Un garçon nommé Noël

Oh dear, dear, dear. I was getting ready to watch "A Boy Called Christmas" and decided to first read a handful of early user reviews that were posted. I wish I hadn't. While I always try to respect the opinions of most reviewers, positive or negative, there are a few that routinely post careless, negative comments, without much thought towards how it may impact not only the film's success, but also how it may affect the human beings in front of the camera (and behind it) who brought it to life for our entertainment.

In the case of this film, one reviewer literally eviscerated Henry Lawfull, a rookie actor with few credits to his name. Although his legal age isn't available, he's likely in his early teens. In any case, don't think for a moment that some of the more cruelly targeted jabs and nasty comments don't hurt him. They do.

I remember reading similarly rude and callous comments that had been prematurely and carelessly thrown at the young actors Natalie Portman and Jake Lloyd after filming was completed for Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (1999). Portman of course went on to win a Best Actress Oscar for her performance in Black Swan (2011) and later garnered multiple Oscar nominations. Sadly, Lloyd left the industry shortly afterwards, hurt, and disillusioned. We'll never know if Lloyd could have recovered from those early malicious barbs as successfully as Portman.

I'm even more amused with one reviewer who expressed his complete annoyance with "the mouse." That's right. A clever, cute, cuddly, and somewhat humorous CGI mouse! OMG where is this heading when even a mouse can garner bad reviews? Heaven help us.

I'll get to the film itself now having summoned the courage to finally watch it. A Boy Called Christmas is a lush and visually stunning production fit for adults and probably children 11-12 or older. There's both a delicate yet harsh feel to the film. Some scenes are wonderfully sweet, only to be followed by a gritty one. Gee, what a concept when art does indeed imitate real life!

Any film with Maggie Smith is a better film with her in it. Sally Hawkins is mind blowing. She's an actor's actor, and her chameleon-like ability to adapt to such diverse characters is stunning. It's also very refreshing to see Kristin Wigg in a more meaty, antagonistic role, and clearly a giant leap from Bridesmaids (2011).

As always, no spoilers here, but I will reveal that the movie is based on Matt Haig's 2015 book of the same name.

This was a suprisingly good movie comparing to other christmas movies made in recent time. Good story and animations. However, im not sure why there are such a multiculturality of african, asian, indian and middle eastern people AND elfs living in snowy Finland a 1000 years ago. It just makes no sense in this scenario.

A very good tale, great music, great acting and visually beautiful! I haven't read this book but the director an excellent job telling the story and keeping the surprises to the very end!

Well worth the time to watch and enjoy!

Just charming . It is the fair definition of this film about roots of Christmas gifts tradition.

It is charming, first, for Maggie Smith and Jim Broadbet and for Toby Jones.

It is charming for the truths and for the flavor of old fairy tales, so fresh, so soft, so bitter and wise.

It is charming for the adorable end.

Bad points - easy to say the political correctness not elegant deep traces. Or the ignore, again, of the simple, real significance of feast of Nativity . Or to ignore Saint Hierarch Nicholas.

But... .

The young Henry Lawfull is just good worker for a nice Nicholas. And the film is not , exactly , for children but more for inner child of parents. The cultural references is the basic proof.

Yes, I like it.

For actors, humor, inspired portrait of sacrifice for loved one and lost of parent.

And, not doubts, for Maggie Smith. Her presence in cast was, I admitt, the first and powerful kick to see this film.

A sweet Christmas film which ticks all the boxes when it comes to entertaining kids and their parents. A cute story following the origin of Christmas and it's traditions, and the start of St Nicholas.

The plot is simple to follow but not overly obvious, visually is very nice to look at, and the cast cannot be faulted for the most part. Although it's good to have narration, the arc with Smith and the kids at the beginning and end is unnecessary, mostly because the acting from the kids is very stiff.

Not so child-oriented that there isn't any deeper messages, but also very little in the way of upsetting scenes. Probably not a film to rewatch every Christmas, but certainly enjoyable.