A Miracle on Christmas Lake

I really wanted to like this movie. The setting's gorgeous and the plot of teen loss and loneliness redeemed at Christmas through the healing power of friendly spirits should have been great.

Sadly, the execution of this great idea was lacking.

The actors were mostly okay, but the script gave them little to work with. There were some touching moments but they were few.

Character motivations got lost in the scrap paper bin or on the cutting room floor until far too late in the film for viewers to care much. Plot and subplots were all crammed in there together. The spiritual significance of the night pond never quite made itself clear, and the inspirational speech that was clearly supposed to redeem that main plank of the plot was frankly a mess, both in writing and in delivery. There was absolutely no reason for the townsfolk to clap except that they were told to. Or maybe because that was the last time they had to show up for filming.

Like I said at the start, I really wanted to like this film. But I couldn't.

As some others have said, this could have been good, but slow pacing, lack of crisp writing and an ending that simply is stupid killed it.

I usually like family films with a happy ending theme. This is certainly an exception! Everyone is without explanation mean, over emotional, and over the top. The use of flashbacks combined with fantasy doesn't work. There is no reason a mother wouldn't explain to a senior in high school the circumstances around his father leaving the family. There is no reason anyone would sell their house on the lake worth enough that apparently that the developer will make a fortune on it. How about just keeping your house and once the development is done selling your land for a killing?

Then there is the lead kid. Mad at everyone and everything but it takes almost 90 minutes to find out why. Oh, and his speech at the town meeting... worst movie scene ever candidate. The town mayor... she is the worst actress in a family movie. Belongs in one of the Asylum disaster flicks for real. The move is truly cringe worthy!

With all the really great family movies available I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you SKIP this drivel...

If you are feeling depressed, then don't watch this film, you will be more depressed......

The scenery was awesome, and that's all this movie has going for it. The teenager spent the first 2 hours scowling and accusing and demanding answers for the Big Mystery. Finally Mom reveals the answer to the Big Mystery. Yawn. Then he spends the last 30 minutes smiling sappily. Somehow he equates real estate development with the spirit of Christmas. What? I was rather hoping Angry Teenager would fall through the ice and end the movie early.