User Reviews

This movie is more like a live play. The premise is a good one. Not the best, but still entertaining.

I loved the premise of this movie, and I can stay with pretty much any movie even if the actors are a bit off, but I found this uncomfortable to watch. I see many reviewers compare it to a high school play and that is what it seemed like. The acting was very disjointed, cues looked to be missed and it seemed that they were a bit uncomfortable as well.

A man steps into a shop to rent himself a Christmas celebration. Since he pays well, we're instantly involved and excited to see if the shop owner will pull this off.

The limited location concept works fine, but it doesn't go unnoticed that the supporting cast is flared with first-timer mannerism. The two main characters played by Sherry Morris and Jeff Rose are very solid, I just wish their chemistry would be tested full out.

During the movie's first half, the story refuses to jingle, due to flawed storytelling. However, once the ornaments are up and daddy's home, we're in for a fulfilling and memorable Christmas sleep-over.

Maybe in the hands of a better producer/director, writer and better players A Borrowed Christmas might have gone as high as some of the more maudlin items from the Hallmark Channel. But this film didn't have the benefit of those talents.

The protagonist Jeff Rose a successful businessman gets a nostalgic yearning for an old fashioned family style Christmas. Only problem is that he's got no family anywhere in reasonable distance. What does he do but goes to a place where he has a mortgage and the local Cratchit like woman Sherry Morriss creates a family Christmas from central casting. Everything but Marley's spirit.

A maudlin idea not helped by a bunch of amateurish players who wouldn't make the cut in my favorite high school theatrical troupe, The Hanover Footlighters. Even church audiences are going to strain with this one.

I love Christmas movies, even the shamelessly insipid ones. I can forgive the over-emoted, always-good-hearted, low-stakes movies because they are fun, guilty pleasures.

This movie is none f those things. It's a church play that didn't get beyond the rehearsal stage. Obviously flubbed lines, or awkward pauses while the actors try to remember their lines, and completely unbelievable emotions. Truly, it felt like a run thru the got accidentally recorded.

There is nothing redeeming here. It's not even worth a "so good it's bad" watch.

Well, what can say? Those few minutes that I watched were so bad that I needed to play forward to make sure it's not getting any worse 😂😂I was wrong the ending was even more hideous. Cheap ripe off of "Surviving Christmas" scenario which is btw my favorite Christmas movie. It has Hallmark movie style but much worse than any Hallmark movie:) The actors play is abysmal ( copyrights "Friends"), I would say indescribably abysmal 😂😂😂 I was so shocked that decided to leave this glorious review here:) good luck to the director , hopefully it will be his/hers last movie:)

Let me count the ways. No, there are too many. Let me sum up. Interesting premise, but awful script, acting, character development, production quality, scenery (I think the entire movie is shot on a two-room set), camera work--did I leave out anything? Oh yeah, bonus of religious drivel on top.

Every year around Christmas I watch hundreds and sometimes even thousands of Christmas movies when I found out a friend of mine from College was in this I had to see it for myself. Although it's not in my top 10 or even top 100 favorite Christmas movies, the film does have a more original plot. As for the film quality I'm not sure if they were going for a Hallmark feel but it seemed a bit like a soap opera. I've watch it now around Christmas for the past few years and it does seem better the more I watch it. There are parts that could have been cut but overall I think the film is worth a watch.

I'm not sure what the budget was this movie movie but I think most school drama groups could have done a better job. It's a sweet story but the acting is the worst I've ever seen, not helped by the very poor sound quality. It was painful to watch.

I am in a sappy mood these days. I have been watching the lowest of the low budget films. Stumbling upon this film I decided to go ahead and watch because I like the name. Even though the actors seem to be young in the movie business I found them refreshing sounding like normal people in any normal given day.

Story goes how middle-aged man who has no family decides to go to a rental store and rent a Christmas, the works. He seems Enchanted by the store owner and she with him. So she agrees to supply him all the necessary items to make a Norman Rockwell type Christmas for him.

She can't rent the actors for the time needed so she and her employee along with some orphaned children decide to play the parts of the man's family. Voila! A Borrowed Christmas.

Even though this film seems a little sappy I really hope people enjoy it. I've actually watched it twice because I enjoyed it so much the first time

I would rather gouge my eyeballs out with a spoon than watch this movie again. Essentially an old man buys a few kids and a wife for Christmas and then realizes he's going to keep them. The main character resembles a bloodsucking vampire that preys on children he definitely has cages in his basement. Yes I'll say it again the psychotic husband is buying children. At points the actors are yelling in the mic and at other times they accidentally muted themselves. The script, line delivery, filming and acting is utterly awful, embarrassing, and downright terrible. How on earth did this ever receive approval from the director, editors or actors? The world will never know. Everyone involved in this movie needs to retire forever and be banished to the church that produced this cultish movie. This is an hour and a half of your life you'll never get back. Spoiler: my favorite part is the close up of the orphans toes!

