Un cadeau inattendu

I should mention that even though the movie had a title related to Christmas when I saw it, it's not really about Christmas. The holiday does come near the end, though. And Zooey and Alec learn a lot from Eli.

Maurice Cole is outstanding. There is no way he is seven years old. He comes across as a short adult and shows a lot of intelligence and appeal.

Toni Collette is quite appealing, and when she does smile, it's a very nice smile. But she doesn't smile a lot.

The other lead actors do quite well also. In fact, everyone does. Even the employee at Legoland Amusement Park who is only there for the paycheck and cares nothing about his job.

It's a very worthwhile effort.

Zooey (Toni Collette) is having trouble getting pregnant. Her husband Alec (Ioan Gruffudd) is having trouble with his toy business. They decide to adopted a child. He's a strange little boy. Along with a strange homeless guy (Richard E. Grant), they start to dig up their past tragedy and recover their lives together.

There isn't enough magic in this movie. That is the biggest missing ingredient. This is relying a lot on the kid. The directing style isn't helping him any. The level of production is some kind of TV movie.

Then there is the unrealism of the toy business. The big orders ending seems more like a high school play. It's a nice sweet story, but there's just nothing great in it.

What a beautiful film! I've just seen it on youtube, it was uploaded yesterday, apparently I've been the second person to stay until the sixth and last part. I hope it stays there for a long time so people can find it and enjoy it as much as I did! Toni Collette and Ioan Gruffudd make an adorable couple, and although both the boy and the surroundings are just almost too quaint to be true (houses, streets, the home, the factory, the shop), the film never feels too unrealistic. Well, there are places like this in Britain and thankfully so. I loved the acting, especially of little Eli played by Maurice Cole, but also of aforementioned grown-ups and Richard E Grant, who I hadn't seen in years. Still as good as he always was. As it was mentioned before by someone, yes, two or three lines in the film were a tiny bit odd, but looking at the whole film they really don't matter.As a viewer you feel how much everybody enjoyed making this film and I certainly enjoyed watching it. I hope it soon will come out on DVD in Europe as well (not only in Australia!) so that more people can see it. Everybody involved in this film: Well done!

See, I think of my self as a tough guy who only watches horror movies. However I loved every part of this film, it will be one of those unforgettable movies. Also I am used to getting bored in the middle of the movie but this one kept grabbing my attention. The movie is about a family who is not able to have a child and their life marriage was beginning to fall apart. Acting was awesome, the plot was awesome and so was every part of this film, at the end it made my eyes tear. I don't really wanna say anything else about the movie so you can enjoy every part of it and be surprised with the events that happen in it. Maybe I am not very familiar wit this genre of movies but I think that the ideas were original and that was what made me like it. Maybe the idea of the box wasn't that brilliant but it was original and very realistic. Oh yea, speaking of realistic, the movie does not seem to be 100% real but it makes you think that it is.

The story centres around a couple who apply for a foster adoption. However, the very next morning after their application, a seven year old boy comes up to their doorstep, all dressed up in a suit, tie and top hat, with all the legal documents in hand. This is an extremely interesting idea and the film does justice to this innovative premise.The scenes in the film following the strange arrival of the child are worth watching. The way the couple reacts and adjusts to this unique child is both heartwarming and humorous. Truly wonderful.

Newman's simple and well plotted narrative, his effective screenplay and the talented mix of actors (its got Toni Collette) all come together to tell this interesting tale. Come and watch the story unfold.

Mood: Comfort Movie with a good serving of wonder and warmth