday, sisterhood and big life decisions, wherein Freddie’s fast-paced city life and homebody Mathilda’s village life collide. As they both navigate unfamiliar surroundings and responsibilities, the film highlights what’s important in life and how people handle such situations.
The stakes, as with most of these films, are quite low, but that’s probably what makes this such an entertaining watch. Netflix uses its familiar settings to its advantage to tell a familiar story in a different light. As the sisters attempt to adjust to each other’s routines, they find time to look inward and question their personal choices, relationships and expectations. Much like The Holiday or The Princess Switch, romance enters the scene and adds another layer of complication that the sisters need to overcome.
In the end, though, the story has enough charm and entertainment to keep things moving without feeling too silly or stale.
Felice and Happy Jankell Bring the Sisterly Dynamic to Life
The beating heart of any drama like this are the performances and real-life sisters Felice and Happy Jankell are able to bring the essence of sisterhood to the forefront beautifully. You believe in their problems, fights and banter because of their shared chemistry and vulnerable moments. The film is clearly not trying to reinvent the genre in any way, but it stands out due to its small moments of relatability and vulnerability thanks to the performances of the protagonists. The lighthearted approach works in its favour, and their contrasting personalities provide many moments of humour.
The rest of the cast is entertaining as well and adds to the overall lighthearted and cosy vibe that the film is aiming to be.
Adam Pålsson’s Directorial Debut Keeps Things Cosy
The film’s straightforward narrative provides enough room for Pålsson’s direction to shine through. It understands that this isn’t supposed to be a mind-boggling endeavour and thus focuses on the warmth and entertainment factor rather than getting into complicated territory. The film understands what people usually expect from Christmas films and delivers exactly that. However, if you’re looking for something more (because sometimes we need that too), then this will be disappointing.
Final Verdict: Is the Film Worth Watching?
In the end, The Christmas Switch is a pretty cut-and-dry watch that isn’t trying to reinvent the genre by any means. It’s lighthearted and entertaining and will leave most viewers with a warm feeling. With great performances, this one’s a great one-time watch with family.
Watch The Christmas Switch film on Netflix. What did you think about the holiday film? Let us know in the comments below!
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