The story of The Christmas Checklist unfolds around loss and memory
The Christmas Checklist centers on a daughter navigating the raw aftermath of her mother's death by completing a handwritten list of 12 Christmas tasks her mother left behind. It's not a story about racing against time or solving a mystery—it's quieter than that. The premise itself is deceptively simple: work through the checklist, check off the boxes, honor the memory. But what emerges is something more tender: a meditation on how we grieve, how we stay connected to the people we've lost, and what it means to finish someone else's unfinished business. The film doesn't shy away from the messiness of loss. Instead of treating grief as a problem to be solved by the final credits, it treats it as something you carry forward, one checklist item at a time.
Behind the making of The Christmas Checklist: Canadian production and cast
Directed by Anne De Léan, The Christmas Checklist is a Canadian production that arrived in 2022 with a runtime of 103 minutes—lean enough to move without feeling rushed. The ensemble cast includes Sarah Power in the lead role, alongside Jarod Joseph, Monica Rodriguez, Dakota Jamal Wellman, Alain Goulem, Laura Mitchell, and Viggo Hanvelt. Power, known for her work across television and film, carries the emotional weight of the narrative with a performance that doesn't oversell the pain. The supporting cast functions as a kind of chosen family—people who show up, who listen, who understand that grief isn't something you process alone in a montage. De Léan's direction favors intimate spaces and genuine conversation over manufactured drama. What's striking about the production is its refusal to lean on the typical holiday-movie formula: there's no magical twist, no sudden fortune, no love interest who solves everything. Instead, the film trusts that the simple act of completing a checklist—of doing what someone you loved asked you to do—is enough. Movie OTT tracks where indie dramas like this one land across streaming platforms, making it easier to find these quieter, character-driven stories.
What makes The Christmas Checklist stand out in holiday romance territory
The film arrived during a time when holiday content had become somewhat formulaic, and The Christmas Checklist doesn't fight that tide so much as sidestep it entirely. Rather than banking on meet-cutes or career-versus-family conflicts, it grounds itself in something most people have experienced but few films actually examine: the specific loneliness of loss during a season designed for togetherness. The checklist itself becomes a kind of character—it's both a burden and a lifeline, a way to feel close to someone who's gone. Power's performance works because she doesn't perform in the theatrical sense. She sits in silence. She cries in a car. She talks to her mother as if the mother might answer. These aren't big, showy moments. They're the real ones. Hard to say if the film entirely lands for every viewer—the IMDb rating of 5.1/10 suggests it's divisive—but that's partly because it refuses to be all things to all people. It's not trying to be funny or action-packed or wildly romantic. It's trying to be honest about what it feels like when someone you love dies and you still have their Christmas checklist sitting on your kitchen counter. The thing nobody mentions is how much courage that takes in a genre built on escape.
Where to stream The Christmas Checklist online
The Christmas Checklist is currently available on Prime Video, where you can stream it on demand. If you're looking for where to watch this title, the "Where to Watch" widget at the top of this page will show you the most up-to-date availability across all platforms. Streaming rights shift regularly, so checking that widget ensures you're not hunting for a title that's moved to a different service. Movie OTT keeps that information current so you don't waste time searching. The 103-minute runtime makes it a manageable evening watch—not so short that it feels insubstantial, not so long that you're committing your whole night.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Where can I watch The Christmas Checklist?
The Christmas Checklist is available to stream on Prime Video. You can check the "Where to Watch" widget on this page for the most current platform availability and any subscription or rental options.
Q: Who directed The Christmas Checklist?
Anne De Léan directed The Christmas Checklist. She brings a restrained, character-focused approach that prioritizes emotional authenticity over holiday spectacle.
Q: What is the runtime of The Christmas Checklist?
The film runs 103 minutes, making it a brisk but emotionally full watch that doesn't overstay its welcome.
Q: Is The Christmas Checklist based on a true story?
The film isn't based on a specific true story, but it draws from the universal experience of grief and the ways people honor those they've lost through meaningful rituals and tasks.
Q: Who stars in The Christmas Checklist?
Sarah Power leads the cast as the grieving daughter, supported by Jarod Joseph, Monica Rodriguez, Dakota Jamal Wellman, Alain Goulem, Laura Mitchell, and Viggo Hanvelt.
Final thoughts on The Christmas Checklist
The Christmas Checklist isn't a film that'll change your life or win over every viewer—and that's okay. What it does is offer something increasingly rare in the holiday-movie space: a genuine, unflinching look at how we process loss and find meaning in the small, everyday acts of remembrance. If you're looking for something that respects your intelligence and doesn't try to manipulate your emotions with swelling strings and perfect resolutions, this one's worth your time. It's the kind of indie drama that Movie OTT readers often appreciate precisely because it refuses to be easy or neat. Stream it on a quiet evening when you're ready for something real.
