Crazy for Christmas

I'm a sucker for sentiment. And this is a throwback to those sensibilities that are devoid of today's cynicism. This is post-9/11 and astonish that they would even make this type of movie. For that...they deserve high praise for sure.

Andrea Roth plays a single mother working as a limo driver who is struggling to make due with a young child after the father had run off with another woman. She keeps upbeat, despite the financial struggle she faces. Especially trying her hardest not to disappoint her son on Xmas. I buy it. The kid isn't one of those types who say "it's okay Mom, I know we have no money". NO. The child is honest. Painfully disappointed about the have-not. And to me, that is honest. That should ground you to the rest of the movie, since...it is about doing good deeds. Howard Hessmann is that guy. An eccentric gazillionaire that, with a snap of his fingers, could put you in the lap of luxury. But that isn't enough. He has secrets. And it includes Andrea's character. What could be a stupid syrupy tale, turns to some poignant moments of family interaction during the warmest of holidays. We're not suckers. We believe the people would react the way they do.

What I notice a lot about Xmas movies is that they want it to be a classic. Totally. These sentiments should be year in and year out. But it works best, because it is Xmas. In "It's A Wonderful Life" you think George Bailey really lives happily ever after? Maybe. But he's still got an uphill battle in a dying town. For Andrea and her child, she is thrusted into a new world that she isn't accustomed to. Who cares? We know she's a good person...if only for a moment.

Just adding to other reviews, they cover the story and whether entertaining (I thought it was). Something I liked was how it wasn't perfectly PC, it's only little stuff but someone over 50 like me would probably also notice. I liked the subtle and realistic use of city/northern expressions :) like 'knock yourself out.' All of the acting was pretty good, I agree that HH went a little cheesy sometimes and you might've liked to poke the kid for whining.

The reason this "Type A" male watched a movie on 'gasp' Lifetime was because of the two leads. I loved WKRP and it was nice to see Howard Hesseman again. I also love "Rescue Me" and wanted to see how Andrea Roth did in a very different role.

The story itself was no classic, and you could see the ending coming a mile away, but the characters were all nice people and the movie zipped along at a pleasant clip. How nice to have a movie where there is no villains or terrible crisis. Howard Hesseman played his character like a lovable kook... picture Dr. Johnny Fever as a millionaire with no hangover. It was interesting to see Andrea Roth as a loving mother figure and not the oversexed shrew that she is on "Rescue Me" (She is very good in both roles). She handled the role of a struggling single mom dealing skeptically with sudden good fortune very well. Yannick Bisson played his role as the reporter just right. While hoping to make it to the "big time", he comes to realize that everything he needs is where he is at.

The theme of forgiveness in the holiday season was nice but not too heavy handed. I liked the "34th Street" reference in the last shot (a miracle... get it!? :) ) I taped the movie so my wife and son can enjoy it. While I can't say that it's a Christmas movie that I will watch again and again I will say it was a nice way to spend a couple of hours.

It came on lifetime last night. I liked the line of the story, My father mentioned it was like a mix of all the good Christ mas movie that come on every year, Christmas carol, Miracle on 34th street, etc.

I was surprised, it wasn't like a normal Lifetime Movie, It was Good! No beating women no one got killed. The only thing i could see was that the main character Shannon McManus-Johnson was a single mother who lost her parents and take care of the child the best way she could she had some issues but who wouldn't in her situation.

Some things i noticed, Aurthur Finnegan, Freds lawyer Said that he's boyfriend was a puppeteer on Sesame Street and did the Butt part of Mr. Snuffleupagus. I'm a puppeteer and love the Muppet's, i not of the gay persuasion but thought that was cool. Also they missed the Little old lady who took care of Trevor in the cast list, i seen her once before in a older Muppet short "hey Cinderella". I wanted to see if thats who i thought it was.

all in all Great TV movie

This isn't drastically different from the multitudes of other Christmas TV movies out there, but this one is just a little different and special somewhere to me. It's grown on me a lot over the years and I've strangely found myself watching it every year, it gives me the kind of wholesome old-fashioned warm genuine Christmas vibes that aren't really something I get very often from movies like this anymore. When I was a little boy, I used to think that Christmas was so super-magical, all of the festive atmosphere and little precious ceremonies all made me feel so happy and it was like proof that the world could be a bright happy place, when I'd feel sad as a kid I could just talk about Christmas to cheer myself up! Anywho this film isn't what I'd call overly sappy and to me it doesn't have the kind of overly-dramatic dialogue that gives TV films a bad name. And while it's nothing amazing, it really worked for me and I loved it, I thought it was genuinely heartwarming. I liked the woman and her kid and the way it established how they were going to have to make do with a really poor Christmas because they didn't have much, it made me care about them as characters. Howard Hesseman was brilliant and a real hoot as the eccentric rich old man with the answer to their prayers as he hires her as a chauffeur to drive him around New York on Christmas Eve while causing a media sensation with the random drive by acts of wild generosity by throwing wads of money to all around him for no other reason than sheer manic kindness and to spread the joy! All of the scenes where he does that really tickled me and made me smile because if there was ever one thing to really get any crowd ground going anywhere, ever, it would be free money! He is for all intents and purposes this movie's Santa Claus and while he does have an ulterior motive in helping her it's nothing too heavy.. The story does get a bit hectic at the end and I don't care for the pointless romance subplot that's thrown in, but overall it's all harmless sweet fun that projects a good image and theme of Christmas joy and family togetherness, and it has an endearing tone that I can only describe as cosy, it's a very nice uplifting picture to lighten the mood around the icy year's end. Thanks everyone, happy holidays to you X