‘Oh. What. Fun’ – Review
Christmas time is here again, and we all know who the true heroes of the season are: MUMS. From wrapping gifts to knitting sweaters, from endless cooking to last-minute pottering about, and delivering all the cuddles, attention and love that make the holidays magic, mums shoulder the emotional (and literal) labour of Christmas. It’s exhausting work, especially if you’re the one holding the entire festive operation together. Now, Prime Video and celebrated actress Michelle Pfeiffer gift audiences a cracking Christmas comedy that celebrates a mum who’s officially had enough — and decides to take Christmas back on her terms. The result? One perfect holiday watch.
Claire Clauster (Michelle Pfeiffer) makes the Christmas magic happen every year for her family but her children and grandchildren don’t realise the effort it takes until she goes missing.
Director Michael Showalter (The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Wet Hot American Summer) brings a warm, Americana charm to Oh. What. Fun., embracing all the chaos, comedy and heart that comes with a family Christmas gone completely off the rails. Showalter leans into the hilarity and humanity of the season’s most pressure-cooker moments — the ones that should be joyful but often feel like a test of endurance. Christmas is notorious for the gulf between expectations and reality, and Showalter gleefully pokes fun at every awkward, stressful, deeply relatable moment. The result is a comedy that feels refreshingly real and surprisingly sincere, precisely because it mirrors what so many families experience during the holidays.
But the real revelation of Oh. What. Fun. is Michelle Pfeiffer, who plays wildly against type as Claire Clauster, a brazen, over-caffeinated Texas mum determined every year to be the ultimate Christmas matriarch. With fanatical zeal bordering on obsession (and just a touch of festive psychosis), Claire stages holiday extravaganzas that would make Martha Stewart sweat. But when her boundless giving finally runs dry and she realises her family has essentially forgotten her, Claire snaps, beautifully, and decides to pack her bags for California, seeking a Christmas gift for herself: a showstopping live appearance on the morning talk show hosted by Zazzy Tims (Eva Longoria). And from here, the film kicks into gloriously chaotic overdrive.
Pfeiffer is tremendous fun in the role. She goes full Texan, committing to every wild comedic beat with gusto, delivering a performance that’s big, bold, and completely unexpected. It’s a joy to watch her cut loose and deliver something so delightfully unhinged.
The supporting cast brings their own sparkle, too. Felicity Jones, Chloë Grace Moretz and Dominic Sessa shine as Claire’s grown children — Channing, Taylor, and Sammy — each bringing sharp comedic timing and plenty of family drama. Denis Leary is a hoot as Nick, Claire’s husband desperately trying to keep everything together, only to inadvertently make things worse at every turn. Their dysfunction feels real, messy and deeply funny.
But beneath the jokes and escalating hijinks, Oh. What. Fun. is ultimately a story about family — about forgiveness, appreciation and remembering what truly matters when the wrapping paper settles. It’s a reminder that perfection isn’t the point of Christmas; connection is. And sometimes the best gift you can give is simply pitching in and appreciating the mum who makes it all possible.
Cheeky, charming and cheer-filled, Oh. What. Fun. smashes a home run for holiday comedies. It’s heartfelt, hilarious, and offers a timely nudge for everyone to help the mums in their lives this festive season. So pour a cocoa, gather the family and treat Mum to Oh. What. Fun. on Prime Video — she’s earned it.
Image: Prime Video
