Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

Year: 2023

Runtime: 87 mins

Language: French

Director: Clément Michel

Echo Score: 80
Comedy

Tomorrow is Christmas at Vincent and Beatrice Barand’s house, a day Vincent eagerly anticipates. However, the entire family cancels unexpectedly, leaving Vincent disheartened and Beatrice looking forward to a quiet evening. Determined to share the Christmas spirit, Vincent visits a retirement home and invites a guest to join them. He brings home Monique, an 85-year-old preoccupied with mortality, and Jeanne, a former prison guard known for her blunt honesty. This unexpected Christmas Eve promises to be a surprising and explosive experience for everyone.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Merry Christmas yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline – Merry Christmas (2023)

Trace every key event in Merry Christmas (2023) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Albert's Christmas Eve return and chance encounter

Albert Arogyasami returns home to Bombay after seven years on Christmas Eve. In a restaurant he bumps into a man fleeing from his date, then meets the man's date, Maria. Maria has a mute daughter, Annie, and invites Albert to celebrate Christmas at her house.

Christmas Eve evening Bombay, restaurant (and later Maria's house)
2

An intimate first night at Maria's house

At Maria's house, Annie is put to bed while Maria and Albert share wine and briefly dance. Albert admires the Christmas tree and attaches the ornament he bought earlier, which is shown to Annie. Maria invites him to take a neighborhood stroll and mentions she is out with a friend, leaving a note for her husband.

Later that evening Maria's living room
3

A dead husband and a prison secret

A few hours later, Albert and Maria return to the house to find Jerome dead, shot in the heart. Maria recognizes the body and the crumpled note near him confirms she is out with a friend. Albert reveals he was just released from prison that day for killing his former lover Rosie, warning that his presence could complicate the police inquiry.

Late night Maria's house
4

Albert's attempt to erase evidence

Albert plans to depart but tries to erase fingerprints from glasses and other items. He then discovers the Christmas tree ornament he attached earlier is missing, suggesting someone has manipulated the scene.

Shortly after the discovery Maria's house
5

Chase to the church and a second look

Albert heads to a tea stall, then spots Maria rushing off and follows her to a church. Maria feigns fainting, while Ronnie offers to help. They escort Maria back to her house, only to find Jerome's dead body again and the Christmas tree bereft of the ornament.

Late night to early morning Church and back to Maria's house
6

Wallet left behind and a second trip to Maria's manor

Ronnie intentionally leaves his wallet on Maria's couch, hoping for an excuse to return. Maria says she needs to retrieve something at the church, and Ronnie offers to drop Albert off, but Albert instead goes to Maria's manor and is stunned to again see Jerome's dead body and no ornament on the tree.

Later that night Maria's house and then Maria's manor
7

A second identical crime scene and a push outside

Maria and Ronnie arrive to a second identical crime scene with Jerome dead and the tree ornament missing. Maria implores Ronnie to call the police, but she sees Albert in the house and pushes him out, raising suspicions.

Moments later Maria's manor
8

Police involvement and Albert's realization

Ronnie calls the police, suggesting Albert's name be left out of the story. The officers question Maria, Ronnie, and Albert, and as they depart for different rooms, Albert begins to realize that someone is orchestrating a repeated crime.

Night to early morning Maria's building; police presence
9

Chainsaw destruction and the wallet's fate

While the police are occupied elsewhere, Maria uses a chainsaw to destroy evidence of her duplicity in a fake apartment. They uncover Ronnie's wallet and debate what to do with it; Maria wants to burn it, but Albert suggests dropping it at the church lost-and-found, unaware Ronnie had already slipped it into a sofa crevice.

Late night Maria's fake apartment
10

Interrogations begin and a revealing swan

The next day, Albert is summoned to the police station and leaves a paper swan on the inspector's desk before entering the interrogation room. Maria is called to confess as well; at first she omits Albert, but the sight of the swan makes her reveal that another man helped at the church.

The following day Police station
11

Wallet reveal and mounting tension

When Ronnie is asked for his statement, he confesses to leaving his wallet on purpose to lure a thief. Albert is asked for his release papers and accidentally pulls Ronnie's wallet from his pocket, quickly hiding it from the officers.

Same day Police station
12

Final reveal: ornament, ring, and partnership on trial

Annie suddenly speaks, declaring that Santa (Albert) gave her the Christmas ornament. Maria hugs Annie as the police realize a conspiracy suffuses the case. In a final twist, Albert presents Ronnie's wallet to the police and pulls a ring from his pocket, hinting a motive connected to his ex-girlfriend Rosie, and Maria places the ring on her finger as Albert sits on the suspects bench.

After the interrogations Police station

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:15

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Explore Movie Threads

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Single Night Suspense Thrillers like Merry Christmas

High-stakes stories where a single evening spirals into chaos and revelation.If you enjoyed the fast-paced, high-tension single-night structure of Merry Christmas, you'll find similar thrills here. This list features movies where a compressed timeline amplifies suspense, forcing characters into a frantic spiral of discovery and danger.

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The narrative pattern hinges on a confined timeline, usually a single evening or night, where a seemingly normal situation rapidly devolves. A catalyst event triggers a chain reaction of discoveries, deceptions, and confrontations, leaving characters fundamentally changed by dawn.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared use of a tight temporal structure to create unbearable suspense. They share a fast pace, high intensity, and a focus on how pressure-cooker environments force hidden truths to the surface.

Morally Ambiguous Crime Noir movies like Merry Christmas

Gritty tales where the line between guilt and innocence is dangerously blurred.Fans of the psychological complexity and moral ambiguity in Merry Christmas will appreciate these films. Explore stories of crime, deception, and redemption where characters operate in shades of gray and outcomes are hauntingly uncertain.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative journey explores the consequences of crime through characters who are neither purely good nor evil. The plot often involves unraveling a past transgression, navigating a web of lies, and confronting the blurred lines between justice, redemption, and further moral collapse.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their complex moral landscapes and heavy emotional weight. They share a tense tone, often a melancholic undertone, and narratives that challenge simple notions of right and wrong, leaving viewers with unresolved questions.

Unlock the Full Story of Merry Christmas

Don't stop at just watching — explore Merry Christmas in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Merry Christmas is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Merry Christmas Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Merry Christmas, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Merry Christmas Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in Merry Christmas

Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Merry Christmas. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.

Characters, Settings & Themes in Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Merry Christmas that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Merry Christmas Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Merry Christmas

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Merry Christmas: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Merry Christmas