Mauricio Ochmann
Chuy
Overview
A curse is placed on grinchy Chuy, who wakes up to find he's lived a full year, but is doomed to remember only Christmas Day. Every year. From now on.
Cast
10 people
Reviews
5 min readThe Curse of Remembering Too Much (Or Too Little)
I’ve seen this movie before—or at least, I’ve seen its premise. A grinch, a curse, a time loop that traps someone in the worst day of the year: it’s Groundhog Day meets Scrooged, with a dash of Palm Springs’ existential dread. But A Not So Merry Christmas isn’t just a retread.
It’s a film that stumbles into something stranger, something more specific, by accident. The question is whether that accident is charming or just clumsy.
The setup is simple enough. Chuy (Mauricio Ochmann), a man whose name alone suggests he’s destined for a fall, wakes up on Christmas Day to discover he’s lived an entire year—but remembers only that one day, over and over. The curse is equal parts punishment and gift: he’s doomed to relive the holiday, but with the knowledge of what came before.
It’s a premise that could go in a hundred directions. Will he use the loop to fix his life? To sabotage his enemies?
To finally learn the true meaning of Christmas? The film, to its credit, doesn’t take the easy route. It doesn’t even take the hard route.
It takes the weird one.
What’s immediately striking is how little the film seems to care about the mechanics of its own premise. Time-loop stories usually thrive on rules—what can the protagonist change? What resets?
What carries over? Here, the rules are either nonexistent or so inconsistently applied that they might as well not exist. Chuy remembers events from previous loops, but the people around him don’t.
Or do they? Sometimes they seem to react to his knowledge; other times, they’re oblivious. The film never bothers to clarify, and that ambiguity isn’t a deliberate choice so much as a lack of interest in the logistics.
It’s as if the writers started with a fun idea and then forgot to build the scaffolding to support it.
That lack of rigor might be forgivable if the film were purely a farce, a slapstick romp where logic takes a backseat to gags. But A Not So Merry Christmas isn’t that either. It oscillates between broad comedy and moments of genuine pathos, never quite committing to either.
The humor is hit-or-miss, leaning heavily on physical comedy and exaggerated reactions. There’s a scene where Chuy tries to avoid a neighbor’s aggressive hug that’s so over-the-top it borders on surreal, like a live-action Looney Tunes short. Other jokes land better, like a running gag about Chuy’s inability to escape his mother-in-law’s passive-aggressive comments.
Audience Opinions
Limited evidence
"A lighthearted holiday comedy with mixed reactions to its humor and charm."
Viewers appreciate the festive atmosphere and the attempt at a feel-good Christmas story, but some find the humor uneven and the plot predictable. latestnetflix.com's take is that the cast’s performances, particularly Mauricio Ochmann and Ana Brenda Contreras, are noted as a highlight, though the overall execution leaves some wanting more depth or originality.
What viewers praise
- Festive atmosphere The holiday setting and cheerful tone are enjoyable for those seeking lighthearted Christmas entertainment.
- Strong lead performances Mauricio Ochmann and Ana Brenda Contreras are praised for their chemistry and comedic timing.
Common complaints
- Uneven humor Some jokes fall flat, making the comedy feel inconsistent or forced at times.
- Predictable plot The story follows familiar holiday-movie tropes without much surprise or innovation.
Recommended for
Holiday comedy fans Lighthearted movie lovers Mauricio Ochmann fans
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsBehind the Scenes of A Not So Merry Christmas (2022): A Festive Flop or Hidden Gem?
A Not So Merry Christmas (2022), directed by Mark Alazraki and Paulo Cursino, promised a fresh twist on holiday cinema with its star-studded cast and bilingual charm. But did the film deliver—or was it a lump of coal in disguise? latestnetflix.com's read is that here’s what we know (and what remains a mystery) about the making of this Netflix holiday offering.
A Cast That Sparkled—On Paper
Leading the ensemble were Mauricio Ochmann and Ana Brenda Contreras, two Latin American powerhouses with devoted fanbases. Ochmann, known for his roles in El Señor de los Cielos and Sin Senos Sí Hay Paraíso, brought dramatic heft, while Contreras—fresh off Dynasty and Por Amar Sin Ley—added romantic flair 
. The supporting cast included veteran actress María Rojo (Roma, El Castillo de la Pureza) and rising talent like Manu NNa, whose inclusion hinted at a younger, edgier take on holiday tropes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59WCtxwi7OE
But was the chemistry as electric off-screen as it was on? The evidence is thin. No behind-the-scenes clips or interviews from the set have surfaced, leaving fans to speculate whether the cast bonded over tamales or kept to their trailers. One YouTube review suggests the film leaned heavily on Ochmann and Contreras’ charisma to carry the plot, but without direct quotes or set photos, it’s unclear if their rapport was organic or purely scripted.
A Bilingual Gamble: Did It Pay Off?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zanTD7UodE0
A Not So Merry Christmas (or Reviviendo la Navidad, its Spanish title) was marketed as a bilingual holiday rom-com, a rarity in a genre dominated by English-language films. Trailers teased a blend of Spanish and English dialogue, with subtitles ensuring accessibility. But did the dual-language approach work, or did it feel like a gimmick?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqcOYWw8nqg
Reviews are mixed. One YouTube critic praised the film’s attempt to cater to both Latin American and U.S. audiences, calling it a "refreshing change" from typical Hallmark fare. However, another breakdown argued that the tonal shifts between languages disrupted the film’s flow, making it feel disjointed. Without access to audience metrics or studio statements, it’s hard to gauge whether the bilingual experiment boosted viewership or alienated purists.
Netflix’s Holiday Playbook: Hit or Miss?
Netflix has a history of betting big on holiday films, from The Christmas Chronicles to A Castle for Christmas. A Not So Merry Christmas fit neatly into this strategy, dropping in December 2022 as part of the platform’s "Mostly Merry" slate. But did it stand out—or get lost in the shuffle?
The film’s Rotten Tomatoes page lists it as a Netflix original, but no critic scores or audience ratings are visible, suggesting it flew under the radar. YouTube reviews describe it as "lighthearted" and "predictable," with one calling it a "guilty pleasure" rather than a must-watch. The lack of buzz raises questions: Was the marketing underwhelming, or did the film simply fail to resonate?
One rumor (unconfirmed) suggests Netflix scaled back promotion after early test screenings underperformed. Without internal data or studio leaks, this remains speculative—but it’s a plausible explanation for the film’s quiet release.
The Verdict: A Forgotten Holiday Entry?
A Not So Merry Christmas had all the ingredients for a festive hit: a charismatic cast, a bilingual hook, and Netflix’s global reach. Yet, two years later, it’s barely a footnote in holiday movie conversations. The evidence points to a few key takeaways:
- Cast chemistry? Unknown—no set anecdotes or interviews have surfaced.
- Bilingual appeal? Divisive, with some praising the inclusivity and others critiquing the execution.
- Netflix’s strategy? Likely a mid-tier effort, overshadowed by bigger titles.
For now, the film remains a curiosity—a holiday movie that promised more than it delivered, or perhaps one that never got the chance to shine.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.