# Review: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever 2024
Director Dallas Jenkins lovingly adapts Barbara Robinson's 1972 book about "the worst kids in the world" who take on all the lead roles in their church's Christmas play into a heartwarming film full of hope and kindness. Jenkins, who created "The Chosen," a crowdfunded series about the life of Jesus, says the project has been a dream of his for 20 years. Stream this movie on [Flixhd cc watch online movies](https://flixerhd.com/).


Like the book and the 1983 TV version starring Loretta Swit and a young Fairuza Balk, the story is narrated in nostalgic tones by the grown-up Beth (Lauren Graham). She explains: "The pastoralists were arguably the worst kids in the history of the world. They lied, they stole, they smoked cigars. They beat little children even though they were bigger than them. They took the Lord's name in vain. They insulted the teachers. They even set fire to the tool shed." We see young Beth (a soulful Molly Bell Wright) mournfully allowing Imogen Hardman (Beatrice Schneider) to steal her necklace.

One Christmas, Beth's mother, the aptly named Grace (Judy Greer), agrees to take over the festival, the biggest event of the year for their church and small community.

Beth's brother Charlie (Sebastian Billingsley-Rodriguez) is angry that the shepherds keep stealing Beth's desserts at school, and tells a big story about church candy. Then, while Grace is deciding on her role for the contest, the Hardman family shows up. They don't know anything about the Christmas story. Imogene, the eldest Hardman and leader of the gang, is fascinated by the idea of watching movies and acting, of "becoming someone new." They are also tyrants, and they can gain power by taking what others want. They insist on casting Imogene as Mary, one of the brothers as Joseph, her three brothers as the wise man, and Gladys (Kinley Hyman), the youngest devil sister who is shabby and missing her two upper front teeth, as the angel. The shepherds call. Or, in her case, yelling.