Alexandra Breckenridge Goes Reverse ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ In Netflix’s Unhinged ‘My Secret Santa’ Movie

Every year, the Netflix Christmas movies seem to get just a little bit more ridiculous. And while Alexandra Breckenridge donning Mrs. Doubtfire-esque prosthetics in My Secret Santa—the new Netflix Christmas movie that began streaming today—isn’t quite as out-there as a magical snowman-turned-hot-guy, it is pretty darn close.

Directed by Michael Rohl, with a screenplay written by Carley Smale and Hallmark holiday movie veteran Ron Oliver, My Secret Santa gives Virgin River star Alexandra Breckenridge a chance to show off her comedy skills. Breckenridge stars as a single mother named Taylor, who is already struggling to pay the bills when she’s laid off from her job. To make matters worse, Taylor’s teen daughter, Zoey (played by Madison MacIsaac), just got accepted into a prestigious—and therefore obscenely expensive—snowboarding school. When Taylor hears that the school offers half-price admission to children of the resort’s employees, she’s determined to get hired. The only available position? Performing as the resort’s on-site Santa Claus.

So, naturally, Taylor enlists her brother and his partner—who are either professional costume designers or just really into cosplaying—to turn her into a large, gray-haired old man to apply for the Santa job. This includes a body suit to give her a big, jolly belly, and a very creepy, very realistic Santa mask.

At this point, if you’ve seen the beloved Robin Williams 1993 comedy Mrs. Doubtfire—in which Williams dresses up as an old woman to apply for the job of nanny to babysit his own children—you’ll realize this story sounds mighty familiar. In fact, My Secret Santa more or else recreates Mrs. Doubtfire beat for beat, right down to the big climax that finds Taylor as both herself and as Santa Claus at the same time and place. Just as Williams did in 1993, Breckenridge races to the public restroom to put her Santa costume on, and off, and on again.

My personal favorite part of the movie? When the jig is finally up, and Breckenridge rips off her Santa mask like some of kind of ’80s movie alien ripping of its human suit to reveal a lizard head underneath.

It’s meant to be a very serious, emotional moment. Breckenridge is crying. Her love interest, played by Ryan Eggold, is crying. And yet… Breckenridge is ripping off a Santa mask and shaking out her hair like she’s in a shampoo commercial. That’s objectively hilarious!

While no one can ever hope to recreate the rizz of the great Robin Williams, it’s clear Breckenridge is having a blast. Her “deep” man voice as Santa is passable at best, but that only adds to the humor. Sure, the script doesn’t really make sense if you look at it too closely (Since when do ski resorts have in-house Santas? And since when do kids love therapy?), but it’s just outrageous enough to work.

I mean, that’s Mel from Virgin River in a huge bushy beard and fat suit, for goodness’s sake. That’s absolutely unhinged in the best possible way. How can anyone see that image and not smile?