I've got to agree...this will NOT be on my movie favorites. I kept watching, hoping it would get better. It's like a depressing version of Touched by an Angel. For all the message of hope Gideon's supposed to bring, HE even looks depressed in this.
You've got a dysfunctional family who's getting kicked out of their house after the father loses his job. You've got an angel whom I can't imagine ANY child approaching...he looks like the scary child snatcher guy. Most of the movie is depressing, for unknown reasons the mother doesn't like the Christmas holidays. Husband's been out of work for six months, she's the sole breadwinner; she wants to scrimp on Christmas presents, get's irritated when her daughter mentions Santa Claus and shoots down her husband's idea about spending the last of their savings on opening a bicycle shop.
Then things get even weirder when, after a family tragedy, Gideon has the little girl Abbie go to see, not God, but Santa Claus at the North Pole. Which also turns out to be a bizarro heaven where other good people end up after dying. This movie seems to be afraid of actually putting God into this and substitutes Santa.
Mary Steenburgen acts like a Stepford wife for all the emotion she put out. When tragedy strikes you'd think she'd be in hysterics, but she walks around numb. Even times when you'd expect her to be grabbing her children up after finding out they're okay, which happens more than once, she barely seems responsive. You finally get a smile out of her at the end, but that's simply too long to deal with all the drama and trauma. I think I'll stick to the more warm and fuzzy original Hallmark movies.
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RevisedAndExpanded
16 years ago
Well, the argument that she should have gone to see God in Heaven rather than Santa in the North Pole is a weak one, obviously.
But the criticism that it's too depressing is a valid one and is one that many have made. Personally, I don't find it too depressing and I think the payoff at the end is tremendous, but very dark films like this one can be too much for some to handle as entertainment, and limits this film among mass audiences.
I don't really understand the criticism of Steenburgen's performance. The level of emotion she displayed was spot-on. The character is in shock -- and Steenburgen plays that beautifully.
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druhanp
15 years ago
First of all, he is referred to as Nickolas and Santa Claus. As St. Nick he gives Gideon(an angel) his Christmas assignment. Sounds Christian to me.
Second, the point of Ginnie being in a daze is part of her inability to express emotion or relate to the Christmas season. She is closed to life around her and even with the tragedies, she finds it hard to express emotion. The final scenes at the mailbox, and with Santa, she transforms into this radiant person who is open to the world.
The movie is about resurrection.
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