Lost Christmas

How have I not seen this Classic Christmas movie before? It's got Christmas, it's got a big heart and it's got snow. It's about love and loss, the bonds that tie family, Christmas and making good. Not only that, It's got Suzie Eddie Izzard in acting mode. Be ready to chuckle then gulp back a tear. Incredibly it was made in less than a month, against a budget that was pulled in the first couple of days of filming and still smashed it. A jewel of a Christmas movie to enjoy. Put the fire on, pour a nice glass of red, cuddle up on the sofa and ride the twists and turns of this feel good movie perfect for Christmas. I'm so glad to have found this movie finally!

Reasonably well done. Pretty well acted with an originalish take on a Christmas Carol. Eddie Izzard did seem to be playing a toned down version of his stand up piece, and that led to the piece not knowing if it was serious or light hearted. The boy was excellent, as was the uncle, and as always, Geoffrey Palmer, despite his part being so small. The issue I had was the playing of the Grandmother's dementia for laughs. Putting the turkey in the washing machine, buttering Christmas cards; all showed a lack of respect, and most likely a team of writers who have no idea of the difficulties of the disease. It really spoiled an otherwise decent piece. Shame.

Lost Christmas is a sad, melancholy and twisted tale of damaged and seemingly unconnected people in the city of Manchester.

'Goose' is a 10 year old boy who on Christmas Eve hides his dad's car keys in the hope that he will not go to work at Christmas. His dad is a fireman.

However his mum drives him to work and both are killed in a car accident.

A year later, Goose is no longer the bright ten year old kid but a feral streetwise kid who is supporting his grandmother through petty crime.

A mysterious man appears out of nowhere. He calls himself Anthony, he has no recollection of who he is or where he came from. He can find things that are lost.

It sounds like a bleak tale for Christmas, particularly one aimed at families but it is a story about redemption and second chances.

Like a ripple on a pond cause by the throwing of a pebble, you find that the various tragedies that befalls the different characters are somehow interconnected.

Maybe Anthony can find some sort of solace for the lost people around him but can he turn back time?

It may lack the usual Christmas sentimentality that these types of films usually have but it also lacks the cynicism. Lost Christmas is realistic enough to connect with today's kids.

There will be those who are critical of the over simplified message of this film, those who feel that Eddie Izzard was not the right person to play the key role but I think that they are over complicating this.

A seasonal film that has you laughing, crying and puzzled in equal measure until the ending glues it all back together. So many threads that in the end all make sense and the parts played by Eddie Izzard, Jason Flemyng and Geoffrey Palmer are stand out for me. The young lad who plays Goose either is a natural, or took direction superbly.

There is only one section that is not researched well, and you will know it when you see it, but that is forgivable to an extent because the rest of the film is so good.

Deserves awards and should become a Christmas Classic every year from now on.

Enjoy it with a glass of wine, cuddled up on the couch with the kids and a box of tissues. Children over the age of 12 will understand all the themes, children under that age will still understand the main theme of the film.

Although we missed the original transmission, we have sat and watched this film as a family several times. A lovely heartwarming (but definitely not smoozy) tale. The soundtrack is clever and very atmospheric. Great performances, especially from Eddie Izzard. Although I am a big fan of Christmas and we all like Disney I have to say this film comes highly recommended as an antidote to the disneyfication of Christmas. I have even purchased the 'Happy Prince' by Oscar Wilde which forms part of the story - quite a surprise and very cheaply available on line. If you like Dickens you should like this. Also, check out the Manchester and Salford locations! Give it a try - I hope it is on TV next year and is more hyped - it went under our radar a bit but we did record the repeat.