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Family comedy

Nativity Rocks! (2018): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Nativity Rocks! (2018) movie poster

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.

worldwide gross
$4.1M
Echo Score
31
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Nativity Rocks! (2018) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 40m (100 min)
Director
Debbie Isitt
Genres
Family , Comedy
Original language
English
Studio
BBC Film
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

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
  • unnumbered sequel
  • christmas season
  • christmas movie
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Cast & crew

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.

Also Starring in Nativity Rocks!

· 14 more
Ratings

Nativity Rocks! Reviews & Ratings

Our Echo Score gives it 31/100, strongest in character & emotion (35) and weakest in story & flow (25).

31 /100

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.

Plot

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

Read the full summary
Box office

Nativity Rocks! Box Office

Nativity Rocks! grossed $4.1 million worldwide.

2018 box office

Worldwide gross

$4.1M

International
$4.1M
Videos

Nativity Rocks! Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Nativity Rocks!.

NATIVITY ROCKS! Official Main Trailer [HD]
Quiz

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

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is the name of the child refugee from Syria who arrives in the United Kingdom in the film?

Details

Nativity Rocks! Also Known As

Also known as “Navidades a tope”.

Also known as
  • Navidades a tope

Seen Nativity Rocks!?

FAQ

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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