---
title: "Klaus"
year: 2019
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/klaus"
fi1m_id: "klaus"
imdb_id: "tt4729430"
tmdb_id: 508965
wikidata_id: "Q67208596"
fi1m_score: 77
critics_score: 75
critics_reviews: 9
published: "2026-09-15"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:57.571785+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Klaus (2019)

Directed by Sergio Pablos · 1h 37m · MPA PG · Animation, Family, Comedy

## Identity

Klaus

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/klaus
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** klaus
- **IMDb ID:** tt4729430
- **TMDB ID:** 508965
- **Wikidata ID:** Q67208596
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4729430/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/508965, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q67208596

**Fi1m score: 77** · Critics 75 from 9 reviews

*In a sentence:* Santa starts in a town where saying thank you would probably count as taking sides

> Sergio Pablos makes a handsome, sometimes touching Christmas animation from an unpromising collection of quarrelsome people. We recommend it for the drawings and the oddness, with patience required for the insults and a familiar redemption story.

## Synopsis

Jesper (voiced by Jason Schwartzman) is a postman in a town whose residents devote themselves to feuding. His dealings with Klaus (J.K. Simmons) begin a Christmas story in which generosity does not necessarily come from generous motives. Around them are Alva (Rashida Jones), Mrs. Krum (Joan Cusack) and Mogens (Norm Macdonald). As old grudges shape the community, acts of kindness offer another way for its inhabitants to behave. Sergio Pablos directs this animated account of the beginnings of Santa Claus, set among people with little enthusiasm for goodwill.

## Review

*Klaus* is worth a Christmas evening, provided a little seasonal ill temper does not put the family off. Director Sergio Pablos approaches Santa Claus through a feuding community and a postman whose generosity has questionable motives. The idea is funny before anybody speaks: here is a Christmas story that has to find someone willing to be pleasant. Its account of how the familiar customs might have begun is inventive enough to make the predictable business of becoming a better person tolerable.

Production designers Marcin Jakubowski and Szymon Biernacki give that hostile community a storybook shape without making it cosy. The exaggerated character designs and threatening surroundings belong together; these people look suited to the place they have made unpleasant. Hand-drawn animation gains depth from lighting and shading that suggest solid bodies rather than flat shapes, while leaving the lines expressive and readable. We kept looking past the action to take in the setting. That is a pleasure in itself, though it also tells us where the film’s strongest storytelling lies.

Jason Schwartzman’s Jesper is a less restful prospect. His busy vocal performance suits a postman who has some growing up to do, but he can make a whole conversation sound impatient to get to the next one. J.K. Simmons gives Klaus a welcome weight by comparison, making the pair easier to listen to than Jesper alone. We were amused by the villagers’ hostility, then worn down by it: so much of the early humour amounts to people insulting one another.

Pablos, Jim Mahoney and Zach Lewis are more resourceful when fitting together the pieces of the Santa story. There is pleasure in recognising a familiar idea arriving by an unlikely route, and the film lets dubious motives complicate its lesson about generosity. The supporting voices, including Rashida Jones as Alva and Joan Cusack as Mrs. Krum, help keep the company distinct. The writing gives some of that company too little to play, however, relying on a character’s unpleasantness to do the work of a personality.

Pablo García Revert’s editing is liveliest when there is slapstick to organise, giving the physical jokes a welcome directness after all that verbal irritation. The pace becomes less assured as the familiar redemption story takes up more space, and even at 97 minutes there are stretches that feel prolonged. Alfonso G. Aguilar’s score sits more comfortably with the sentiment than the conspicuously modern song cues do. Those songs press for a response the pictures are already capable of getting, and briefly make the film feel much less individual.

Against the cosier sort of Christmas animation, *Klaus* has the advantage of characters who do not seem eager to be loved. Its gentler passages earn some feeling because the hostility has made ordinary kindness seem worth the effort. We can usually see the next lesson coming, but the drawings give us plenty to enjoy on the way. Families who prefer their festive stories without an early stretch of nastiness should take that seriously. Otherwise, give the drawings a large screen and allow the postman time to become bearable.

*Fi1m score 77, published 15 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics respond warmly to Klaus, with the strongest agreement around its hand-drawn animation. The reviews praise the combination of traditional character designs, modern shading and carefully worked lighting, which gives the wintry setting depth and personality. Many also enjoy the ingenuity of its Santa Claus origin story and find real feeling beneath the initially sour humour. The visual invention earns more consistent praise than the writing, though the darker setting offers a welcome change from sweeter Christmas fare.

