The Star

At Christmastime, you’d have to have the heart of a Grinch not to enjoy curling up on the couch with little ones to watch animated holiday classics like Frosty the Snowman or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. But it’s frustrating that so few kids’ films focus on the real reason we celebrate Christmas.

Sony Pictures’ new animated feature, The Star, aims to fill that gap. It tells the story of the Nativity through the eyes of ambitious donkey Bo (Steven Yeun), who longs to join the royal procession but winds up meeting a certain young virgin instead. This clever plot device allows the story to include all the highlights of the Biblical narrative—the proclamation to the shepherds, the journey to Bethlehem, and Herod’s murderous schemes—while following a group of cute animal characters. (The film’s PG rating is for minor elements, like a couple of scary dog characters.)

While not as consistently funny as a VeggieTales production, The Star boasts plenty of witty moments, such as when a gossipy mouse (Kristin Chenoweth) happens to be nearby when the angel appears to Mary and at first thinks he’s telling her she’s going to conceive a mouse-baby. Also funny: when a wise man frets over whether frankincense will make a good gift.

Perhaps the best part of the film, though, is the life that Zachary Levi (Tangled) and Gina Rodriguez bring to the characters of Joseph and Mary. Instead of the unrelatable, stiffly holy couple children typically see in church productions, The Star presents them realistically. They tease each other, feel anxious about the future, and, in Joseph’s case, become supremely irritated with disobedient donkeys. It’s a good reminder to little ones that Biblical characters were fallible humans just like them.

The Star runs too long and could have used some decluttering of minor plotlines. But with stellar voice work from a supporting cast that includes Oprah, Tracy Morgan, Christopher Plummer, and Patricia Heaton, it will likely earn a spot in many a family’s regular Christmas movie rotation.