| Brand: | GAIAM AMERICAS | ||
| Average Rating |
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William R. Moses (FALCON CREST, PERRY MASON) stars as an emotionally barren man who rediscovers the meaning of Christmas in this heartwarming holiday film based on a short story by Christian author and pastor Max Lucado. Hoping for a respite from his shaky marriage to wife Meg (Megan Follows), Chicago journalist Jack Davenport (Moses) travels on assignment to a small town in Texas to investigate a mysterious nativity scene. With the help of a local minister (contemporary Christian recording star Steven Curtis Chapman in his first acting role), Jack begins to unravel the mystery and finds himself on a healing journey of self-discovery that reaffirms his passion for life, love, family, and the holiday season. more info
I liked it…
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
but the acting is not that great. It is typical of a lot of Christian movies though. The story line is great and can be viewed by all family members.
A husband and wife are going through a tough time in their marriage so one of them goes on a journey of sorts to find out more about themself and where they came from. A beautiful ending to a very good movie.
Christmas Child
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
An excellent, heart warming story that we will cherish for years to come in our christmas DVD Collection.
‘Adoption’ Story or Christmas Story?
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I thought the movie was ‘ok’. It’s not really a Christmas movie, as much the all-to-familiar story of adopted child looking for birthparents (and the secretness of a small town) set against the backdrop of Christmas. For some reason the actors left me cold… and I couldn’t emotionally connect with the film (it paled in comparison with say a movie like “It’s a Wonderful Life”. Watching it once was ok, but I would never want to see it again, or buy the dvd.
Christmas Child
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This movie is a little slow at the start but has awonderful finish. Very much a family movie
great family film
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is a fantastic family film to be seen any time of the year. It meets people at various levels. All the cast does a “2 thumbs up” and bring great experience with William Moses doing a wonderful interpretation of the main character as he also shares the story of being an adopted child himself. Megan Follows continues to shine as she did in her Anne of Green Gables series. Muse Watson does a great country sheriff as well as Steven Curtis Chapman who plays a guitar playing pastor who has adopted a oriental girl (practically plays himself). Very humorous interpretations by Rebecca McCauley & Tonya Bordeaux. To top it off – a great storyline, as expected, from a NY best seller like Max Lucado. Congrats to Bill Ewing and the team – his experience at Sony Pics, love for film and God show. http://www.respostasdopassado.com.br
A Christmas story for grownups.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Unlike so many Christmas stories where everything is all nice and neat and tied with a bow, this is more true to life. A childless couple’s marriage is having some problems, Jack (William Moses) is going through an identity crisis and a dry spell in his writing career. His wife Meg (Megan Follows) is going through some changes of her own and seeks a nice romantic holiday in which to share them. This is not to be and Jack’s need to go away to do a story in Dallas is feeling like the last straw for her. His career needs the story, but he also needs to find some answers about his past and detours to Clearwater to find them. Jack does act like a bit of a jerk, guys going through career, marriage, and personal problems often do. The way he is treated by those who work with him indicate that he is a nice guy but is maybe being hard on Meg who wants more than he has been able to give for a while.
Megan Follows doesn’t get nearly the screen time I would have liked, but she is impeccable as a loving wife who is facing doubts about the future of her relationship with her husband just as she needs him to be closer than ever. She is able to say so much with a look and expression and is the best I’ve seen at emotional scenes, and there are a few. She also has a chance to get dolled up for a party and is simply lovely.
The supporting cast is competent and often shines. Fans of Steven Curtis Chapman will be happy with his role as the Pastor and are familiar with his advocacy of adoption, a thread that runs through the film. All of the roles seem well filled and the story has a natural feel to it. All in all it is a good clean story of finding, or remembering that the things that are really important in life aren’t things. The behind the scenes look is very well done and covers all aspects of the story from the idea behind the book to adaptation to film, including the creation of a life sized nativity carved from solid blocks of wood like the one that inspired the story. View the trailer online to get a feel for this Christmas time story that is more for daddies and mommies than tiny tots.
Christmast Child
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This movie I saw on TV last year. I thought it was something else. I nearly nixed it, but wanted to watch a little bit more. Finally, I got involved with the search and had to see the solution to the mystery. This is a good movie. I recommend it highly.
Not very Christmassy
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I found myself wanting Megan Follows (who played Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables) to have more screen time. Her position as the wife who wants to keep working at the marriage seemed more powerful than the protagonist, who didn’t appeal to me. He didn’t get angry when he should, he didn’t feel sad when he should. In short, very little emotions from this fellow, for whom the whole movie is about his discovery of things he has been wondering all his life.
The storyline with the sheriff is interesting, but they never redeem him by letting us know why he did what he did. I thought he was just following orders from someone higher up, but the movie didn’t even pick up on that part. Even the idea that he is born on Christmas Eve, didn’t seem to produce any kind of special story for the character.
I was hoping to get my Chrismassy warm feeling from watching this movie, but instead, I just felt slightly disappointed.
Perfect Christmas Film
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
When I first saw a few minutes of this movie, I was afraid it might be a trite TV film. After deciding to read the Lucado book it’s based on, however, watching the film became a must and I am so glad to own this treasure! It does both the gem of a book it’s based on and its brilliant author Max Lucado proud.
A young husband and journalist, Jack Davenport, is in search of his past and clues to his birth parents. His search takes him to Clearwater Texas, where he finds several more crossroads and many kind, though sometimes secretive people. This movie is perfectly true to the book, though of course several characters and a big stretch of time is added. In the book, for example, Jack finds what he’s searching for the same day of his arrival in the small town; in the movie, naturally, more time was needed and it takes him several days and a lot of frusteration before he finds what he seeks. The transition from book to film was brilliantly done; this gorgeous movie simultaneously stands by itself well and perfectly compliments the book.
The addition of characters in the film were wonderful and, rather than being a cheesy TV film, this gem is wonderfully realistic. I’ve rarely ever seen a TV film which portrays such realistic and fleshed-out characters and situations. This beautiful film, while aimed at grown-ups, is not inappropriate for children and could serve as a prime family film. With its timeless message of love, committment, forgiveness, and redemption, I know I’ll be treasuring it forever
Exellent Christmas Movie
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
A wonderful story with a Christmas and Christian message. A must-have for any Christmas library.