Film: Nativity

Nativity

Verdict

***

Starring: Martin Freeman, Marc Wootton, Ashley Jensen, Jason Watkins, Pam Ferris, Alan Carr, Ricky Tomlinson

Director: Debbie Isitt

Certificate U

Contains swearing and violence

ANYONE looking for that warm, fuzzy feeling this Christmas should start with Nativity.

This comedy mixes the child improvisation of TV sitcom Outnumbered and the putting on a show pizzazz of High School Musical with the romantic schmaltz of Love Actually.

It could therefore only work at Christmas.

That it somehow does is as much to do with the natural talent of a clutch of cute primary school kids as the skills of director Debbie Isitt.

Nativity also gives Coventry a rosy glow that surely is as nearly as big a miracle as the actual Christmas Story itself.

Martin Freeman plays teacher, failed actor, and all round grouch Mr Maddens. Each Christmas his school's annual nativity is a pale shadow of that created by his long-time adversary Gordon Shakespeare (Jason Watkins) at the posh independent school up the road.

Maddens never expects to get five-star reviews from the local newspaper critic (Alan Carr) but in a fit of pique he boasts that this Christmas a Hollywood production company where his ex-girlfriend Jennifer (Ashley Jensen) works will come and film his show.

This sends his headmistress (Pam Ferris) and childlike classroom assistant Mr Poppy (Marc Wootton) into excitement overdrive, leaving Maddens with the choice of coming clean on the lie or begging for help from the woman who dumped him under the mistletoe and ruined his life.

It's all as sweet and sticky as Christmas pudding and could have been as difficult to digest if it wasn't for the kids.

Isitt's masterstroke has been to avoid stage school bratishness and to allow a gallery of pint -sized stars to simply improvise.

Like in the hit sit-com Outnumbered, the youngsters largely play themselves and are consequently sweet and hilarious.

By contrast, the festive love story involving Freeman and Jensen is Richard Curtis lite - plenty of goo but no redeeming funny lines.

As soon as the kids are off screen the film begins to creak as it really should.

But it's hard to be cynical about a movie that has the feelgood factor turned permanently up to 10 and which is hard not to watch without a smile on your face.

There's also something quaint about a rather parochially British variation on the High School Musical theme. The lack of Disney air brushing is quite refreshing.

There are those who, allergic to the charms of cheeky small faces will find this highly resistible. But they probably don't like Christmas much either.

Nigel Powlson