Reservations centre on predictable character arcs, contrived plotting and a drift towards sentimentality. Some critics also find the insults tiresome and the contemporary songs intrusive. The differences are chiefly matters of tone: Vulture finds charm in the film’s awkwardness and unpleasant characters, while Sight and Sound considers its early cynicism potentially off-putting for families. Enthusiasm varies, but even the more qualified assessments find substantial merit in the animation.

## Straight answers

**Is Klaus worth watching?**

*Klaus* is worth a Christmas evening for families who can sit through an early stretch of townsfolk insulting one another, and we scored it 77. The hand-drawn animation and the inventive account of how the Santa customs began are the reasons to watch. The redemption story is familiar, and the postman takes a while to become bearable company.

**How long is Klaus, and what is it rated?**

*Klaus* runs 1h 37m and is rated PG by the MPA in the US. It is an animation and family film.

**Where can I watch Klaus in the US?**

*Klaus* is streaming on Netflix in the US. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**What should I watch after Klaus?**

After *Klaus*, try [*Tokyo Godfathers*](https://film.one/film/tokyo-godfathers) (2003, Fi1m 82): An adult Christmas animation with difficult people and kindness worth earning. Then [*Ernest & Celestine*](https://film.one/film/ernest-and-celestine) (2012, Fi1m 84): For drawings that keep their handmade charm and outsiders learning to cooperate; and [*The Iron Giant*](https://film.one/film/the-iron-giant) (1999, Fi1m 88): For another unlikely friendship, expressive animation and a sentimental streak it earns.

### Reviews we read (17)

- **Little White Lies**, Kambole Campbell (3/4/3): The review highlights the gorgeous aesthetic blending 90s Disney-style hand-drawn animation with modern techniques as the film's greatest strength, along with surprisingly moving moments. It criticizes the predictable script and anachronistic song cues that undermine the story. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/klaus)
- **Radio Times**, Dave Aldridge (75/100, inferred): The critic describes Klaus as a Christmas tale with a difference—darker and slightly Scandi noir yet with a nicely warm heart—serving as a pleasant, entertaining alternative to usual saccharine seasonal fare through its clever origin story of Santa Claus elements. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-g0t7mm/klaus/)
- **Sight and Sound**, Alex Dudok de Wit (65/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's innovative hand-drawn animation with modern shading techniques and its witty reverse-Grinch premise that turns misanthropy into Christmas origins. They note the first half's unrelenting cynicism and nasty characters may feel off-putting for family viewing before sentimentality takes over. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/klaus-review-cutting-edge-festive-animation-with-cynical-sting)
- **The Guardian** (65/100, inferred): The critic finds this Netflix animation a solid but uneven festive origins story with nostalgic hand-drawn visuals and irreverent humour. The strong vision of a divided society is undermined by a conventional middle section and saccharine elements. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/nov/06/klaus-review-netflix-family-animation)
- **IndieWire**, David Ehrlich: The review finds the film a gorgeous but contrived Santa origin story, praising its beautiful throwback hand-drawn animation while criticizing its contrivances. It singles out the visual style as a highlight amid narrative weaknesses. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/klaus-review-netflix-1202190368/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Robert Abele: Pablos’ directorial debut boasts hand-drawn animation and stylish visuals that transform a resentful village into a storybook wonderland, with a heart of charity. Paper-thin characters and reliance on insults for comedy make the origin story ho-hum and rarely laugh-out-loud funny. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2019-11-06/klaus-netflix-animated-santa)
- **RogerEbert.com**, Matt Zoller Seitz: The goofy and charming film is a treat for its inventive slapstick and distinctive hand-drawn look inspired by vintage Disney and storybook illustrations. The writing is less distinctive, relying on a familiar redemption arc and anachronistic elements. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/klaus-movie-review-2019)
- **Slant Magazine**, Steven Scaife: The review lauds the film's striking, beautiful, and innovative animation that refreshes classical techniques while examining tradition through its Santa origin plot. It singles out the textured naturalistic lighting and exaggerated character designs for praise, noting some narrative drag in the back half. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review-klaus-gorgeously-grapples-with-the-reinvention-of-tradition/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, John DeFore: The critic calls it an unexpected charmer with an enjoyable, from-scratch origin story for Santa that avoids most holiday clichés in favor of a tale about dubiously motivated generosity. It singles out the beautifully designed animation for praise. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/klaus-review-1251929/)
- **The New York Times**, Glenn Kenny: The film concocts original ways to explain Santa myth elements and moves along amiably with consistently delightful visuals. Conventional plot points keep it from instant-classic status, but it is winning enough for a family Christmas library. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/07/movies/klaus-review.html)
- **The Times**, Kevin Maher (★★★☆☆): The film boldly reimagines the Santa Claus legend in a bleak, non-magical setting and is ambitiously free of clichés. The hyperactive postman protagonist becomes grating over time. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/klaus-review-ambitious-and-gloriously-free-of-christmas-cliches-fkw077k5s)
- **Vulture**: The critic praises the film's awkward and weird personality that gives it charm and a refreshing quality, despite its surreally gruesome setting and unlikable characters. It singles out the hilariously reverse-engineered tall-tale quality of the Santa origin story. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2019/11/netflixs-klaus-a-delightfully-weird-animated-holiday-movie.html)
- **Collider**, Dave Trumbore (A-): The critic calls the film an instant Christmas classic in the making and praises its gorgeous hand-drawn animation style along with inventive environmental storytelling that brings the North Pole setting to life. [Read](https://collider.com/klaus-review-netflix-christmas-movie/)
- **Digital Spy**, Ian Sandwell (90/100, inferred): The critic describes Klaus as the Christmas movie you need this year, highlighting its emotional depth including a major bombshell, quirky humor, gorgeous 2D animation with a 3D feel, and strong voice cast. It exceeds low expectations as a heartfelt festive tale. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a30253818/klaus-netflix-review-cast-trailer/)
- **Eye for Film**, Jennie Kermode (75/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a cut above average seasonal fare thanks to its impressive cast, visual inventiveness and multi-layered comedy that appeals to all ages. She singles out the spooky, expressionist animation style and initially unlikable characters that become more engaging as the story progresses, while noting some plot weaknesses. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/klaus-2019-film-review-by-jennie-kermode)
- **The Wrap** (75/100, inferred): The critic finds that the animated origin story of Santa Claus successfully captures holiday magic and genuine emotion through its storybook visuals, though it falters with its character-based comedy. The film is praised for its impact on the feuding town and delightful character designs reminiscent of vintage illustrations. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/klaus-film-review-animated-santa-claus-netflix/)
- **Den of Geek**, Nick Harley (3.5/5): The critic praises the film's distinctive hand-drawn animation style and its clever origin story for Santa Claus as a winning first effort for Netflix's original animation. Some plot elements like Jesper's arc feel predictable and an original song is unnecessary. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/klaus-review-netflixs-original-animated-christmas-movie-is-jolly-and-bright/)

