‘Nativity’ loses momentum quickly

Cert: G

A neat idea that unfortunately doesn’t sustain its early promise of laughs derived from a lie that escalates out of control and from a rivalry between two one-time friends.

Paul (Freeman) was once an item with Jennifer (Jensen) and Gordon (Watkins) was once the love rival. Paul once had hopes of becoming an acting star but has slipped, with bad grace, into a teaching job in Coventry, while Jennifer is now a top Hollywood producer and Gordon the head of a private school famous for its nativity plays.

Paul’s head demands he comes up with a better Yuletide production and to give him an edge the grumpy teacher fibs that his play will be filmed by Hollywood … a lie that swiftly gains momentum around town and threatens to overwhelm everything and everybody.

But it doesn’t, certainly not in the film since director Isitt seems to lose interest early in the proceedings and allows the story to drift along and finally peter out.

Star Rating: 2/5