A Miracle on Christmas Lake

Poorly acted, terrible script, & unnecessarily, excruciatingly looong! The main character was so unlikable, I couldn't even find any sympathy for him. None of the characters had any redeeming qualities. I made the mistake of watching the entire thing, hoping for it to get better, but after nearly THREE HOURS, it never did, & mercifully ended...FINALLY!

As some others have said, this could have been good, but slow pacing, lack of crisp writing and an ending that simply is stupid killed it.

I usually like family films with a happy ending theme. This is certainly an exception! Everyone is without explanation mean, over emotional, and over the top. The use of flashbacks combined with fantasy doesn't work. There is no reason a mother wouldn't explain to a senior in high school the circumstances around his father leaving the family. There is no reason anyone would sell their house on the lake worth enough that apparently that the developer will make a fortune on it. How about just keeping your house and once the development is done selling your land for a killing?

Then there is the lead kid. Mad at everyone and everything but it takes almost 90 minutes to find out why. Oh, and his speech at the town meeting... worst movie scene ever candidate. The town mayor... she is the worst actress in a family movie. Belongs in one of the Asylum disaster flicks for real. The move is truly cringe worthy!

With all the really great family movies available I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you SKIP this drivel...

Do not go by the DVD cover. This is NOT a cheery and happy Christmastime movie. That is both unusual and a good thing as it anchors this festive tale in a more realistic universe and reality.

The main character, Bobby Whiteside has the weight of a few troubles on his back. The death of his friend the year before, his father leaving home, and an uneasy home life where he constantly argues with his mother and brother.

Feeling that the world is against him he wants to leave the township where all his torments fester forsaking his family, even his sister Roxie, who is the only family member he has a decent relationship with.

This is his story of revelation and change.

The story is tight and the magical and fantastical elements of the tale are handled really well. Another great thing about the movie is the director, Jack Kissack, decided to not make it bright and glossy but keep it darker and bleaker as the story dictated. The acting is top notch and the realistic ending doesn't detract in any way from the meaning of this modern fable.

This is one of the better Christmas movies around, but don't watch it if you're looking for a happy feeling.

I really wanted to like this movie. The setting's gorgeous and the plot of teen loss and loneliness redeemed at Christmas through the healing power of friendly spirits should have been great.

Sadly, the execution of this great idea was lacking.

The actors were mostly okay, but the script gave them little to work with. There were some touching moments but they were few.

Character motivations got lost in the scrap paper bin or on the cutting room floor until far too late in the film for viewers to care much. Plot and subplots were all crammed in there together. The spiritual significance of the night pond never quite made itself clear, and the inspirational speech that was clearly supposed to redeem that main plank of the plot was frankly a mess, both in writing and in delivery. There was absolutely no reason for the townsfolk to clap except that they were told to. Or maybe because that was the last time they had to show up for filming.

Like I said at the start, I really wanted to like this film. But I couldn't.