Alexander Siddig, Ciarán Hinds, Hiam Abbass

"The Nativity Story" portrays a chronicle of the perilous journey of a young couple, Mary and Joseph, who must travel from their home in Nazareth to Bethlehem, Joseph's ancestral home, to register for...( read more  read more... ) a census ordered by King Herod. It is a journey of over 100 miles, through treacherous terrain, made much more difficult by the fact that Mary is nine months pregnant

Flixster Users

75% liked it

12,728 ratings

Critics

38% liked it

124 critics

PG, 1 hr. 40 min.

Directed by: Catherine Hardwicke

Release Date: December 1, 2006

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DVD Release Date: March 20, 2007

Stats: 3,576 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (3,576)


  • July 25, 2009
    A very good production, high quality stuff. Datz all i can say about this.
  • March 8, 2009
    this film has not been well recieved, but it was powerful. there were a few small inaccuracies as far as consitency to Scripture, but the film was well made and well played. I'll watch this every Christmas from now on.
  • January 31, 2008
    This was kind of slow starting but I soon found myself engrossed in it.
  • December 29, 2007
    This is a well developed film, flows along nicely and the cinematography is interesting. It's about average for the story of Christ's birth. The characters do seem more real than has been portrayed in many films of this type. Makes for a neat little film to add to your Christm...( read more)as viewing...
  • November 20, 2007
    Well, if you have ever sat through a Christmas play, you know the story already. The movie was OK - nothing earth-shattering. I didn't realize the middle east was as dry as this movie portrays it.
  • September 26, 2009
    The best version of the unforgettable story of Jesus's birth.
  • September 5, 2009
    I liked this film. If you like traditional biblical films faithful to the Bible, this movie is for you. My opinion is that Jesus should be portrayed with respect and truthfulness. In this movie he was portrayed as just as he should be.

    Very minor spoiler ahead The film also co...( read more)ntained many episodes not mentioned in the Bible, but these episodes most certainly occurred with the principals in the story (for instance Mary being afraid to marry a man she didn't know etc.). In this way, the film gives depth to this so familiar story. Catherine Hardwicke has done a great job.
  • August 9, 2009
    An interesting interpretation and re-imagining of the birth narratives. I liked how Joseph was portrayed very much. It shows how essential he was to the entire story, which I appreciated. I won't dock them too many points for historical and Biblical inaccuraciy. I'll chalk it...( read more) up to creative license since they have very few biblical verses to stretch into an hour and a half worth of movie.

    It felt only a small step above your typical Bible film. It still felt low quality, as far as films are concerned. The acting wasn't anything spectacular and the voice of the angels were downright campy.

    I guess if you were looking for a film of the nativity for a study or something like that, thiis is about the best there is, which is unfortunate.
  • August 7, 2009
    A decent version of the famous story. And baby Jesus is so cute :D
  • May 21, 2009
    NEED to see this movie! It looks amazing. Being a Catholic I should have seen it a long time ago.

Critic Reviews


December 1, 2006
Pete Hammond, Maxim

Tailor made for future Sunday school classes everywhere, this by-the-numbers account adds nothing new to the story but has lots of pretty pictures full review

December 1, 2006
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

I have to hand it to Hardwicke: I was a lot less bored by The Nativity Story than I feared I'd be. full review

December 1, 2006
Claudia Puig, USA Today

It's not exactly the dullest story ever told, but it's certainly not the greatest. full review

December 1, 2006
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times

The Nativity Story has a quiet sincerity to it that's sometimes quite moving, and sometimes just too quiet. full review

December 1, 2006
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

One of the incidental points of the film, particularly powerful, is that doing the right thing isn't easy, even in the face of divine assurance. full review

December 1, 2006
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

It might not hook nonbelievers, but the choir might sing hosannas. full review

December 1, 2006
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

At the very least, it's refreshing to see a holiday film that doesn't involve Tim Allen wearing 80 pounds of rubber padding. full review

November 30, 2006
A.O. Scott, The New York Times

... The Nativity Story sticks to the familiar details of the narrative and dramatizes them with sincerity and good taste.

November 30, 2006
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

The Nativity Story is refreshingly original, an inspiring version for our age and, maybe, for the ages. full review

View more The Nativity Story reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • CarbonDating
    September 29, 2007
    i love this movie!!! it's one of the best movies taken from the Bibile. i love mary and joseph's love story. watch it. it's good...fantastic..awesome...!
  • Jesusloving17
    August 22, 2007
    All I can say is I am short of words to express my true love for this movie and I just want to say if you have not seen it watch it; it is true my friend's.
  • GodsPrincess1992
    May 8, 2007
    This is a really good movie.It's pretty close to the Bible.
  • codyllover2007
    April 10, 2007
    I luv this movie. this movie was so realistic. Osscar Issac and Keisha Castle-Hughes acted so realistic. I will watch this movie over and over again.
  • dulceangeleyes
    February 12, 2007
    i luv this movie! it waz very beautiful and it showed another side to christmas. it mad eme really look at it and it made me get more interested in christmas. i even read the bible at home, jus to make sure, and yea, it waz all der. i really liked how mary and joseph's relationship grew, how much joseph loved mary, and how brave mary waz to take such a responsibility of bein the mother of God. very beautiful and im hopin to get the dvd!:)
  • justinjr22
    February 6, 2007
    im very eager to see that movie........
    coz, i don't have to watch that movie....

    huhuhuhuh....
  • Hanny132
    January 7, 2007
    i loved The Nativity Story, it gave out such a message and you actually saw what the lives of Mary and Joseph might have been like.
    I thought it would be realy cheesy but it surprised me.
    The angel on the hill made me laugh and i was a bit let down that they missed the whole group of angels singing and i thought there would be more shepards in the field,
    but the rest of it really touched me and i loved it.
  • dalemason1993
    December 29, 2006
    'it was absoulutely blarty! i'd give it a 5 star i think
    jesus should have came down and beat the sh*t out of king herod'
  • auzziibabe
    December 19, 2006
    it was awesome i was afraid it was gonna put a really holywood spin on the story of christs birth but it told the story really really well... i went with a few people from my church n me n one of the other girls cried most of the time just out of pure happiness that we know what was on screen was the truth... awesome movie
  • zeekaku
    December 12, 2006
    hmmm mite be interesting... just to see keisha again. What makes it the most intersting is that she plays the virgin mary in this film and she is now pregnant in real life...

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The Nativity Story Trivia


  • Which movie stars Keisha Castle-Hughes as Mary the mother of Jesus?  Answer »
  • Under the time of King Herod, a young woman and her fiancee's faith were put to the test, on their way to a journey of hope and discovery. What is the name of this movie that stars Keisha Castle-Hughes and Oscar Issac?  Answer »
  • The director of "The Nativity Story (2006)" was  Answer »

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