‘A Very Jonas Christmas Movie’ Review: A Trifle of a Holiday Musical, and a Bit Cringe, Which All Adds Up to a Guilty Pleasure

In the self-aware holiday confection "A Very Jonas Christmas Movie," a particularly amusing sequence finds the Jonas Brothers attending a cabaret show in Amsterdam. The performer is Ethan, an old rival of Nick Jonas, played with sharp wit by Andrew Barth Feldman. Their shared history involves a Broadway production of "Home Alone," where Ethan originated the Macaulay Culkin role and Nick was cast as the father, a dynamic that bred resentment. The brothers' motive for the visit is to secure a ride home on Ethan's private jet after their own tour jet met an explosive end—a mishap linked to a fateful encounter with Santa Claus in a bar. On stage, the two perform a duet from their fictional musical, a power ballad that is both earnest and intentionally dreadful, culminating in Ethan's contemptuous outburst, which Feldman delivers with a mean-boy flair that elevates the scene from a chuckle to a full giggle.

The landscape of Christmas cinema has transformed dramatically over the last decade. While theatrical releases were once the primary source, the streaming era has industrialized the small-screen holiday movie, producing dozens of films each year that blend wholesomeness, romance, and artificial cheer. Against this backdrop, "A Very Jonas Christmas Movie" stands out as an especially lightweight entry, even within the genre. The film presents the Jonas Brothers as exaggerated versions of themselves, embroiled in a low-budget, European road-trip plot reminiscent of "Planes, Trains and Automobiles." The story kicks off in London, where Will Ferrell—in a cameo as a superfan who prefers the band to his own kids—attends their tour's final night. The brothers, now veterans of two decades in the industry, are portrayed as jaded, taking their careers and each other for granted. This sets the stage for Santa Claus, played by Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who overhears Joe Jonas's frustrations in a bar and places a curse on the trio: they cannot return home for Christmas until they rekindle their fraternal bond.

The ensuing 80-minute adventure through Europe is punctuated by standard holiday sentimentality, yet it is frequently rescued by musical numbers. Composed by Justin Tranter, these songs often evoke the smooth, heartwarming style of Michael Bublé and are performed with the brothers' characteristic vocal vibrance. One train station production number features a clever nod to a meme-worthy dance move from their Disney Channel film "Camp Rock," showcasing the film's willingness to wink at its own history. A subplot involving Joe reuniting with his childhood crush, now a thoracic heart surgeon played by Chloe Bennet, quickly veers into cringe-worthy territory. Meanwhile, Kevin, the group's homebody, harbors a secret desire to sing lead, and Nick, the de facto manager, feels underappreciated for his logistical efforts. The film fully leans into its absurdity, including a sequence where a pilot's ill-advised selfie session leads to a crash-landing in a snowy forest, forcing the brothers to confront a wolf pack and, ultimately, each other.

While all three brothers are comfortable on screen, Nick Jonas emerges as the standout performer. He possesses a unique ability to command attention through subtlety, suggesting a depth of thought behind his lean, expressive face even in quiet moments. As one industry analyst noted, "Nick has the elusive quality of a natural screen actor—he makes you lean in to see what he's thinking." This talent hints at a potential future in film should the group's musical chapter eventually close. The Jonas Brothers, who first found fame as teen idols known for their purity rings and have since evolved into family men, remain a likable presence, largely due to their playful, ego-puncturing dynamic. The film concludes with a performance of their 2019 hit "Sucker," a track that broke records as their first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains their creative peak. "A Very Jonas Christmas Movie" ultimately serves as a reaffirmation of their place in pop culture, even as it subtly acknowledges their transition into a beloved legacy act.