I'll Be Home for Christmas

Jonathan Taylor Thomas plays Jake, a college student in California who hasn't come home to New York for the holidays since his father remarried. The father makes Jake a deal he can't refuse: get home by 6 p. m. Christmas Eve, and he can have the Porsche they rebuilt together. One problem: Jake helps some athletes cheat on a final exam, but his plan is sabotaged, and 'Eddie and the boys' leave him in the desert wearing a Santa suit, with nothing but a note they signed. Eddie sets out to take Jake's girlfriend home. Jake calls her but there is a problem with her answering machine. Jake calls home for help but he has lied and schemed too many times before. It is his ability to lie that gets him on the road making progress toward his goal, but also into new jams. He sees Eddie several times (what are the chances?) but his girlfriend doesn't see him until the fourth time, and that doesn't turn out well. Of course, Eddie and Jake's girlfriend don't get along too well in their travels east. It's a fun film if not great. Jake helps several people, including himself, learn the true meaning of Christmas. Lots of great scenery in the first half of the movie, and a lot of the music is good, with styles including jazz and bluegrass. And the situations Jake gets himself into are quite funny. Have you ever seen a 5K race where all the entrants are dressed like Santa? It's a family film with a little off-color humor (I saw the edited version, so no bad language to speak of).

OK. You can't expect a new "Miracle on the 34th street" here. But I like the Christmas season and the movies that are carried on with it. But the most important for me: My 9 yo son laughed a lot.....

I'll Be Home for Christmas is a holiday movie worth watching on a cold, snowy day. Jonathan Taylor Thomas plays "Jake", a college student in California, who's bribed by his father to come home, in New York, for Christmas. Jessica Biel plays "Allie", who is Jake's love interest in the movie. Jake drives, hitchhikes, flies, and finally rides his way back home in a one horse open sliegh. Along his journey home, Jake learns the true meaning of Christmas. In my opinion, I'll Be Home for Christmas is the best Christmas movie that I've seen in a long time.

Well, I'd give this a 6 out of 10 because I love Christmas, but really the plot was fairly thin and wasn't this same idea run through in John Hughes "Dutch (aka Driving Me Crazy) - kid doesn't want to go home (for Thanksgiving in that movie), but then he has all sorts of adventures on the road on his way home and learns his lesson, etc, etc.

The only problem with this movie is that, unlike "Dutch", I honestly didn't feel that JTT had learned his lesson at all, he was still a scam artist at the end. Disney should really learn some lessons from John Hughes / Chris Columbus, they really know how to make a kids live-action movie!

I was so disappointed because it sounded like a really fun idea, but turned into the plot of a so-so TV movie.

It's worth seeing, but go on cheap Tuesday, or with free tickets, you'll feel less ripped off!!

I'm a 90' kid and this movie was a staple every holiday season. If it doesn't hold a special place for you, you probably won't think it's a great movie. Your kids may like it though!