I'll Be Home for Christmas

this movie is so good to see. i saw it last week with my dad and i wanted my mom to see it as well. i want to buy it for Christmas even! it made me cry because of the great acting cast and storyline as well as the script. this movie feels like home to me and i love the way it is filmed in Toronto, Canada but set in Iowa, USA. i love the snow scenes. everybody did a terrific job on this movie and i congratulate them all. i wish it was shown every year in December and made a big deal of like other Christmas movies are, like "The Santa Clause". somehow this movie made me to want to keep watching, even though i knew it would entail a happy ending. i like movies with happy endings. this movie is so cool and i recommend it to every family out there who believe in the spirit of Christmas.

Surprisingly entertaining feel good comedy-drama about big city surgeon Michael (Robert Hays) and his daughter who are courted to return home to the small town he grew up in to run the local hospital. His father Bob, played by Jack Palance, talks the surgeon's old girlfriend Sarah (Ann Jillian), now an animal vet and the only doctor in town, into warming up to her old boyfriend. The entire town, old friends of Michael, do their best, but Michael can't get past the recent death of his wife. Will Michael and Sarah rekindle their romance? Will Michael raise his daughter in the wholesome Mayberry town he grew up in? Will Michael run the small town hospital? We all know the answers, but the fun is watching it all unfold. Colorful supporting cast, small midwest Christmas town atmosphere, and sweet performances from the leads make this a holiday treat.

I liked this movie a lot for its old-fashioned romance and watching Mike come to realize just how important home and family are to the soul of man.

Gee willikers! It's just a movie. I hear plenty of people criticize every movie or TV show because "that's not how real cops would do it" or "that's not how real doctors would do it." Do we criticize a movie about time travel because that's not how it's done in real life? The magic of movies can only work when we're willing to suspend our disbelief and let the movie create its own reality.

So rather than negatively comparing movies to real life, I think we should just enjoy the film for what it is. And this one has a real sweetness to it.

Sarah (Ann Jillian) is the part-time mayor of a town that is big at holiday time, St. Nicholas is its name! With her other work time, she is the area's vet. Unfortunately, the village is rather remote and the town's doctor has just passed away. With simple cases, Sarah has been helping out in medical emergencies but she can't truly practice human medicine. Now, word comes that longtime, older resident Bob (Jack Palance) is going to have visitors. This would be his physician son, Michael (Robert Hays) and his tween daughter. Every resident is eager to greet Michael and persuade him to move back and be the doctor that they need. Unfortunately, there are complications. Michael has lived and practiced in a big metropolitan area, so he may not want to "go back home". But, more importantly, he is having anxiety attacks and loss of confidence in his skills, due mostly to the death of his wife a couple of years before. At the hospital where he has been treating patients, a supervisor is ready to grant him a professional leave, so that he can seek help. Maybe just going back to be among family and friends will do the trick. Here's hoping. Also complicating matters is the fact that Sarah was Michael's high school sweetheart and she has never married another. Will a rekindling of romance be possible? This is a nice family Christmas flick but it is not lighthearted in subject matter. Michael truly is going through an emotional crisis that has to be dealt with seriously. Also, Sarah is not certain she wants him back in town, for she is afraid her heart may be broken again. In addition, Bob is difficult to get to know well, making a hardship for the granddaughter who doesn't think her g-pa likes her very much. On the plus side, the cast members are quite fine, the setting is very lovely, while the script tackles issues with a caring story. Overall, if you want a holiday movie, this is a good one, yes, but just be in the mood for something more reflective and less light-hearted.

For a made-for-TV movie, this is very good. Don't expect a classic, but it's very heartwarming and touching for a family to watch around the holidays.

A man (Robert Hayes) comes home to his hometown with his preteen daughter (the talented and beautiful Ashley Gorrell, always one of my favorites as a kid and my first childhood celebrity crush!) who is very adorable in this movie and plays her part very well. Hayes is always very talented and a good dad in every movie he's been in, and this is no exception. He plays a very good man who returns to his hometown and gets reacquainted with many people. He has created himself a new life in his new town, and faces a lot of transitions when returning home. This leads to a lot of confusion for the man, being a widower and single dad. He faces a lot of choices and challenges in the process to make possible life changes. All everyone wants is for a Merry Christmas in this dying small town, which creates a lot of confusion and difficulty for many. A lot of surprises happen along the way to throw many expected things off course. Every character is very likable, however, and it leads to a very positive ending.

Being from a small and dying town myself, I can relate a lot to it; and only wish such things could end so well in my area. This movie is well worth watching around the holidays if you are in the mood for a good spirit and good family time. No classic, but enjoyable if one keeps expectations low and realizes it's just a TV movie.