I quite enjoyed this Australian Christmas movie, Nugget is Dead, despite the title and ad turning me off a few days ago.
Technical details of this Christmas movie:
1 hour 27 minutes
released 21 November 2024
rated M
Stan, Australia
Cast includes – Vic Zerbst (Steph), Jenna Owen, Gia Carides, Damien Garvey, and Mandy McElhinney
Plot
Set at Christmas time, this is definitely an Aussie Christmas movie! It revolves around relationships – romantic, family and human-pet – and feels natural.
Steph hoped to avoid her family this Christmas and be with her much richer boyfriend instead, but hearing her dog was unwell, her plans were changed.
Review of a Nugget is Dead (a Christmas story)
Steph’s family is loud and chaotic – lots of personalities which we can all relate to! No vanilla, Hollwood perfect families in this movie 🙂 At first, I didn’t know who all of the relatives were, but it didn’t take too long (short cut – Steph had a mum, dad, brother, aunt, uncle, cousin and cousin’s fiancée – plus Grandma of course!)
Nugget, the family dog, is a key factor in the movie and leads to the vet and some humourous and sentimental scenes. Obviously well loved in the family and wider community, Nugget is about 14 years old and has a face like a human.
While annoyed by her family, I liked watching how supportive they were to each other. {Spoiler alert here!} Despite a faux pas by Steph and some incorrect assumptions, I love that her cousin took her to confront her boyfriend and that her family was untied when talking to Seb.
Is it Australian? Yep. From discussion slices of pav, differing opinions on how to BBQ meat, Grandma looking for bon bons, and the warm weather, it is clearly an Aussie Christmas. There is nothing overt or embarrassingly ocker, thank goodness!
There are many familiar faces in the cast. I found it interesting that some online cast lists leave Vic Serbst to the end of the lists despite being the central character.
It is not an action film, a comedy, or a romance, although there are elements of them all included. Older family members say some not quite politically correct things but from ignorance rather than malice – the family is quite open to different sexualities. It is done well enough that I don’t think young children need to be kept away from the movie. Of course, I’m also not sure our youngest movie watchers will follow the story or like the fact there is no Santa or obvious Christmas excitement.
Do I recommend Nugget is Dead? Yes, I do recommend this as a simple, refreshing Christmas movie set over the Christmas period in Sydney. Nugget, the family dog, is unwell and key to the story which may make the movie not suitable for all younger viewers.