So for those who do not know, this film is an adaptation of a play called The Rented Christmas. Why in the world they felt the need to change the title is beyond me, but that's by far the least offensive change that was made when creating this movie.

So the director is a Christian, and appears to make Christian films, which I want to make clear is not a problem, you can make religious movies if you want. But the original play isn't about Christianity, it's just not, it doesn't come up at any points. Some small changes in this movie such as having holiday decorations that feature Christ would be absolutely fine, but the film changes dialogue and even the entire message of the movie.

In terms of objective quality, every single high school theater production that has put on a production of the original play is 100% better than this movie. The film is supposed to take place in a rich man's mansion, but instead is clearly just shot inside the director's living room and there is basically zero effort done to try and make the room look fancy. Thing is, if you are on a low budget, don't try to make a film where the setting is extravagant and requires expensive sets if you cannot afford them.

Overall, nothing works in this movie, I cannot even begin to describe how bad the directing is, to the point that every word that comes out of each actor's mouth sounds like it was AI generated, or is just a bastardization of the play's original script. Watching this movie is like if you went on an adult film video site and put in the tags "Christmas" and "Christian" and then scrolled to the bottom. I would give it a 0.5/10 if I could. The only thing keeping it from me wanting to give it a 0/10, is that some of the actors are kids, meaning some of the bad acting can be excused by that small fact.

0.5/10, just go watch A Christmas Story.

I was so excited to see this play finally brought to the screen, I started it and I fell in love instantly with the opening song, a beautiful song, sung by a beautiful voice and then the actors appeared and my excitement was shattered.....I am normally a very up beat and positive person, but I was so disappointed......They took this wonderful, heart felt story and forced you to try and find that wonderful story by placing poor actors, poor photography and poor sound, an all around bad situation. Thank you for the opening song, it gave me something to be happy about......better luck next time

I'm not sure if the interesting premise is what kept me watching or just morbid curiosity of tbe most atrocious acting I've ever seen in my entire life.

Why did this make me think of The Room except obviously the Christmas version..? We finished it but maybe we should've stopped.

I enjoy good Christmas movies. This isn't one of them. The acting is incredibly stiff and just downright too painful to watch. I thought the idea of the story seemed interesting enough that it would enable to slog through the wooden dialogue and monotone deliveries apparent from the opening scene, but 30 minutes of it was all I could manage. It not only did not get better, but got even worse, which I didn't think was possible!

Great idea for a movie but I can't believe this one was made only 6 years ago. The acting is terrible, wooden and stiff. I kept watching hoping that it would get better, no such luck😂

As far as I know, Wiseau wasn't involved in the making of this film, but it certainly has his stamp all over it. It's The Room of Christmas movies. If you enjoyed The Room, you will probably enjoy this.

Apparently it's based on a play, which might explain why most scenes start with the actors walking in and end with them walking off. Also why they seem to sit around for ten minutes at a time, chatting exposition. It doesn't explain, however, why so many of the shots are out of focus.

I'm not sure if the play was altered at all for the silver screen, but I'm guessing not.

Obviously there was no or a very low budget for this film. But the story was way out there. I found with the story lacking the young actors did a good job The adults were lacking in there skills to make anything believable. The actress that potrayed the 'mom' was pretty good. Given another movie with better writing and a better budget, the children would probably do well in it.

Several of the reviews are correct in saying this is like community theater. That being said, I watch movies to escape my cares and worries. The storyline was fun, the leads had a chemistry and it left me feeling good. There was no profanity, nudity, violence, innuendo or anything else to detract from the story. I forgot about my cares and just had a good time. I would recommend this to anyone.

Clever plot. I'd love to see it with some more cash invested. Same actors though, with a little more polish.

Thought provoking, goes beyond just the Christmas season. I sensed the actors affected by the profound theme. The other reviewers are great at nitpicking minor flaws but sadly missed the message. This is an outstanding movie for children and adults and to view as a family. The message makes one realize blessings most take for granted. I feel sorry for those who cannot see past their arrogance to contemplate the simple message of the movie. I was blessed and I think most with a heart inclined toward God will also be blessed by it. Its sad that the negative reviewers seem so consumed with their own pride to show how smart they are to fault details of the movie rather than having the humility to attempt to process the implications of the story.

A movie does not have to be elaborate sets, or high budget to be great. Loved this movie! Beautiful, loving truly Christmas message. Would highly recommend.