# Nativity Rocks!

Nativity Rocks! is a 2018 British Christmas comedy film and the fourth and final instalment of the Nativity film series by Debbie Isitt. It stars Simon Lipkin, Celia Imrie, Craig Revel Horwood, Helen George, Ruth Jones & Daniel Boys. Like its predecessors, it was distributed by Entertainment One. The only people who reprised their roles in this film were Celia Imrie (who portrayed Mrs Keen, the headteacher of St. Bernadette's who took over from Mrs Bevan after Pam Ferris did not reprise her role in Nativity 3: Dude, Where's My Donkey?) and Jessica Hynes (who portrayed Angel Matthews in Nativity! 2: Danger in the Manger), Simon Lipkin who previously played a grotto elf in Nativity 3: Dude, Where's My Donkey? plays a new character Desmond Poppy's younger brother Jerry Poppy who takes over from the latter after Marc Wootton did not reprise his role either.

## Plot

Five years after Dude, Where's My Donkey?, Doru, a child refugee from Syria, is separated from his father as he arrives in the United Kingdom having been smuggled in illegally by boat and under fire. He is moved to Coventry by social worker Suzie Shelly and joins St Bernadette's Primary School, where he meets new teaching assistant Jerry Poppy, who assists him in his search for his father, amid another Christmas musical production for the school, led by impresario Emmanuel Cavendish. Jerry is immediately suspicious that Cavendish and he have met before, believing that his mother used to clean Cavendish's parents' house before Cavendish framed Jerry for stealing a brooch.
With nowhere to stay, Jerry and Doru end up staying with Barnaby, a lonely boy with rich parents who are often away (due to nefarious means by the father). After Jerry helps Barnaby decorate the house, he prompts Barnaby's mother Clara to start making more of an effort to be there for her son emotionally, rather than just providing for him financially. Cavendish's auditions for the show initially go well, but when Cavendish starts trying to take all the major parts for himself, he is fired by the schools so they can do it themselves. Doru’s father goes looking for Doru, and hitches a bus to Coventry.

## Cast

* Simon Lipkin as Jerry Poppy, the younger brother of Desmond Poppy, the previous teaching assistant from the last three Nativity films.
* Craig Revel Horwood as Emmanuel Cavendish, rock legend and Jerry's childhood bully.
* Daniel Boys as Mr. Johnson, the fourth school teacher of St. Bernadette's since Mr. Maddens in the first Nativity film, Mr. Peterson in Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger and Mr. Shepperd in Nativity 3: Dude, Where's My Donkey?.
* Brian Bartle as Doru
* Ramin Karimloo as Doru's Dad
* Helen George as Miss Shelly, Doru's social worker and Mr. Johnson's new love interest.
* Celia Imrie as Mrs. Keen, the current headmistress of St. Bernadette's. Imrie returns from Nativity 3: Dude, Where's My Donkey?.
* Jalisa Andrews as Miss Bailey, the assistant to Mrs. Keen replacing Mrs. Bevan's assistant Miss Rye who appeared in the first Nativity film and Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger.
* Gabriel Vick as Hugo Alexander, the new teacher at Oakmoor School replacing Gordon Shakespeare, the previous teacher from the last three Nativity films.
* Rupert Turnbull as Barnaby Hargreaves, a student at Oakmoor School and Doru's new friend.
* Anna Chancellor as Clara Hargreaves, Barnaby's mum.
* Hugh Dennis as Robert Hargreaves, Barnaby's dad.
* Ruth Jones as Farmer Beatie, a farmer who helps Doru and his dad find each other.
* Jamie Chapman as Tony, Cavendish's manager.
* Vincent Franklin as Lord Mayor, the mayor of Coventry replacing Ricky Tomlinson as the previous mayor from the first Nativity film.
* Meera Syal as Nina, a foster carer of Doru and a friend of Miss Shelly.
* Jessica Hynes as Angel Matthews, the singer of the rock opera. Hynes returns from Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger.

## Reception

The film has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 0% based on eight reviews.
When the film was released in the United Kingdom, it opened at #5, behind Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, The Grinch, Bohemian Rhapsody and Robin Hood.