In the world of Christmas rom-coms, 'EXMas' attempts to deck the halls but ends up tangling the lights. The film's premise - Graham (played with a surprising lack of charisma) surprises his family for Christmas, only to find his ex-fiancée cozily ensconced with them - could have been a recipe for festive fun. Instead, it's more like overcooked turkey: dry and hard to swallow. The script lumbers from one contrived situation to another, leaning heavily on tired tropes and a telegraphed plot that could have been written by a festive fortune cookie.
The acting is as artificial as a plastic Christmas tree. Graham's family, intended to provide comic relief, instead deliver lines with the enthusiasm of someone reading a microwave manual. And the ex-fiancée? She's as warmly engaging as a snowman in a blizzard. The chemistry between the leads is non-existent, making their inevitable reconciliation as believable as Santa fitting down a modern chimney. The film's attempt at humor relies heavily on awkward dinner table jokes that make you cringe rather than chuckle, and the forced sentimentality is as subtle as a flashing neon reindeer.
Yes, the snowy scenes are picturesque, and the Christmas decorations are on point, but they can't mask the movie's fundamental flaws. 'EXMas' is like that gaudy, over-the-top Christmas sweater: it might catch your eye, but you wouldn't want to be seen with it for too long. In short, this film is the cinematic equivalent of finding coal in your stocking - a disappointment you didn't really want but somehow saw coming.
