Nativity Rocks! (2018): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Nativity Rocks! is a 2018 family comedy directed by Debbie Isitt, starring Ramin Karimloo as Le père de Doru, Alexander Hogg and Simon Lipkin. It runs 1 hour 40 minutes and earned $4.1 million worldwide. Its Echo Score is 31/100.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 40m (100 min)
- Director
- Debbie Isitt
- Original language
-
English
- Studio
- BBC Film
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Nativity Rocks! About?
The premise of Nativity Rocks! without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
The staff and students at St. Bernadette’s Primary School audition for a coveted place in a spectacular rock musical competition.
Nativity Rocks! Themes & Keywords
· 15 tags- christmas
- whispering
- whispering in ear
- whispering in someone's ear
- whisper in ear
- two word title
- exclamation point in title
- punctuation in title
- fourth part
- primary school
- primary school teacher
- teacher
+3 more Show fewer
- unnumbered sequel
- christmas season
- christmas movie
Nativity Rocks! Cast & Characters
Ramin Karimloo leads the cast as Le père de Doru, with Alexander Hogg as St Bernadette's Class and Simon Lipkin as Jerry Poppy. Directed by Debbie Isitt; 18 actors are credited in all.
- Director Debbie Isitt
- Ramin Karimloo as Le père de Doru
- Alexander Hogg as St Bernadette's Class
- Simon Lipkin as Jerry Poppy
- Craig Revel Horwood as Emmanuel Cavendish
Also Starring in Nativity Rocks!
· 14 more- Jemma Churchill La nounou de Barnaby
- Rupert Turnbull Barnaby
- Anna Chancellor Clara Hargreaves
- Hugh Dennis Robert Hargreaves
- Celia Imrie Mrs. Keen
- Jessica Hynes Angel Matthews
- Meera Syal Nina
- Vincent Franklin Lord Mayor
- Ruth Jones Farmer Beatie
- Caroline Sheen Opera singer
- Helen George Miss Shelly
- Gabriel Vick Hugo Alexander
- Daniel Boys Mr. Johnson
- Vina Ladwa Auditionee
Nativity Rocks! Reviews & Ratings
Our Echo Score gives it 31/100, strongest in character & emotion (35) and weakest in story & flow (25).
Nativity Rocks! Echo Score Breakdown
Nativity Rocks! is received overwhelmingly as a weak addition to the franchise, with critics and audiences alike highlighting its uneven narrative, uninspired performances, and limited replay value. While a few reviewers note occasional moments of musical competence and a modestly solid supporting cast, these positives are outweighed by a disjointed plot and over‑the‑top direction. The net impression is that the film fails to deliver the charm or cohesion expected of a family holiday offering.
Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.
- Art & Craft 30
In terms of art and craft, the film shows little polish in its direction and editing. Reviewers point to Craig Revel Horwood's overacting and a lack of visual cohesion across sequences. Although the concert segment receives modest praise for its production values, overall cinematography and set design appear routine and the pacing suffers from haphazard cuts, resulting in a generally uninspired technical presentation.
- Character & Emotion 35
When it comes to character and emotion, performances are mixed but lean negative. New characters such as Jerry Poppy are described as irritating, while the original cast members receive occasional commendation for solid work. However, critics cite a lack of chemistry and shallow character development, particularly for the child leads, which undermines emotional resonance. The overall acting quality is viewed as uneven and often detracts from audience engagement.
- Story & Flow 25
The story and flow are widely regarded as the film's weakest element. Reviewers criticize a convoluted plot that juggles refugee themes with an ill‑fitted rock‑opera framework, leading to pacing issues and fragmented narrative threads. Though some find the refugee subplot commendable, the overall structure appears disjointed and poorly edited, leaving viewers with a sense of incompleteness and reduced investment in the storyline.
- Sensory Experience 35
Sensory experience receives a modest evaluation. The soundtrack, especially the cathedral concert, is highlighted as a high point with well‑executed musical numbers. Nonetheless, visual style remains inconsistent, and sound design does not consistently support the narrative. Over‑the‑top acting and occasional slapstick further dilute the sensory cohesion, resulting in an overall experience that is uneven but not entirely devoid of merit.
- Rewatch Factor 30
Rewatch factor is low, with most reviewers indicating little incentive to view the film again. The lack of compelling story and uneven performances limit lasting appeal, though a minority note that children might enjoy the simple comedic moments. One reviewer mentions watching out of completionist curiosity, but such cases are exceptions, confirming the film's limited replay value for most audiences.
Nativity Rocks! Plot Summary
What happens in Nativity Rocks! from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 11 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 1-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Five years after Dude, Where’s My Donkey?, Doru, a child refugee from Syria, arrives in the United Kingdom after a perilous sea crossing and is separated from his father. A social worker named Suzie Shelly moves him to Coventry and enrolls him at St Bernadette’s Primary School, where he meets the school’s teaching assistant, Jerry Poppy, Simon Lipkin. Jerry supports Doru as he begins a hopeful search for his father, amid the school’s upcoming Christmas musical produced by the ambitious impresario Emmanuel Cavendish, Craig Revel Horwood.
Jerry is immediately suspicious that Cavendish and he have met before, believing that his mother used to clean Cavendish’s parents’ house before Cavendish framed Jerry for stealing a brooch.
Full summary
The whole story of Nativity Rocks!, scene by scene
Nativity Rocks! Box Office
Nativity Rocks! grossed $4.1 million worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$4.1M
- International
- $4.1M
Nativity Rocks! Trailers & Videos
The trailer of Nativity Rocks!.
How Well Do You Know Nativity Rocks!?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is the name of the child refugee from Syria who arrives in the United Kingdom in the film?
Nativity Rocks! Also Known As
Also known as “Navidades a tope”.
- Also known as
-
- Navidades a tope
Seen Nativity Rocks!?
Movies Like Nativity Rocks!
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Flint Street Nativity, The Nativity Story and Christmas in Rockwell.
Nativity Rocks! FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office and post-credit scenes of Nativity Rocks!, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Nativity Rocks!?
Nativity Rocks! runs 1 hour 40 minutes (100 minutes).
When was Nativity Rocks! released?
Nativity Rocks! was released on November 23, 2018.
Who directed Nativity Rocks!?
Nativity Rocks! was directed by Debbie Isitt.
More films by Debbie Isitt Who is in the cast of Nativity Rocks!?
Nativity Rocks! stars Ramin Karimloo as Le père de Doru, Alexander Hogg as St Bernadette's Class and Simon Lipkin as Jerry Poppy, among 18 credited actors.
How much did Nativity Rocks! make at the box office?
Nativity Rocks! grossed $4.1 million worldwide.
Does Nativity Rocks! have a post-credit scene?
No. Nativity Rocks! has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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