Almost Christmas

Almost Christmas centers on Walter, a retired mechanic and recent widower, who brings his four grown children home for the family's first holiday season since their mother died. Each of them arrives with their own troubles, and the household is further complicated by the early arrival of the late matriarch's outspoken sister, May, along with other unannounced guests. Walter asks his family for one gift: five days under the same roof, getting along. The siblings must work through old grievances and new conflicts while sorting out their own lives in the days leading up to the holiday meal.

David E. Talbert directed and wrote the screenplay, and Will Packer produced. It was Talbert's third feature, following First Sunday and Baggage Claim, and his second Christmas-themed film after 2017's El Camino Christmas. Danny Glover leads the cast as Walter, with Kimberly Elise, Omar Epps, Romany Malco and Mo'Nique among the thirty-eight credited performers, the latter playing Aunt May.

Released in November 2016, the film had a budget of about 17 million dollars and took roughly 43 million dollars worldwide, a solid return. On IMDb it holds a 6.2 rating from around 9,300 votes, while on TMDB it sits at 6 from roughly 400 votes, indicating a modestly positive audience response. A critics' rating of 5.3 from 68 reviews places it somewhat lower than viewers' own assessments.