Mrs. Worthington's Party

Who ever changed the title should have stuck with the original title, Mrs Worthington's Party. It's an unfortunate renaming because titlling it Noelle may be confused with the Disney movie Noelle with Shirley MacLaine. Having said that, the lead actor, David Wall, playing Father Keene, bares a stunning resemblance to a young Robert Redford; his hair, his front teeth, the jawline - and his acting ability! I'm surprised David Wall is not in more mainstream/famous movies - he exudes lead actor, and his acting is a joy to watch. Surprisingly, his Wikipedia page is sparse. Back to the movie, David Wall as Father Keene is the reason I stuck it out with this movie. There are a lot of likable and quirky characters, along with a love story, that fill and complete this movie. And the snowy location is charming. But David Wall is the stellar actor in this performance and makes this version of Noelle worth watching.

"Noelle" is a movie that is both wonderfully subtle and profound in the message it delivers. It is a Christmas movie, not because of the beautifully filmed winter landscape or the softly illuminated lighting, but because its' characters experience the true essence of Christmas: forgiveness.

The character development is slow and methodical, almost predictable at first. However, as the story progresses, the reserved tension between the two priests builds, forcing the true person within both characters to bubble to the surface, spilling out in an unexpected manner.

The movies music does a splendid job of capturing the loneliness many people feel at Christmas, and the main characters in Noelle are no different.

The story is not predictable in its' outcome from the outset, although an hour or so into it, the viewer gets a feeling it may twist in a certain direction because you almost want it to.

I felt great empathy for the character of Father Keane, because his job was the one no one would relish in doing. It is a thankless position that keeps him at arms length with the Church, the Almighty, and himself, creating an empty life within the shell of a "holy man".

If you are expecting gags and laughs to be dished out like Halloween candy like so many cheesy, box office hits, you will be disappointed. The real humor is in the dry wit and the naiveté of the characters that lay just below the surface throughout the movie. Save the fact that Father Keane does not know how to ride a scooter very well and takes some very predictable falls in the snow and ice, the real laughs will be within yourself as you begin to recognize members of your family, or even the person you see in the mirror, in how each character reacts to one another.

The movie has a serious message and is not for younger audiences because of the subject matter, but is tastefully done without explicit information being thrown in for dramatic effect.

I found Noelle heart-warming, well-done, and definitely a movie that will be on my Christmas watch list each year.

Awesome film!! My wife and I saw it in Florida at the Lauderdale Film Festival. The most amazing story of redemption I've ever seen. It was mysterious and romantic and hilarious. The ending took my breath away. Apparently the writer/director David Wall also played the lead role of Father Jonathan Keene. We thought he was great, my wife thought he looked like a young Robert Redford. Wall's wife in real life played the role of Marjorie Worthington. She was perfect, very classy lady. Apparently their daughter plays the title role of Noelle. What a hauntingly beautiful little girl. This movie will stay with you. Can't wait for it to open as I want to take my parents and our kids. I imagine there may be some controversy among religious folks over this one as Wall plays a Catholic priest but I applaud him for his courage in portraying a priest as a real human being, as a man grappling with his faith. We think this one will be a classic.

Until the little girl whispers in David Wall's ear.

I was coming down with a cold last Saturday, and I didn't want to be bothered with anything other than streaming something to take my mind off my rapidly-filling sinuses.

On Prime Video, the ad for David Wall's indie film "Noelle" caught my attention because it didn't look anything like the 87 other Hallmark love-amongst-the-fake-snow wallows. My wife and I watched it, and we couldn't figure out if the movie was supposed to be in the Maritimes, Wales, or some alternate-reality state in our Union.

Noelle is a dry, somewhat humorous, and confusing joy. I sat there harumphing at the infuriating main characters' inability to seal the deal, to get me to buy totally into the story and suspend disbelief. Yet, I stuck with it, and as the story of a diocesan hatchet-man who is sent to close down a tiny-town parish church and finds out he really shouldn't be a priest unfolds, I began to appreciate the deeply-embraced Catholicism of the movie. The idea that a man can be a priest and despise the transactional humanity of his ministry is so foreign to me that I had to see how this movie, made for what appeared to be about a $143, resolved the large and small conflicts.

I wasn't sure if I could say I liked Noelle until the little girl whispered in the priest's ear. All of a sudden I had to grab a paper towel.

And it wasn't to mop up snot.

Am I the only one who thinks Mr. Wall looks like Mr. Redford? The film was very well done. I enjoyed it. I also love that it was a family project.