Let's get the caveats out of the way: Debbie Isitt's screenplay does contain certain implausibilities - two children miss school and jet off to Los Angeles with their teacher Mr. Maddens (Martin Freeman); while Maddens himself, together with his teaching assistant Poppy (Marc Wootton) stage their Nativity Play in the ruins of Coventry Cathedral, complete with strobe lights, visual effects and lighting that is more characteristic of a Lloyd Webber musical than a school play. At one point the fuses blow; and the children continue to perform by candlelight. The sheer strength of the lighting suggests that they have also been given divine intervention so as to let the performance continue.Nonetheless, NATIVITY! is a really enjoyable piece of work; the kind of feel-good movie that makes you believe in human goodness, at least for a brief period. Freeman's Maddens is a carefully observed study in insecurity - a primary school teacher desperately trying to convince everyone that he has got over a lengthy love-affair with Jennifer Lore (Ashley Jensen(, but making a very poor job of it. His depression manifests itself in the way he treats his students - although fond of them, he finds it incredibly difficult to relate to them. This is where Poppy proves such a cathartic figure; through a combination of enthusiasm and sheer brute force he convinces Maddens to engage more fully in directing the play and to become more personally responsible for his students' welfare. There is one particularly moving sequence where Madden reads the letters written by his students to Santa Claus, and discovers that they know everything about his failed love- affair. Wiping the tears from his eyes, Madden exits stage left and resolves to produce as good a piece of work as he can.NATIVITY! contains its fair share of memorable cameos, from Alan Carr as a poison-pen critic with a fondness for eating during the performance, to Jason Watkins as a rival teacher in a private school determined to ensure that Maddens' production does not receive as favorable a critical opinion as his own. The message here is a simple one - in a class-ridden society such as Britain, it's not always the privileged children who prove most successful. Even those from less wealthy backgrounds, who have perhaps been dismissed as "useless" or incompetent, can be encouraged to produce something worthwhile, if only they are given the self-confidence to do so. The credits end with a dedication to "all inspirational teachers" in the audience, at whatever educational level. NATIVITY! proves what can be done if they are given the chance to inspire.

Premiering on BBC2 over the Christmas period, I decided to catch-up with it even if I disliked the look of it from the trailer over two years ago. My first impressions were wrong.Freeman plays his hassled teacher role straight (and very believably) so it's up to Wooton to be the clownish man-child, providing most of the laughs although Freeman has hilariously great 'WTF?' expressions in reaction to his co-star's antics. Ferris is the head, who's like the typical didactic staff member, who just wants to keep everything under control. Carr plays an exaggerated version of himself as a critic, Jensen is sweet as Freeman's ex, Watkin's plays his role broadly, pretty much a panto villain and the kids are alright, with the smallest boy stealing the show at nearly every opportunity. Those who remember Britain's Got Talent from the first series will spot some familiar faces.The pacing is pretty good and it never felt plodding anywhere, so kudos for the editing - some shots could've been a bit longer, so I could've appreciated a scene more. It does have a very televisual look, as I said and the two primary schools must be the smallest I've ever seen as apart from the main two classes, the schools look pretty empty, so maybe they couldn't they afford extras? The plot is predictable, it had some some manipulatively mawkish scenes (although one main one actually did make me cry as the actor's voice faltered while he was talking) and it did go beyond 'suspension of disbelief' for the ending, but with that exclamation mark in the title, this was always going to be a festive farce, not to be taken too seriously.The songs remind me of the cheerful exuberance some of Brittania High's songs had, so the Christmas primary school version of that is what the original music reminded me of. I didn't dislike any and would consider buying the OST.Overall: When the laughs come, it delivers and it had a high laugh count, for me. The drama side isn't so great and feels contrived due to clunky writing. Some of the youngsters have good comic timing and are actually pretty natural when they aren't looking lost/gurning in a scene. But, like Teachers main focus, this about the adults and the kids are just ancillary members. In tone, it's sort of like a spin-off Waterloo Road - The Primary Nativity. It zips along nicely, has a joyful, likable soundtrack and although it had no real reason to be released in cinemas, it's better than I thought it would be and will become an annual watch in my home - 6/10.

Whats not to love about this movie? the adult performances are fine (martin freeman doing his usual spot on job), but it's the performance of the kids that have you crying with laughter one minute and just crying the next. This was an unexpected pleasure and an absolute joy from start to finish. This has definitely gone to the top of my "must watch at Christmas" list!! I defy anyone to watch this and not feel the emotions well up (in a good way!) as they view it! If for nothing else, then watch this movie for the last thirty minutes or so to see the nativity play in its full amazing show. Anyone with kids knows what its like to sit through these events, but you'll wish this is how your kids had done it!

Christmas was coming around the corner again, just a month away, so naturally I wanted to cheer myself up with a seasonal film, so I picked this one, from director Debbie Isitt (Confetti). Basically often frustrated primary school teacher Paul Maddens (Martin Freeman) has hated Christmas ever since his girlfriend Jennifer Watkins (Ashley Jensen) left him on the festive night in question. He is charged and forced by the headmistress Mrs. Bevan (Pam Ferris) of St. Bernadette's primary school, in Coventry, into making this year's nativity play for, and he has his new classroom assistant Mr. Desmond Poppy (Marc Wootton) to help. Paul is competing against the near posh private school with Gordon Shakespeare (Being Human's Jason Watkins), and Paul lies to his rival that his ex-girlfriend, now working in Hollywood, is coming to the show, and the eccentric Mr. Poppy overhears. With Mr. Poppy spreading rumours, the Headmistress, parents and children of the school are mistaken into believing that people from Hollywood are coming to see a big production of the nativity. Now becoming somewhat of a celebrity in the town, this "little white lie" is getting increasingly more hard to get rid of, especially with Mr. Poppy fuelling his enthusiasm to create a spectacular show. Obviously Paul does tell Mr. Poppy the truth, and the nativity play plans may have just gloated away, but Paul doesn't want to shatter the hopes of everyone, so he makes the hasty decision to go and find Jennifer. Paul finds her in Beverly Hills, Califorinia, she is not the Hollywood producer he expected her to have become, she is just a secretary, and she refuses an invitation to come back with him to see this nativity, even with two children accompanying him. The Headmistress also finds out the truth about the Hollywood lie, she cancels the show, and Mr. Poppy also goes away feeling dampened, but Paul assures him that they can still do a play. So all the children are ready to go, all the parents, the Headmistress, a Critic (Alan Carr) and the Mayor (Ricky Tomlinson) have been brought together, and the show goes on. There is a point where Mr. Shakespeare tries to spoil everything with the Hollywood revelation, but Jennifer arrives with her Hollywood colleague in a helicopter, they join the audience and the show continues. In the end, the show is a big hit against grizzly rival Shakespeare, whose show flopped, everyone is happy to join in with a song and dance, and Paul and Jennifer get back together for a happy Christmas. Also starring John Sessions as Mr. Lore, Britain's Got Talent's Jake Pratt as Olly, Britain's Got Talent Cheeky Monkeys member Krista Hyatt, Britain's Got Talent Cheeky Monkeys member Charlie Dixon and Britain's Got Talent's Bessie Cursons. Freeman makes a good hassled teacher, Ferris is brief but good, Carr was amusing in his time, Jensen was nice, and Wootton steals most of the show as the unusual and childish teaching assistant. I agree with the critics that the kids were natural talents on screen, it was nice to spot some familiar faces amongst them too, it is a little predictable throughout, but it is a still a fun family comedy film for the festivities. Worth watching!