8-Bit Christmas

8-Bit Christmas is a 2021 American Christmas comedy film directed by Michael Dowse, from a screenplay by Kevin Jakubowski based upon his novel of the same name. It stars Neil Patrick Harris, Winslow Fegley, June Diane Raphael, David Cross, and Steve Zahn. The film was released on November 24, 2021, on HBO Max, receiving generally favorable reviews from critics.

8-Bit Christmas
Promotional release poster
Directed byMichael Dowse
Written byKevin Jakubowski
Based on8-Bit Christmas
by Kevin Jakubowski
Produced by
  • Tim White
  • Trevor White
  • Allan Mandelbaum
  • Nick Nantell
  • Jonathan Sadowski
Starring
CinematographySamy Inayeh[1]
Edited byTrevor Ambrose[2]
Music byJoseph Trapanese
Production
companies
Distributed byHBO Max
Release date
  • November 24, 2021 (2021-11-24)
Running time
97 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Premise

Set in the late 1980s, a young boy named Jake Doyle plans to get a Nintendo Entertainment System before everyone else.

Cast
  • Neil Patrick Harris as Adult Jake Doyle
  • Sophia Reid-Gantzert as Annie Doyle, Jake's daughter
  • June Diane Raphael as Kathy Doyle, Jake's mother
    • Raphael plays both the 1988 version and the present older version of Kathy Doyle
  • Steve Zahn as John Doyle, Jake's father (1988)
  • Bellaluna Resnick as Lizzy Doyle, Jake's sister (1988)
  • Che Tafari as Mikey Trotter, one of young Jake's friends (1988)
  • Santino Barnard as Evan Olsen, one of young Jake's friends who is allergic to bees and pasta (1988)
  • Max Malas as Jeff Farmer, a kid in Jake's circle but not one of his friends and a pathological liar (1988)
  • Brielle Rankins as Tammy Hodges, one of young Jake's friends who collects baseball cards, she is also Teddy's sister (1988)
  • Cyrus Arnold as Josh Jagorski, an oversized school bully (1988)
  • Braelyn Rankins as Teddy Hodges, one of young Jake's friends and Tammy's brother (1988)
  • Chandler Dean as Timmy Keane, a narcissistic rich kid who owns a Nintendo (NES) system and likes showing-off (1988)
  • Katia Smith as Tiffany Keane, Timmy's mother who is an anti-video game advocate (1988)
  • Tom Rooney as Dr. Timothy Keane Sr., Timmy's father who is an anti-video game advocate (1988)
  • David Cross as Dealer

Production

In March 2021, it was announced Neil Patrick Harris, Winslow Fegley, June Diane Raphael, and Steve Zahn had joined the cast of the film, with Michael Dowse directing from a screenplay by Kevin Jakubowski. New Line Cinema and Star Thrower Entertainment will produce the film, with HBO Max set to distribute.[3]

Principal photography began in March 2021, in Toronto, Canada.[4][5][6]

Release

The film was digitally released on November 24, 2021, on HBO Max.[7]

Critical response

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 80% based on 25 reviews, with an average rating of 6.9/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "For viewers seeking an undemanding and sweetly nostalgic ode to yuletide seasons past, 8-Bit Christmas boots up without a glitch."[8] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 66 out of 100 based on five critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[9]

Nick Ordoña of the Los Angeles Times praised the casting, directing, and Jakubowski's writing, summarizing: "It even earns its heart-tugging ending. In short, it's a surprise contender for Best Christmas Movie of the last several years."[10] Calum Marsh of The New York Times wrote: "When it isn't fawning over roller rinks, Goonies posters, and Casio watches, 8 Bit Christmas is a warm and refreshingly earnest holiday comedy."

References
  1. "Samy Inayeh CV" (PDF). Sesler. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  2. "Trevor Ambrose". Directors Guild of Canada. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  3. Kit, Borys (March 3, 2021). "Neil Patrick Harris Leading Ensemble Comedy '8-Bit Christmas' for New Line, HBO Max". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  4. D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 3, 2021). "New Line Max Original Movie '8-Bit Christmas' In Production". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  5. "New Line Starts Production on Feature Film 8-Bit Christmas for HBO Max Starring Neil Patrick Harris, Winslow Fegley, June Diane Raphael and Steve Zahn". WarnerMedia. March 3, 2021. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  6. Miller, Mira (April 11, 2021). "Major Toronto street turned into Chicago in the 80s for Neil Patrick Harris movie". blogTO. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  7. D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 13, 2021). "'8-Bit Christmas' New Line Family Movie Sets HBO Max Holiday Debut". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  8. "8-Bit Christmas". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  9. "8-Bit Christmas". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  10. "Review: Is Christmas the season of Nintendo or the opiate of the masses? Two new movies chime in". Los Angeles Times. November 24, 2021.
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