The Christmas Spirit

Nicollette Sheridan has always been watchable and if the story is right for her she makes the TV movie special. Never mind if she's too beautiful for a small town.

She's plays a journalist. Bart Johnson plays a developer. They fall into a coma after an accident and their spirits can go around town observing people like her family and doing good deeds. It's more fun than the usual Hallmark Christmas movie.

There was something somewhat intriguing about the premise, perhaps not an innovative premise but as far as modest-or-less-budget festive films go it is a concept that falls in the not so predictable category. And although Nicollette Sheridan is not an actress considered great by me, she is watchable in my view and a long way from being one of those impossible to watch actresses. 'The Christmas Spirit' was also seen as part of my recent Christmas films quest, which was interesting if variable.

Of which 'The Christmas Spirit' is one of those inoffensive but low middle of the pack efforts, that was a bit difficult to rate and review initially. The more thought about it though, the more problematic it became in my estimations. Not one of the best, with it not doing enough with the concept and in need of a lot more imagination and charm (not to mention credulity). Also not one of the worst, as there are far worse made, written and acted festive films out there and my intelligence at least wasn't insulted as such.

Not without its good things and moments. It didn't strike me as a cheap-looking film, the scenery is beautiful and the photography is not drab or garish. The music is neither too intrusive or too low-key, so there was presence and it was authentic to the holiday while not over-powering.

Sheridan carries 'The Christmas Spirit' more than amiably and Olympia Dukakis (the only other cast standout) is suitably enigmatic. A few charming and cute moments.

Unfortunately the rest of the cast are at best mediocre, some of which not really making much impact at all. Saddled with very vapid and corny dialogue and flimsily developed (and that's being generous often) standard Christmas-film stereotypes passing for characters. Really do wish that the film did more with the concept, which is executed far too ordinarily.

Much of the storytelling is bland, extremely predictable (do agree that one guesses the entire story without problem in the first 10 minutes) and the supernatural element is initially intriguing but very quickly becomes muddled and less cohesive. Everything with the traffic light requires some serious suspension of disbelief. Some of it gets too schmaltzy and anything more moralistic comes over as simplistic and heavy-handed.

In summary, pretty lacklustre and middle of the road. 4/10

A Hallmark Christmas story. seductive. and different by the ordinary recipe. because the accent is different. and the performances - obvious better than the script-. but one of beautiful surprises is the performance of Nicolle Sheridan and the work of Olympia Dukakis. a film about hope, joy and family, community spirit. and Christmas.

Christmas movies often find it hard to recognize where the name or the holiday came from. This movie really develops its title and shows the spirit of Christmas in action without being preachy. To many, the trip out of their bodies by the two main characters will seem like an imaginative tale and the story did require some good imagination. There are also many people who have actually left their bodies and returned. Raymond Moody, MD has documented many instances of this happening and has written books about it, as have others. This story was well balanced and meaningful as well as entertaining. I wish I knew more about what inspired the story. It was well written and enjoyable.

Is there a LOT of suspension of disbelief in this movie?

Since two people have a traffic accident at a malfunctioning "both ways green" traffic light that would NEVER have been left unrepaired, and since those two people both wind up in a coma, and since they both wind up wandering around as disembodied spirits, and since they can both touch things and move objects around ... the answer is a GREAT BIG YES.

The movie harkens back to the day when Hallmark would still hire some name actors to star in these movies, and not just from the mostly clique of actors who cycle through them year after year ... even though we like quite a few of that group. Nicolette Sheridan and Olympia Dukakis appear.

The male lead is an unscrupulous businessman, and he and Nicolette wander the town together, often performing good deeds as spirits.

Will the businessman turn a new leaf before they recover from their comas?

You might guess correctly. This isn't one of our very favorites, but it's entertaining enough to watch every few years.