EXmas

EXmas follows Graham, a game designer who leaves Los Angeles for his family’s Christmas in Minnesota after saying that work will keep him away. He expects a warm surprise, but he finds Ali, his former fiancée, already living in the family home. Ali and Graham each try to make the other look bad so the family will choose one of them to stay. Their tricks bring back old hurt, but the holiday setting keeps the film light, silly, and romantic. Graham finally sees that his long work hours helped break the relationship, and the two decide to try again.

The most visible woke material comes from Mindy, Graham’s sister, who has broken up with her girlfriend Heather. Mindy kisses another woman at a bar, talks about missing Heather, and receives support from Graham and the rest of the family. The film also places an Asian college-age brother inside a mostly white family without explaining the family background, and it adds several non-white side characters. Short jokes use phrases such as “intergenerational trauma,” “a little fruity,” and language about blaming unhoused people, but no political speech drives the story. These details form a noticeable side layer, while the main story stays focused on a man and woman rebuilding their relationship and learning to balance work with family.