User reviews

I loved it. It is a fun, warm and entertaining movie. It is also a bit different than your standard, typical Christmas movie, which is great. At times, I found myself laughing out loud and even shed a tear or two towards the end. The story centers around a family struggling with drought on their outback farm. As Christmas day approaches, things are upended and start to change when a runaway criminal, dressed as Santa Claus, crashes his stolen Ute into their shed. The children end up helping Santa (played by Daniel Henshall, he is great, by the way) find his 'sack' of toys (aka his bag of cash) during which he starts connecting and bonding with the family. The writers and director have done a great job developing the characters in this film. You got to love Daisy (played by Lena Nankivell), the little girl with the shotgun; Tom (played by Eaden McGuinness), the boy in the getup to protect him from the pandemic, climate change, and all other dangers; Hazel (played by Tatiana Goode), the glue that holds the family together; the single mum (played by Ling Cooper Tang) who is dealing with the loss of her husband thru an obsession with (beating) the drought on the farm, and their sheep (you gotta love the sheep). The characters, including Santa, are quirky and fun to watch on screen. I found myself quickly taken in by them and the story more broadly. The dialogue too is fun, and at times, heartfelt. There is also a twist to the story, and we even get a 'Home Alone' scene towards the end. What makes all this work on screen is, of course, the acting. Overall, the acting is outstanding. As noted above, Henshall's performance (who's character is at the heart of the story) was strong. He did a great job threading the line between a criminal looking for his cash and a man getting to know and bonding with the family. Plus, he was fun to watch on screen. The children too had fun and cute performances. What stood out to me on screen was the performance of Tatiana Goode as Hazel. She had a very convincing performance (easy to connect to, I thought). She is a very talented actor. I was also surprised, at the end of the film, when I realized that the mobster Dingo was played by Sullivan Stapleton. Did anyone else not recognize him? I watched every episode of Blindspot. So, I was a bit surprised that I did not know it was him until the end. All in all, this is an excellent Christmas movie. Something different to leave under the Australian Christmas tree this season.

This years new Christmas favourite. Lighthearted, funny and heartwarming. It's pretty predictable, but aren't they all?

There's more than enough hilarious Aussie humour to make up for it though and that, along with the performances of the children, who are perfect little scene stealers, makes this a movie that's destined to become another addition to your classic Christmas movie list.

And an alternative new year, then join me and everybody else that enjoyed this peculliar and maybe to some a really different x-mas movie, where the sun is on its highest at the northern side of the compass, and where the vortexes usually churns the wrong way, a film that made me smile and laugh, where phil collins of the genesis has found his spittin image to do his biographical drama when he takes a pass by on the road to the city called alice, and where the children actors must be a joy to the world and to the adult actors, because their plain and simple marvelous.

so if you wanna have an outback christmas, with a paid vouleteerin outback santa sharing love and joy by spreading rain over henrietta or whatever the name of the homestead was, wher the kids are darling buds of naivity, the coming of age daughter the govner cause the mum is completely crazy then have a look at ''a sunburnt christmass''. its a recommend from the grumpy old man thinking that this might be a classic to the x-mas nerds

I was a bit sceptical coming into this but I actually was pleasantly surprised! The writing was good, the storyline zinged and Daisy really stole the show. Good Aussie Fun.

Daryl Dunn is a criminal in custody being treated in a hospital. He steals a costume from a Santa Claus and escapes in his van. He's being pursued by his scary partner who is looking for their hidden loot. It's buried on the failing Raley farm. He crashes his van into the barn. Little Daisy Raley finds him and assumes him to be the real Santa Claus.

The level of stranger danger is exceedingly high. Hazel should definitely know better. Even if she doesn't call the cops, she would have him restrained somehow. This is going for the humor and it's sometimes funny. It's a mildly humorous crime thriller from Australia.

Think of all the great Christmas movies you have seen. Now relocate them to Australia (where it is Summer), sprinkle on some Australian humour, and add a just a dash of Christmas cliché. What you then have is a Christmas movie like no other - a guaranteed future classic. Welcome to history, A Sunburnt Christmas!

The Raley's, wily 15-year-old Hazel (Tatiana Goode), along with and her siblings, the fearless Daisy (Lena Nankivell) and hypochondriac Tom (Eadan McGuinness) are keeping things together as best they can since the death of their father. When a strange man dressed as Santa (Henshall) crashes a car full of Christmas toys into their shed, turning Christmas and their entire lives upside down in ways that could never have been imagined....

