Divisive Christmas Movie Leaving Netflix on Nov. 30

For anyone hoping to stream Christmas With the Kranks on Netflix before the end of the month, you better watch it quickly. The holiday classic is scheduled to exit the streamer  on November 30. 

Per Netflix, there’s a note attached to the film on-screen that warns subscribers the film won’t be on the streamer for very long. “Last day to watch on Netflix: November 30,” the notice reads.

Released in 2004, the family holiday comedy stars Jamie Lee Curtis and Tim Allen. With their daughter Blair (Julie Gonzalo) away in Peru, Luther (Allen) and Nora Krank (Curtis) decide to skip Christmas altogether until she decides to come home, causing an uproar when they must celebrate it at the last minute.

The film received mainly negative reviews from critics. The Independent Critic gave the movie a C rating. The New York Times also didn’t give the film much kudos.

Despite the criticism, it’s become a cult classic, and fans love to debate whether the movie is good or bad. “Christmas With The Kranks is such a great movie. That ‘unelected war boss of the street’ was insane,” one X user wrote. One X user is furious with the streamer for removing the film, asking, “Why yall taking Christmas with the Kranks off ?  @netflix.”

In a 2004 interview with Movie Web, Curtis spoke about the underlying theme of the film. “It takes a very classic kind of Christmas American value. But what people don’t realize is that there’s actually a lens over it, looking at it with some question,” she began, “And that’s ultimately why I think the book was so successful, because it really does make you go, “Well, why are we doing this? What is this about?” A snowman that has no connection to the birth of Christ. Was there a Frosty in the manger? You know, in my little crash figures, there’s no Frosty.”

She added: “So there’s this question of: has it become so over-commercialized? And I think that’s if there’s darkness, it’s really the indictment of the American way, which is to overdo everything. Super size everything, you know, make everything an event, turn everything into an experience, and not just have it be the core connection, which is a time for families to come back together. I mean, besides the birth of Christ, it’s that time to just cook together, to be together, the time of returning families together at the end of a year. I think that’s the key moment.”