Noel

It is my favorit Chistmas theme film. for many reasons who, year by year, are more and more. first - as puzzle of gray lives. the second - for forms of love. not the last - for moral lessons, many not real profound or credible but useful for easy demonstrations about the structure of relationships. sure, it could be defined as forced, naive or childish, as sketch of serious film or as film using the Christmas only as pretext. but it has all the virtues to be one of expected films by viewer . for cast, off course. for Paul Walken , especially. for angels. and for the encouraging message. and, maybe, for its special beauty. like an Renaissance angel. so, for me, a special, real special film.

No tree decorating, baking cookies or building snowmen. Instead this is a character study of several different people trying to make sense of life. (I counted 6, but maybe Charlie doesn't count.) They all cross paths, some more closely than others.

There are several more popular actors and all do at least a credible job. Susan Sarandon's story is perhaps the most interesting and she does it well.

The story wanders a bit, but I think intentionally. The TV replay I watched was chopped a little too much for commercials and so a couple of times the transitions were confusing.

I was a bit distracted by some of the bad acting, but overall, I was happy I watched the entire movie. I loved the characters and "reality" of life and loneliness. Having a grandmother (now passed away) that was in a VERY SIMILAR situation to the woman in the hospital, it was very sad. I brought this movie to my mom's to watch, and she cried through the entire movie. She could relate to Susan Sarandon's character perfectly! I love exploring spirituality, so the areas in the movie that touched on that aspect were refreshing. Parts like that always bring a sense of hope about our own lives. Christmas movies are always so entertaining, as they portray a lot of what the holidays can REALLY be like in some families' homes. The chaos, the emotions, the old hidden resentments, etc. All in all, it was an enjoyable movie. LOVE Robin Williams, and Susan Sarandon. They both still look GREAT!!!

The old Calypso song goes "If you want to be happy for the rest of your life, never make a pretty woman your wife." But, what are you supposed to do if your fiancé is Penelope Cruz? That is Paul Walker's (The Fast and the Furious) problem, and he has a jealous streak. Who wouldn't with Cruz, but it is going to kill his upcoming marriage. No problem, Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine) comes to the rescue in a strange way and saves the day.

But, Walker isn't the only one with a problem. Susan Sarandon (Dead Man Walking) has a mother with Alzheimer's and her life is a mess. Who to save her but a burned-out priest (Robin Williams). Well, they really save each other.

This is a sentimental Christmas tale with some laughs, but it is mostly about Christmas miracles. Watch it for the great cast.

This film is about how a group of seemingly unconnected people spend their Christmas Eve in New York.

"Noel" may look like a romantic comedy set around Christmas time, but it is much more than that. It excels at portraying their feelings and emotions, and therefore it is particularly engaging. Their live stories are real and down to earth, these events could happen to anyone. It helps viewers to connect with the characters. I find Arty's story particularly touching. The parallel between Arty and Mike, although a little contrived, is also nice as it leads to a happy ending.

"Noel" is a heartwarming film. It makes you care and feel for the characters. It might even make you feel for the people around you too.