The Christmas Hope

Watched this movie on Christmas morning. The plot is quite simple and straightforward but the connections between the various actors makes it interesting.

A single mom dies on her way to work just a few days before Christmas leaving behind a young girl Emily. Social services (Patricia Addison) comes in and since none of the foster families want to take in another child, she offers to keep the girl for a few days until they can find the next of kin. She has already lost her son a few years back around Christmas and is still grieving which takes her farther away from her husband - an airline pilot.

Over the course of the movie, the couple get attached to the girl and plan to adopt her.

In all, a nice movie - few touching scenes.

What was missing from the previous synopses and reviews, is that this is the third sequel to the Christmas Shoes.

The actor (Ian Ziering) who plays the doctor Nathan Andrews in this movie is different than in The Christmas Blessing (the second sequel). In the Christmas Blessing, doctor Nathan Andrews (Neil Patrick Harris) puts a gift into his pocket that drops out of the pocket of the teenager that is brought into emergency from an accident. This gift is forgotten until this third sequel. It is the gift that the mother gets at the end of this third sequel from the doctor when he remembers he still has the gift and realizes who the mother of the teenager is.

I feel it is great how the three movies are pieced together. I also feel that it is interesting and different how these movies came about after a song! The song came first, then the books, then the movies.

There should be more movies like this, rather than the shoot 'em up, bang up movies that seem to be prevalent these days. This is a movie with great values! I'd like to see more of these qualities in people in general. So, it is great to see these movies showing model behaviour of people dealing with very difficult realistic emotional challenges, where the end is not "they all live happily ever after", but they do reflect a great way to deal with these challenges.

25 Days Of Christmas Cheer: Day 3:

I had to include one Hallmark esque, movie of the week style Christmas film, because they're a massive part of the sub genre, and also because The Christmas Hope is a pretty sweet little story. For all its snappiness, it actually has quite a neat little story of happenstance, compassion and redemption for its slight characters. When a young mother (Devon Weigel) dies in a car crash on her way to work, her young daughter Emily (Tori Barban) is left with no other family, and dumped with social services during the holidays. Social worker Patricia Addison (Madeleine Stowe, always awesome to see) feels for the girl, and brings her home for a few days during Christmas, temporarily. She meets Patricia's husband Mark (James Remar, toning down the tough guy persona for touching vulnerability) and learns of how they lost their son in a similar accident some years before. Eventually her presence strikes a chord with the couple, stirring up bittersweet memories for them and causing the trio to bond. Mark and Patricia are also slightly tense with each other, both still deeply hurt from the loss of their son, but Emily gradually is able to mend those wounds simply by the fact that they have opened up their home to her in her time of need. It's a low key little tale, classic Hallmark drama, but veterans Stowe and Remar, who both come from epic careers in high budget fare all across the board, elevate the script with their talents, and Ian Ziering shows up as a kindly doctor as well. Won't knock your socks off, but it's good, war,hearted entertainment for the Christmas season, with a nice little tearjerker of a cathartic moment near the end.

Patty (Madeleine Stowe) is awakened in the wee hours of the morning and handed a baby girl named Mia. As a social worker, she is used to emergency calls and it will be her job to find a foster home for the child ASAP. Fortunately, a foster family says yes, for Christmas is but a few days away. Patty goes home at the end of the work day and finds that her pilot husband, Mark (James Remar) is back for a spell. But, something is amiss between the two of them, as they have never fully recovered from the death of their own teenage son two years ago. Meanwhile, a little girl, Emily has been promised a special Christmas gift by her working, single mother, as soon as she gets done with her waitress shift. But, alas, her mother is in a car accident and can't return. Soon, Emily is dropped off at Patty's, too, for it is late in the evening and no one else can take her. So, another foster family has to be willing to welcome Emily. This time, Patty can't place her immediately but finds out there is an uncle who may be able to accept her in a few days. Since Christmas is so close, Mark feels it is best to give Emily a traditional Holiday, with a tree and such. But, Patty doesn't feel up to it and they argue. Also, a young doctor (Ian Ziering) and his wife are expecting their first child. Will happiness come to these nice folks at Xmas? This is a lovely film about family, loss, and new beginnings. With a nice cast, a touching script, lovely photography and a caring direction, it is a very uplifting experience. Therefore, if you are in search of a family flick which has the capacity to restore spirits, get Christmas Hope. Soon.

As Christmas approaches, a tragic circumstance brings a small group of people together for a blessed holiday. Young single mother Devon Weigel (as Traci Adams) figures most in the early running, but this TV-movie focuses on social worker Madeleine Stowe (as Patricia "Patty" Addison) and her pilot husband James Remar (as Mark). This couple has been suffering since the death of their college-aged son in a car accident. He (Daniel Boiteau in flashbacks) was admitted to the hospital by Dr. Ian Ziering (as Nathan Andrews), who is looking forward to becoming a new father...

The Lord moves in mysterious ways..

When there is no foster home for cute Tori Barban (as Emily), Ms. Stowe takes her home for the holidays. The young girl begins to bond with Stowe and Mr. Remar. You will be able to figure out how it all ends for the family. The story is extremely contrived, but nicely performed and directed (by Norma Bailey). The production values are just perfect for the genre; the film looks simple, yet beautiful. Sentimental viewers should have a full box of tissues handy. Moderate to unsentimental viewers will likely throw the box at the TV after the last gift is given, but an empty tissue box won't hurt the set.

****** The Christmas Hope (12/13/09) Norma Bailey ~ Madeleine Stowe, James Remar, Tori Barban, Ian Ziering