A Grandpa for Christmas

The film opens with Bertram 'Bert' O'Riley, a retired actor living a quiet life in the suburbs, planning to move into a retirement home for actors. His routine is interrupted when Officer Lee informs him that his estranged daughter, Marie, has been in a severe car accident and is in a coma. Bert discovers he has a 10-year-old granddaughter named Becca, who has been told by her mother and late grandmother Brenda that Bert was a 'bad man' who walked out on them. Social services places Becca in Bert's temporary custody, and the two struggle to co-exist; Becca is resentful and angry, while Bert is clueless about parenting, leading to comedic mishaps like Bert accidentally dying all of Becca's white clothes 'streaky pink' in the wash. Bert's circle of friends—all retired performers including Roxie, a former Broadway star, and Karl, Bert's long-time agent—become a surrogate support system for the girl. The ice begins to melt when Becca discovers Bert's history in show business and his talent for directing musicals. When Becca decides to audition for her new school's Christmas pageant, Bert and his friends step in to coach her, teaching her to sing and dance. Meanwhile, Marie wakes up from her coma and remains hostile toward Bert, planning to move Becca back to San Francisco as soon as she is discharged. However, Karl reveals the truth to Marie: it was actually her mother Brenda who left Bert for another man on Christmas Eve, and Bert had secretly spent years paying for Marie's college tuition from the sidelines. As the pageant approaches, the school's director leaves, and Bert takes over the production. The stress leads to Bert suffering a heart attack during rehearsals. In the climax, Bert checks himself out of the hospital against medical advice to witness Becca's solo performance. After a successful show, Marie finally confronts the truth about her father's devotion. The film concludes on Christmas Day with Marie and Becca deciding to move in with Bert permanently, finally giving Becca the 'chimney for Santa'—a symbol of a permanent home—that she always wanted.