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I'll Be Home for Christmas

I'll Be Home for Christmas

Somewhere between L.A. and N.Y. Jake found the meaning of Christmas.

19986.01h 26m

Overview

Estranged from his father, college student Jake is lured home to New York for Christmas with the promise of receiving a classic Porsche as a gift. When the bullying football team dumps him in the desert in a Santa suit, Jake is left without identification or money to help him make the journey. Meanwhile, his girlfriend, Allie, does not know where he is, and accepts a cross-country ride from Jake's rival, Eddie.

Directed by Arlene Sanford
Written by Tom Nursall, Michael Allin, Harris Goldberg
Produced by David Hoberman, Tracey Trench
Box OfficeBudget: $30.0M0

Top Cast

Jonathan Taylor Thomas

Jonathan Taylor Thomas

Jake

Jessica Biel

Jessica Biel

Allie

Adam LaVorgna

Adam LaVorgna

Eddie

Gary Cole

Gary Cole

Jake's Dad

Eve Gordon

Eve Gordon

Carolyn

Lauren Maltby

Lauren Maltby

Tracey

Andrew Lauer

Andrew Lauer

Nolan

Sean O'Bryan

Sean O'Bryan

Max

Lesley Boone

Lesley Boone

Marjorie

Amzie Strickland

Amzie Strickland

Tom Tom Girl Mary

Themes & Keywords

holidaysanta claussabotageselfishnessboyfriend girlfriend relationshipbribewoman directorcross country tripchristmasfather son relationship

About I'll Be Home for Christmas

I'll Be Home for Christmas is a comedy, family film released in 1998 exploring themes of holiday, santa claus, sabotage, selfishness, boyfriend girlfriend relationship, bribe. Directed by Arlene Sanford, it stars Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Jessica Biel, Adam LaVorgna. Estranged from his father, college student Jake is lured home to New York for Christmas with the promise of receiving a classic Porsche as a gift. When the bullying football team dumps him in the desert in a Santa suit, Jake is left without identification or money to help him make the journey. Meanwhile, his girlfriend, Allie, does not know where he is, and accepts a cross-country ride from Jake's rival, Eddie.

Movies Similar to I'll Be Home for Christmas

Discover titles like I'll Be Home for Christmas — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to I'll Be Home for Christmas

If you enjoyed I'll Be Home for Christmas, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of I'll Be Home for Christmas.

Elf
33% Match

Elf(2003)

Movie6.7/10

When young Buddy falls into Santa's gift sack on Christmas Eve, he's transported back to the North Pole and raised as a toy-making elf by Santa's helpers. But as he grows into adulthood, he can't shake the nagging feeling that he doesn't belong. Buddy vows to visit Manhattan and find his real dad, a workaholic.

Good Luck Charlie, It's Christmas!
31% Match

Teddy Duncan's middle-class family embarks on a road trip from their home in Denver to visit Mrs. Duncans Parents, the Blankenhoopers, in Palm Springs. When they find themselves stranded between Denver and Utah, they try to hitch a ride to Las Vegas with a seemingly normal older couple in a station wagon from Roswell, New Mexico. It turns out that the couple believes they are the victims of alien abduction. The Duncan's must resort to purchasing a clunker Yugo to get to Utah, have their luggage stolen in Las Vegas, and survive a zany Christmas with Grandpa and Grandma Blankenhooper.

Arthur Christmas
31% Match

For hundreds of years, the Claus family has delegated the title "Santa" to a chosen few of its members, which can be passed down upon retirement. Each Christmas, Santa and his vast army of highly trained elves produce gifts and distribute them around the world in a one-night high-tech operation. However, when one of 600 million children to receive a gift from Santa on Christmas Eve is missed, it is deemed ‘acceptable’ to all but one—Arthur Claus, the current Santa’s misfit son deemed ineligible for the title, who executes an unauthorised rookie mission to get the last present halfway around the globe before dawn on Christmas morning.

Jingle All the Way
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Howard Langston, a salesman for a mattress company, is constantly kept busy at his job, disappointing his son. After he misses his son's karate exposition, Howard vows to make it up to him by buying an action figure of his son's favorite television hero for Christmas. Unfortunately for Howard, it is Christmas Eve, and every store is sold out of Turbo Man. Now, Howard must travel all over town and compete with everybody else to find a Turbo Man action figure.

Nativity!
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Nativity!(2009)

Movie6.4/10

Paul, charged with directing his school's Nativity play, falsely boasts that his ex-girlfriend plans to turn the production into a film.

Ernest Saves Christmas
28% Match

When Santa Claus decides to retire and pass on his magic bag of Christmas surprises to a new Saint Nick, he enlists the aid of a hilarious assortment of characters. A perky teen runaway and hapless taxi driver Ernest P. Worrell must convince a skeptical kiddie-show host to take over the post of Father Christmas.

Unaccompanied Minors
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Five disparate kids snowed in at the airport on Christmas Eve learn some lessons about friendship when they launch a bid to get back to their families and outsmart a disgruntled airport official who wants to keep them grounded.

Mr. Bean's Holiday
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Mr. Bean wins a trip to Cannes where he unwittingly separates a young boy from his father and must help the two reunite. On the way he discovers France, bicycling and true love, among other things.

Miracle on 34th Street
26% Match

Kris Kringle, seemingly the embodiment of Santa Claus, is asked to portray the jolly old fellow at Macy's following his performance in the Thanksgiving Day parade. His portrayal is so complete that many begin to question if he truly is Santa Claus, while others question his sanity.

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
25% Match

Instead of flying to Florida with his folks, Kevin ends up alone in New York, where he gets a hotel room with his dad's credit card—despite problems from a clerk and meddling bellboy. But when Kevin runs into his old nemeses, the Wet Bandits, he's determined to foil their plans to rob a toy store on Christmas Eve.

Noelle
25% Match

Noelle(2019)

Movie6.6/10

Kris Kringle's daughter, Noelle, sets off on a mission to find and bring back her brother, after he gets cold feet when it's his turn to take over as Santa.

Daddy's Home 2
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Father and stepfather Dusty and Brad join forces to make Christmastime perfect for the children. Their newfound partnership soon gets put to the test when Dusty's old-school, macho dad and Brad's gentle father arrive to turn the holiday upside down. After a sudden change in plans, the four men decide to take the kids to a luxury resort for a fun-filled getaway that turns into a hilarious and chaotic adventure.

About My Father
24% Match

Encouraged by his girlfriend Ellie, Sebastian and his Italian immigrant father, Salvo, spend the 4th of July weekend with her wealthy and exceedingly eccentric family. The gathering soon develops into a culture clash, allowing father and son to discover the true meaning of family.