I'll Be Home for Christmas (1998): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1998, I'll Be Home for Christmas is a comedy and family film directed by Arlene Sanford, running about 86 minutes. “Somewhere between L.A. and N.Y. Jake found the meaning of Christmas.” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. 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.

Who’s in it. I'll Be Home for Christmas stars Jonathan Taylor Thomas as Jake, Jessica Biel as Allie, Adam LaVorgna as Eddie and Gary Cole as Jake's Dad, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 5.9/10, I'll Be Home for Christmas has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Disney Plus and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch I'll Be Home for Christmas page.

If you liked it. Fans of I'll Be Home for Christmas tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.