The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (2024) Parents Guide: Is the movie OK for kids?
Age Rating, Sex, Violence & Language
The Herdman kids are undeniably the worst kids in the history of the world. They lie, steal, cheat, bully and overall terrorize their small community. But this Christmas, they're taking over their local church Pageant – and they just might unwittingly teach a shocked little town the true meaning of Christmas.
Rated PG • 2024 • 1h 39m
Based on the beloved children's book, "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" is a family dramedy whose PG rating is for thematic material and a brief scene of underage smoking. The film follows the chaotic but ultimately heartwarming takeover of a church Christmas pageant by the delinquent Herdman children. Parents should be aware of scenes of mild bullying (pushing, stealing lunches), a single instance where the Herdman kids smoke cigars… Sign up for the full guide
Cast
Is The Best Christmas Pageant Ever appropriate for kids?
Based on the beloved children's book, "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" is a family dramedy whose PG rating is for thematic material and a brief scene of underage smoking. The film follows the chaotic but ultimately heartwarming takeover of a church Christmas pageant by the… Read more — free account
Content severity in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
What happens in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, moment by moment
- 0:08 ⚔ Violence & Gore 3/10
- 0:15 ⚔ Violence & Gore 2/10
- 0:22 🍷 Substances 5/10
Sex and nudity in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Sexual content is not a factor. There is one very brief scene where the children, unfamiliar with the Christmas story, discuss Mary being pregnant in a factual, naive way, which another child considers inappropriate. The moment is handled innocently and is about the characters' lack of knowledge, not sexual innuendo.
Violence and gore in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Violence is mild and mostly consists of bullying. The Herdman children are shown stealing other kids' belongings, giving another child a black eye (off-screen, discussed after), and engaging in mild pushing and shoving. During a chaotic rehearsal, they talk about wanting to include King Herod in the story so he can be killed, but this is played for comedic shock and is not graphic. A cat is brought to school and causes minor chaos.
Language in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Language is very mild. There are a few instances of characters using God's name in vain as an exclamation, such as "Oh my God" or "My God." There is no other profanity or strong language used in the film.
Drugs, alcohol, and smoking in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
This is a key reason for the PG rating. In one scene, the underage Herdman children are shown briefly smoking cigars in their clubhouse hideout. It is mentioned at other times that the Herdmans smoke, but this is the only on-screen depiction. There is no other substance use.
Mature themes in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
The film has moderate thematic depth. It deals directly with bullying, childhood poverty, and neglect, as shown by the Herdmans' poor living conditions and lack of parental guidance. Themes of community judgment, prejudice, and eventual redemption and grace are central to the plot. A key emotional scene involves Imogene Herdman being deeply hurt after overhearing negative comments about her family.
Scary moments in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
No standout scary moments have been catalogued for The Best Christmas Pageant Ever yet. Because this title is recommended for younger kids, sign up to get community-flagged jump scares, tense scenes, and startling imagery as parents submit them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Best Christmas Pageant Ever appropriate for kids?
Bontent's parent guide suggests The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is best for ages 9+. It's rated PG. Based on the beloved children's book, "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" is a family dramedy whose PG rating is for thematic material and a brief scene of underage smoking. The film follows the chaotic but ultimately…
What age rating does The Best Christmas Pageant Ever have?
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is officially rated PG. Bontent's independent parent guide recommends it for ages 9+.
What is The Best Christmas Pageant Ever about?
Based on the beloved children's book, "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" is a family dramedy whose PG rating is for thematic material and a brief scene of underage smoking. The film follows the chaotic but ultimately heartwarming takeover of a church Christmas pageant by the delinquent Herdman children. Parents should…
Is there sex or nudity in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever?
Sexual content is not a factor. There is one very brief scene where the children, unfamiliar with the Christmas story, discuss Mary being pregnant in a factual, naive way, which another child considers inappropriate. The moment is handled innocently and is…
How violent is The Best Christmas Pageant Ever?
Violence is mild and mostly consists of bullying. The Herdman children are shown stealing other kids' belongings, giving another child a black eye (off-screen, discussed after), and engaging in mild pushing and shoving. During a chaotic rehearsal, they talk…
Is the language in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever appropriate for kids?
Language is very mild. There are a few instances of characters using God's name in vain as an exclamation, such as "Oh my God" or "My God." There is no other profanity or strong language used in the film.
Are drugs, alcohol, or smoking shown in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever?
This is a key reason for the PG rating. In one scene, the underage Herdman children are shown briefly smoking cigars in their clubhouse hideout. It is mentioned at other times that the Herdmans smoke, but this is the only on-screen depiction. There is no…
What mature themes appear in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever?
The film has moderate thematic depth. It deals directly with bullying, childhood poverty, and neglect, as shown by the Herdmans' poor living conditions and lack of parental guidance. Themes of community judgment, prejudice, and eventual redemption and grace…
How long is The Best Christmas Pageant Ever?
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever runs 99 minutes, directed by Dallas Jenkins, released in 2024.
Where can I read the full The Best Christmas Pageant Ever parent guide?
Create a free Bontent account to unlock the full scene-by-scene notes, filter by your kids' ages, and save titles to your personal watchlist.
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