Without giving too much away, what ensues next has all the Christmas trademarks - it is funny, sweet and a touch sad.

I understand the M rating, the film does contain religious references, mild language use, some contentious issues (mostly around Santa potentially being blown up, his powers and his existence, as well as the subtext of suicide). It also has a shotgun toting 6-year-old! However, with no sex scenes, toilet talk or other inappropriate scenes or themes - you decide. This film is boldly fresh with the topics and references seamlessly and often humourlessly integrated.

If you loved watching Elf, Home Alone or Die Hard, you will love A Sunburnt Christmas.

Thank you @StanAustralia, @ScreenAustralia and director @ChristiaanVanVuuren, as well as the entire cast and crew for making such a standout Christmas movie!

This is a really fun Christmas movie with a great story, likeable characters, plenty of laughs and most importantly lots of Christmas spirit.

It never makes you cringe nor does it go down cliched paths. The plot isn't predictable and kept me interested. I enjoyed seeing a summer Christmas in a movie for a change.

The actors were all great from the kids to the villain and everyone in between. What I liked most was that it was really Aussie without having to use unrealistic stereotypes.

A fun watch for the whole family.

Not to make much on rave on this movie, it is absolutely for Aussie kids, No laughs at all. I felt for its trailer.. Avoid if you can, but if you nothing to watch mate.. then go for it.

Quirky Australian Christmas movie with great performances by a largely inexperienced cast is probably the best way to review this. It's funny and heartfelt. My only negative might be that the ending involved some comical violence and some kids may not like it.

Overall a great antidote to sickly sweet Christmas films with and with Australian twist

I don't think I laughed once. Predictable plot. Mediocre acting from the children. Very meh overall.

This was one of the best Aussie movies I've seen, not too mention my new favourite Christmas movie. Absolutely loved it!

Great Aussie film, which only aussies with get, its a shame more Aussie films arent made like this.

A fresh take on the usual Bad Santa in need. Fun to see the Australian outback on screen in an Australian rendition of a 'Christmas Tree'. Mostly predictable storyline but what Christmas movie isn't.

A refreshing and raucous take on the traditional Hallmark Christmas movie. Aussie through and through! Thanks Stan for a quality offering!

Some absolute pearlers in this Australian festive comedy! Would recommend and would watch it again, amazing acting from the children of the film, they take the lime light! "He isn't a stranger, he knows when you've been sleeping, he knows when you're awake" - that will have me laughing until the new year!

What a great film, puts a smile on your face.

Some great acting, well rounded film for all ages.

Give it a watch.

A fun family Christmas movie. I'd say suitable for 9 and up. Surprisingly good.

Possibly the only Christmas movie I've ever enjoyed. The themes are a bit mature for the kids but is perfect for engaging with the disillusioned teen at Christmas.

Really enjoyed this movie, put together well and a movie all ages can watch. No sexual rubbish, no gore, plenty of humour, just a good all round movie, will watch again.

A Sunburnt Christmas is a charming and warm family film with just enough edge to make everyone happy. The performances are great - the kids are particularly charming, as is Daniel Henshall in the lead - and the story, about a runaway criminal disguised as Santa, is brisk and the script is quite funny. This is a fun Australian Christmas movie - one of the earliest and best in a quickly expanding subgenre. You don't even need to wait till December to watch this. You might even enjoy it in March.

Generally hate Christmas movies, but this Aussie Christmas movie is exactly what aussies need to watch on Christmas. It's got some great lines and I laughed all the way through. 10/10 will definitely watch again next Christmas.

Up there in my top 5 Christmas movies. Kids are fantastic. Had every ingredient a day more. Best line. 'You don't have the balls'. No I have overies'. Loved every minute of it. And even hubby who hates Christmas movie enjoyed it.

What an awesome Christmas movie! Escapee Daryl flees the hospital to recover a bag of money from a heist that's been buried on a farm in drought stricken Australia. He had confiscated a Santa costume and Santa van during his escape. After crashing the vehicle into a shed, he is discovered by a young girl who believes he is the big guy himself. After finally meeting her whole family, who'd lost their patriarch the previous year, he gets involved with their daily survival to ward off the bank and a nefarious dude who is hot on his trail. Many funny and touching moments make this a very enjoyable film. Great twist towards the end, to boot. A bit of violence and a touch of blood, but not really any visible gore. This is going on my list of holiday movies for the future.