Film Review: OH. WHAT. FUN. (2025): Michelle Pfeiffer is Engaging in a Goofball Holiday Comedy

Oh. What. Fun. Review

Oh. What. Fun. (2025) Film Review, a movie directed by Michael Showalter, written by Chandler Baker and Michael Showalter and starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Denis Leary, Felicity Jones, Chloë Grace Moretz, Dominic Sessa, Jason Schwartzman, Rafaella Karnaby, Drake Shehan, Devery Jacobs, Joan Chen, Havana Rose Liu, Eva Longoria, Rose Abdoo, Saidah Arrika Ekulona, Danielle Brooks, Maude Apatow, Roxy Rivera and Sadie Scott.

Michelle Pfeiffer returns to the screen in the zany Oh. What. Fun., a holiday-themed comedy that’s harmless fun, if nothing substantial, as far as family-driven comedies typically go. Pfeiffer plays Claire, a mom who is looking to be nominated by her kids to appear on a popular female-friendly show run by the energetic Zazzy Tims (a well-cast Eva Longoria). Things don’t go as planned and Claire spends time with her needy family who ends up forgetting her at home on Christmas Eve when they go to an event in a twist straight out of similarly themed movies like Home Alone. Oh. What. Fun. has some kind-hearted lessons to teach its viewers that have already been taught many times before, and the actors are far superior to the material they’re presented with, but the sweet nature of the movie carries it through its occasional slumps.

Centered around Christmas, Pfeiffer has a great time spoofing the typical family mom. When Claire’s car gets towed and she ends up staying in a motel, things brighten up for her when she actually becomes a key player on the Zazzy Tims show and (spoiler alert!) gets her own segment. Before that happens, though, the ensemble cast makes its presence known, including Felicity Jones as Claire’s daughter, Channing, and Denis Leary as Nick, Claire’s husband. Later in the movie, Longoria charms with an appealing on-screen presence as the talk-show hostess who finds Clarie interesting.

Some of the subplots work better than others such as one where the young man in the family, Sammy (Dominic Sessa), hangs out with his former crush, Lizzie (the always superb Havana Rose Liu). They go to dinner together and dance the night away, but Sammy gets drunk and his family has to arrive to pick him up the next day. That story line worked pretty well while another one involving Chloë Grace Moretz’s Taylor and her new girlfriend who she brings to dinner turns out to be a bit more predictable than it could have been considering Taylor’s all too easy ability to fall in love with her girlfriends. Moretz is fine, but the subplot doesn’t gel the way that it could have.

The always intriguing Felicity Jones is a wonderful actress and as usual, does solid work here as Channing, especially in a teary-eyed confession scene opposite Pfieffer near the end, but this movie is essentially Pfeiffer’s show, for better or worse. Pfeiffer has so much appeal that she lights up the screen even when she is supposed to be depressed thanks to her enlightening screen presence. This role would be a fun companion piece to Pfeiffer’s role in New Year’s Eve as both films are holiday themed. Leary is perfect as the respectable husband who is woken up to the beauty of life and the beauty of Claire who he truly loves with all his heart and soul.

Jason Schwartzman was sort of under-utilized as Doug, who feels like the odd-man-out in the family. His scenes often feel tacked-on and mostly fall flat in the grand scheme of things. Also, the terrific Joan Chen had precious little screen time here which feels a bit like a cheat considering Chen’s tremendous talents. Besides the scenes with Pfeiffer, this movie finds its footing in the bond between Sammy and Lizzie who create some nice on-screen chemistry together. Sammy’s ex shows up near the end, but we know Sammy is more interested in things that are new in his life than things that are old such as his dumb girlfriend who rejected him earlier on in the film.

Oh. What. Fun. is a bit slight as a whole but also somewhat appealing at the same time. It’s cut from a typical feel-good holiday movie cloth, but it has some delightful moments buried underneath the cliched ones. This movie wouldn’t be a genuinely strong recommendation although if you like Pfeiffer, it may be an entertaining film to watch during this time of year only. It’s harmless fun, as I said earlier. Take that compliment as you may.

Rating: 6.5/10

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