## Details

- **Director:** Sergio Pablos
- **Director:** Sergio Pablos
- **Screenplay:** Jim Mahoney, Zach Lewis, Sergio Pablos
- **Editor:** Pablo García Revert
- **Music:** Alfonso G. Aguilar
- **Production design:** Szymon Biernacki, Marcin Jakubowski
- **Producer:** Gustavo Ferrada, Sergio Pablos, Mercedes Gamero
- **Cast:** Jason Schwartzman as Jesper (voice); J.K. Simmons as Klaus (voice); Rashida Jones as Alva (voice); Joan Cusack as Mrs. Krum (voice); Norm Macdonald as Mogens (voice); Will Sasso as Mr. Ellingboe (voice); Sergio Pablos as Pumpkin / Olaf (voice); Mila Brener as Ellingboe Girl 3 (voice)
- **Runtime:** 1h 37m
- **Certificate (MPA):** PG
- **Release (the US):** 8 November 2019
- **Genres:** Animation, Family, Comedy
- **Budget:** $40 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taE3PwurhYM

## Where to watch in the US

- Netflix: streaming

*Checked 2026-09-15.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, AZ, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- BAFTA Film Awards 2022: BAFTA's Children & Young People Award - Feature Film (nominated)
- European Film Award for Best Animated Feature Film 2020: European Film Award for Best Animated Feature Film (nominated)
- Academy Awards 2019: Best Animated Feature (nominated)
- Annie Award for Best Animated Feature 2019: Annie Award for Best Animated Feature (won)

## If you liked this

- *The Snowman* (1982): For hand-drawn winter atmosphere and feeling conveyed without a running commentary.
- *Tokyo Godfathers* (2003), Fi1m 82: An adult Christmas animation with difficult people and kindness worth earning. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/tokyo-godfathers.md)
- *Ernest & Celestine* (2012), Fi1m 84: For drawings that keep their handmade charm and outsiders learning to cooperate. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/ernest-and-celestine.md)
- *The Iron Giant* (1999), Fi1m 88: For another unlikely friendship, expressive animation and a sentimental streak it earns. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-iron-giant.md)
- *Arthur Christmas* (2011), Fi1m 82: More frantic festive logistics, with family friction beneath the business of delivering presents. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/arthur-christmas.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/klaus