The site's critical consensus reads, "While far from the worst holiday dramedy audiences could hope for, Almost Christmas isn't distinctive enough to prompt a visit to the theater – or annual yuletide viewings." On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating, the film has a weighted average score of 55 out of 100, based on 27 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews." Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A–" on an A+ to F scale. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 49% based on 69 reviews, with an average rating of 5.32/10. It went on to gross $15.6 million for the weekend, finishing fourth at the box office. The film made $507,000 from Thursday night previews at 1,885 theaters and $5.9 million on its first day. Box office Īlmost Christmas was released alongside Arrival and Shut In, and was expected to gross around $15 million from 2,376 theaters in its opening weekend. A trailer for the film was released April 14, 2016. Universal scheduled the film for a Novemrelease. Ĭasting for the film was done in late 2015, in Atlanta, Georgia. In April 2016, Universal Pictures announced another title change for the film, now called Almost Christmas. The film was first retitled A Meyers Christmas, with its setting moved to the Christmas holidays. Talbert, who directed the film, with Will Packer producing through Will Packer Productions. On April 27, 2015, it was announced that Universal Pictures had bought the comedy script A Meyers Thanksgiving from David E. Lyn Talbert as Young Grace Meyers (voice).Elias Talbert as Young Evan Meyers (voice).Gladys Knight as Dorothy, Shelter Director.Gregory Alan Williams as Pastor Browning.Mo'Nique as Aunt May Deveraux Johnson-Davis.Keon Rahzeem Mitchell as Young Walter Meyers.Lastly, Evan is a successful football player recovering from a shoulder injury, but when his coach tells him his arm is completely healed, Evan struggles to give up the pain medication.
Meanwhile, Rachel, his youngest daughter and third born, struggles to financially support herself and her daughter due to her recent divorce and studying to become a lawyer. Christian invites his campaign manager along so they can get more work done.
His eldest son and second born, Christian, struggles with balancing his campaign to become a congressman and his desire to spend time with his family. Smoove), a previously famous basketball player who develops a mutual interest in a young grocery store worker named Jasmine ( Keri Hilson) shortly after arriving in town. As his children arrive, Walter realizes a perfect Christmas without his wife is easier said than done.Ĭheryl, a dentist and the eldest child, arrives for the holidays with her goofy husband Lonnie ( J. Walter knows that if his daughters Cheryl ( Kimberly Elise) and Rachel ( Gabrielle Union) and sons Christian ( Romany Malco) and Evan ( Jessie Usher) can spend five days together under the same roof, it will truly be a Christmas miracle. Now that the holiday season is here, he invites his four grown children and the rest of the family to his house for a traditional celebration. Walter Meyers ( Danny Glover) is a retired automotive engineer who lost his wife Grace (Rachel Kylian) 10 months earlier.