Prime Video’s new festive comedy Oh What Fun aims to reimagine the classic holiday chaos we associate with timeless favourites like Home Alone and Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Led by Michelle Pfeiffer, the film attempts to spotlight mothers and grandmothers who often hold families together during the holidays yet rarely get narrative attention. While the concept is promising, the execution doesn’t fully rise to the charm or emotional depth of the classics it nods to.
Pfeiffer plays Claire, a dedicated mother and grandmother determined to orchestrate a perfect Christmas for her family. She looks forward to being recognised on the holiday TV show hosted by Zazzy Tims, hoping her children will nominate her for the annual Holiday Moms competition. But her household is already swirling with drama: Channing arrives with her own family, Taylor brings her new girlfriend, and Sammy sulks through heartbreak after a breakup. Claire’s husband Nick remains indifferent, and the mounting chaos slowly pushes Claire into the background.
The film sets up a clever reversal of the Home Alone formula—this time, it’s the mother who gets left behind. When the family dashes out for a holiday performance Claire arranged, they forget her entirely. Although this twist initially promises something sharp and self-aware, the story struggles to explore Claire’s emotional world, leaving viewers with a sense of distance instead of connection.
With its predictable beats and lightly sketched characters, Oh What Fun doesn’t deliver the humour or warmth expected from a holiday comfort watch. While the ensemble cast—including Pfeiffer, Felicity Jones, Dominic Sessa, and Chloe Grace Moretz—brings sincerity, the film never quite captures the heart or charm of the classics it references. The intentions are noble, but the storytelling falls short, resulting in a pleasant yet forgettable seasonal entry.