The Christmas Wife

This short drama was satisfying to watch even though there wasn't much action. It was almost like a two-person play. Get yourself a cup of hot chocolate, relax and enjoy.

It is a surprisingly good drama for a lazy, frosty, Christmas-season evening. It's well-acted, well-written, and well-crafted -- definitely sentimental, but without being fluffy or soppy. The cast is led by veteran acting greats Jason Robards and Julie Harris, which in itself should make the movie worth a consideration. Robards portrays John Tanner, a recent widower (10 months) who doesn't quite know what to do with the changes imposed upon his life. He spends Thanksgiving in a diner, reading a book, and when the annual family trip to the cabin for Christmas is jeopardized (his son and family want them to visit their house), he attempts to rescue his traditions in a radical way: he finds an escort service, makes it very clear that there will be separate bedrooms, and "hires" a woman to be his companion and spend the Christmas weekend with him. Julie Harris is the sad, perceptive, and mysterious woman, Iris, who agrees to be his "Christmas wife" - but does not want any questions asked about herself.

Tanner turns out to be quite hospitable. He cooks (a candlelight dinner, nevertheless), trims a tree, and even brings a gift for his new friend, and himself, to exchange on Christmas day. It's sad that he doesn't believe in an afterlife, as the Lord Jesus Christ, the God of all comfort, died for our sins, was buried, and rose again so we could have forgiveness of sins, an eternal home in heaven, a taste of Heaven on this earth, and help for all of our problems.

This is a quality "G" movie. I enjoyed watching it with my wife (you never know how long you'll have them), and she thought it was good. Adults who have some experience with age or loneliness may discover a tale striking quite a responsive chord.

I love this movie. Easy and enjoyable with great acting. I don't believe that every movie has to be thought provoking or deep. Sometimes, people just want to sit back and relax, fall into the story line and enjoy and hour and a half without having to think too much. This movie is a staple for me every Christmas. As I said, the acting is great; I believe the story and that I am at the cabin with them. I also feel the heart ache at the end when she wants to stay but can't. People are lonely during the holiday, and sometimes they are more alone with family than without. This movie moves me in so many ways. Simple, clean and believable.

I saw this movie 2 days before Jason Robards' death. He is such a fine actor, I will miss him. --- The movie is about a widower who doesn't want to spend Christmas alone. He contacts an agency to set him up with a woman who is also in need of company. The drama unfolds as the two spend the holiday together. Very touching, heartfelt movie.

Awkward, odd, strained, maybe even inappropriate.

Jason Robards is a widow who doesn't want to travel to see his son's family, but still doesn't want to be alone for Christmas. So what does he do? In effect, he asks a strange man at a strange "relationship" agency to set him up with the equivalent of an escort, but one his own age. Hanky Panky? Oh, no, he says, "two separate rooms".

Whether you like this movie will be strictly a matter of taste. I found it slow, and yes awkward. The situation was so strange, I just couldn't relax with it, and I think that's what you would need to enjoy it.

The acting was fine. The plot was, well as I said, strange. It wasn't helped by the fact that it is a short story adapted to a TV movie and as a result, there isn't a lot of substance to the plot. Most of what you get out of it is between the lines.

A muted film for the mature. Not a "pretty" film, nor is it sugar-coated with a "Hollywood" ending. Instead, to get the most out of this film, one must have lived, suffered, and know deep loss. Somehow, out of this accumulated life experience, the mature viewer comes away nodding at the film's many truths. My wife and I nodded in agreement and understanding with the characters' well-crafted lines, awkward silences, and moments of discovery. We loved "The Christmas Wife." And yet we can understand those who did not enjoy this film. Perhaps they were looking to be entertained rather than to be challenged or reminded that life can be full of surprises, no matter how old one becomes. There was an air of genuine pathos as the film began, yet, at the end, one came away amused, stimulated, and wondering what the protagonist would encounter as he moved on in life after loss.