“Netflix’s NEW Kate Winslet Drama Hits Harder Than Anyone Expected — Helen Mirren and Downton Abbey Star Deliver a Holiday Tearjerker So Devastating Fans Say They Could Barely Breathe- Fans Call ‘Bigger Than Marriage Story!!!Netflix just unleashed a holiday drama no one expected — and it’s shattering hearts across the globe. What starts as a festive Christmas reunion quickly descends into chaos when a mother’s sudden health collapse exposes long-buried family secrets. Directed by Kate Winslet in her fearless debut, written by her son Joe Anders, and starring Helen Mirren alongside Downton Abbey’s Jeremy Swift, this film isn’t just another holiday movie — it’s a gut-wrenching, emotional rollercoaster. Fans are saying it’s “almost too painful to watch” and comparing the emotional intensity to Netflix’s Marriage Story — but with a holiday twist that hits even harder. Prepare for tears, tension, and a family drama that will haunt you long after the credits roll.

Set in the UK, the film tells the story of a fractured group of siblings who must come together after receiving shocking news about their mother.

The official synopsis reads: “It’s nearly Christmas when an unexpected turn in their mother’s health thrusts four adult siblings, and their exasperating father, into chaos as they navigate messy family dynamics in the face of potential loss.

“But their quick-witted mother, June, orchestrates her decline on her own terms – with biting humor, blunt honesty and a lot of love.”

As well as directing, Kate Winslet (Mare of Easttown, Revolutionary Road, Titanic) stars as one of June’s children, Julia, while June is played by Helen Mirren (The Queen, Gosford Park).

Timothy Spall (Mr. Turner, Secrets & Lies) plays June’s exasperating husband, while Andrea Riseborough (To Leslie, Birdman or [The Unexpected Virtue or Ignorance]), Toni Collette (The Sixth Sense, Hereditary) and Johnny Flynn (Ripley, Emma) complete the cast of Julia’s siblings.

Rounding out the cast are Jeremy Swift (Ted Lasso, Downton Abbey), Stephen Merchant (Logan, Jojo Rabbit), Fisayo Akinade (Heartstopper, The Girl with All the Gifts) and Raza Jaffrey (Homeland, Code Black).

The project also marks a reunion between Kate Winslet and producer Kate Solomon, who previously worked together on Lee.

The screenplay was written by Winslet’s son Joe Anders, 21. Speaking to Deadline, Kate admitted that the thought of handing the film to another director felt “like I’d been stabbed in the gut.”

She told her son: “As soon as we give this to another director, it becomes theirs… I want us to really feel like we’ve done this. I want to direct it.”