Christmas is here, which means it’s quite literally the perfect time to cozy up with a blanket and festive treats and settle in with a heartwarming movie. I usually have a dedicated list I can turn to when I need something super festive, but every year I try to add one new movie to my annual traditions, and for 2025, it’s “Last Christmas.”
This romantic comedy, directed by Paul Feig and co-written by Emma Thompson, stars the ever-charming Emilia Clarke as someone who’s far from a Christmas enthusiast. What made it stand out for me in a sea of holiday flicks is that it’s currently streaming on Netflix and remains surprisingly underrated, despite audiences responding far more warmly than critics.
Released in 2019, it’s easy to see how it’s been overlooked over time. “Last Christmas” is silly, heartfelt, and unexpectedly emotional, with a twist that genuinely surprised me, making it a refreshing addition to my yearly watchlist. Here’s why it should be on your Netflix watchlist too.
What is ‘Last Christmas’ about?
“Last Christmas” follows Kate (Emilia Clarke), a young Londoner whose life feels like a series of missteps. She works dressed as an elf in a year-round Christmas shop, struggles with unstable housing, and pursues musical auditions with little success. Her routine changes when she repeatedly crosses paths with Tom (Henry Golding), a charming and somewhat mysterious man who seems to appear at unexpected moments and encourages her to try new experiences around the city during the festive season.
As Kate’s interactions with Tom continue, she starts to take small steps toward changing her outlook on life by reconnecting with others and exploring different opportunities. Along the way, she also juggles strained family relationships and personal setbacks as her bond with Tom deepens amid a festively lit London.
‘Last Christmas’ is a sweet movie full of festive charm
At first glance, “Last Christmas” might play out exactly how you’d expect, leaning heavily into broad humor and familiar romantic comedy tropes. Still, beneath its familiar structure, the movie delivers moments that are surprisingly heartfelt and sincere. For me, that’s the perfect Christmas flick.
Like most rom-coms, the story begins by introducing the protagonist before they inevitably meet their future partner. In this case, Clarke’s character Kate is barely keeping her life together. She spends her days working in a year-round Christmas shop in Covent Garden, permanently dressed as an elf, while her personal life spirals in the opposite direction. She drinks too much, drifts between places to stay, and avoids responsibility. Over time, it becomes clear that her outlook is shaped by a life-threatening incident the year before, which left her emotionally stuck rather than grateful.
Then there’s Golding’s charming Tom, a relentlessly kind and optimistic presence who enters Kate’s world through an awkwardly comic first meeting. Their paths keep crossing, and a romance slowly takes shape as Tom encourages Kate to confront her choices and move forward. The relationship itself never strays far from expectation since it’s literally inevitable from the start, but the movie remains easygoing and reassuringly familiar because of it.
There’s also a reveal late in the movie that genuinely surprised me, and it adds a deeper meaning when you go back and watch it again. “Last Christmas” never aims to be a sweeping or profound statement, and it doesn’t pretend otherwise. Its goals are small and straightforward, focused more on providing comfort. A more ambitious movie might have pushed its ideas further, but this one is content to simply deliver a festive experience.
As mentioned, “Last Christmas” received pretty mixed reviews upon release, holding a 46% rating from critics but a much higher 81% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. While I think it tries a bit too hard to give the genre extra depth, it’s still a charming movie, with enough pops of red and green to keep it delightfully in the Christmas spirit.
If “Last Christmas” leaves you feeling a little warmer and more in the holiday spirit by the time it’s finished, then it’s accomplished exactly what it set out to do.
Stream "Last Christmas" on Netflix now.
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