Encontro de Natal

Columbo star Peter Falk stars as Max the Christmas angel, who attempts to reunite a fallen hero with his family and help a nurse to save her E.R. from being closed.

I've found this Christmas movie to be dramatic and a little touchy, with a dose of fantasy. It's a nice little drama that takes a while to gain traction in some parts, but Peter Falk does provide much needed entertainment in the film.

William Russ did a fine job as Hank and Valerie Bertinelli was great as Kathleen McAllister, sensitive and believable in her role.

There were many special feel-good moments in the film, so, it is really a film for those who really enjoy sappy, carefree family films. I myself thought the movie wasn't bad, but thought the plot could have used a little more suspense.

Grade B-

A wonderful movie with a definite direction on where it wants to take the viewer. I loved the sub plots. The element of surprise that came with Noah's revelation to Hank was wonderful. Peter Falk's Max was the balance check that prevented any overflow of sugar. At times the character of Max was a bit much. Much of the character's dialogue was to deflect when the opposite character begins to figure things out, however, the technique began to get overbearing. It wasn't until the hand on the shoulder "it's good to see you again" to Hank that I felt that all of the information was revealed.

The movie deserves a good sequel so we can see what happens in Hank's life and of course Kathleen, Noah and the kid.

Having been a fan of 'Columbo', I was sorely disappointed in 'Corky Romano'. While certainly a funny movie, Falk's mob boss character was a far cry from the lovable lieutenant he's played for so many years, especially with the offensive language he used. After 'Corky Romano', I was honestly both surprised by and soured on Mr. Peter Falk. HOWEVER, having just seen 'Finding John Christmas' and its predecessor, 'A Town Without Christmas', for the first time within a week of each other, I have to say that 'Max', Peter's Falk's delightful character in both movies, is surely as memorable and lovable as 'Columbo'. While parts of the movie are quite predictable, such scenes in no way take away from the enjoyment of seeing the story played out. I too wish I had recorded both of these heartwarming Christmas movies, and I highly recommend them whether you're a Falk fan, a Christmas nut, or simply someone who enjoys the occasional feel-good movie of the week. This movie may end up lost among the throngs of made-for-TV holiday flicks, so be sure to find 'Finding John Christmas' before it's too late.

The backstory is heartwarming but the upfront story with the reward, the ER closing (100k wouldn't save an ER) and the storyline with the daughter singing and the firehouse is very clumsy. Still, unlike the critics opinion, it wasn't a waste and I did buy the DVD. I can imagine a fireman falling apart after people died cuz it happens today.

William Russ is the main character throughout this made for TV movie. He left his family behind to only reappear and begin paying off his debts. But he tries to keep away from his family. Thats where Peter Falk (Colombo) comes in, playing several different roles, to convince him to come home.

The story is average and they actually managed to get a former star (Peter Falk) and use him to a fairly nice degree. But William Russ wasn't truly a star. However, it appears his acting is still OK.

I found the delivery and story very cheesy in how everything was predictable. In fact, the last 20 minutes I could almost dictate word for word before it happened. A good movie should never be like that.

Overall, it was a sub-par movie. In a letter grading system, it would receive a "D".