Holiday Down Under: A Sunburnt Christmas Movie Review

Hello readers!

I'm ready to share another holiday film with you that is a little naughty and nice. So pack your bags, check your virtual passport twice, and let's go to Australia!  

Sunburnt Christmas is directed by Christiaan Van Vuuren and tells the story of a widowed mother, Fiona, (Ling Cooper Tang) who is struggling to keep the family farm afloat due to horrendous drought conditions and becomes obsessed with fixing their broken windmill. 

We also have the kids, big sister Hazel (Tatiana Goode), who is in charge of everything and is trying to hold the pieces of what is left of the family together, hypochondriac yet also grief-stricken brother, Tom (Eaden McGuinness) who fears everything will kill him, and younger sister, Daisy (Lena Nankivell) who is a bit of a reckless spirit and yet a dreamer too.  She holds onto her dad’s old shotgun and goes around shooting passing clouds, with the hopes to make it rain.  The innocence through a child’s eyes has a lot of moments here to cherish.

While foreclosure on their home is near, a criminal on the loose dressed as Santa Claus named Daryl Dunn, (Daniel Henshall) crashes into their property, changing all of their lives forever. 

There is something wonderful about watching Australian films.  I was really smitten with the performance from Daniel Henshall.  He’s such a likeable character and you can really see the connections he makes with the kids that really bring new perspectives to the story. The plot may seem pretty standard, but there is a twist in this one that you might not see coming.  I also loved the wacky humour with the emotional punches woven into many of the scenes.

There is a lot of heart down under with this holiday film, so you’re bound to have a ripper of a time with it!

💜A Sunburnt Christmas Trailer