"Christmas Miracle" is a film that one wants to be able to rate higher, for its overall theme. The idea for having eight strangers, three couples and two single men come together to weather a winter storm is okay. But then, to have each one with a load of some sort and trying to develop and resolve that - all of them, in 92 minutes, doesn't work. That overpowers the screenplay, and so there are a number of holes that the minds of many in the audience nag for filling. And, because they don't, the film suffers for it.
An example is with what appears to be the lead couple - Mary and Joseph Wells. They are estranged and separated because he gave too much time to his work as a contractor. He says she was always busy with her committee work. They have a special needs boy, Matt. She says Joe's never there for them when they need him. This is not a big struggle over infidelity, adultery or something that directly challenges one's love and affection for family. It's not in a big city. It's in a small community. It's clear that Joseph loves her and their son. He wants to get back together, but Mary doesn't want to until the very end. She is most concerned about the women on their street seeing her and saying she wasn't able to keep their marriage together. Joe says the neighbors don't think that. It seems as though pride and some other things are occupying Mary. She's more concerned about what people say and think than she is about their relationship, love, marriage and family. At least, that's the way it sure seems. If not that, then Mary's role seems forced, or she really doesn't love the guy. But, Allison Hossack is a good actress, so I'm sticking with the unbelievability of the matter in the first place in the screenplay.
The young couple here are newly weds of three days. But their squabbling and arguing just isn't convincing. It really seems forced and unbelievable. Randal Edwards and Siobhan Williams otherwise are okay in their roles, but their bickering scenes are way out in the galaxy for believability. Then, the bickering of the other couple, Madeleine (Lori Riolo) and Drake (David Nykl) is almost deadpan. The way the film flushes out each one's naivete about their financial condition doesn't gel with the first scenes. And, if anything, it says that this couple of 15 years or so were a man and woman who never really knew the other.
Of course, James Mason, the clergyman with a loss who walked away, has his ghost to overcome. Then there's Darryl who drives a truck after failing his final exam to be a medical doctor. And Matt wandering off into the night and the babysitter all distraught.
This film tries to pack way too much into a story that then leaves it rather shallow.
The film has some other production problems as well. Continuity is a big problem more than once. When Mary sets out from her house in her SUV, she drives through the small downtown streets before getting onto a highway to head for the abandoned church where Joe and the others are stranded. But later, when the boy, Matt, sneaks out of the house to walk to the old church, he's never along a sidewalk or the town streets anywhere. Instead, he's on a road in a heavily wooded area. And, as one other astute reviewer noted - a big hole in the story is why everyone would stay in the old church when a boy can walk the distance from his home. Sure, Madeleine had a sprained ankle, but Joe and one other could have walked to the town or to his house to then return with help.
In a nutshell, there are too many plot holes and too little background on these people to make this a substantial film and satisfying story. And, in spite of that, the film seems to drag on at times. So, it's conclusion seems more like a fairytale with a happy ending, rather than one or more miracles, after a small group of people were stranded together.
An example is with what appears to be the lead couple - Mary and Joseph Wells. They are estranged and separated because he gave too much time to his work as a contractor. He says she was always busy with her committee work. They have a special needs boy, Matt. She says Joe's never there for them when they need him. This is not a big struggle over infidelity, adultery or something that directly challenges one's love and affection for family. It's not in a big city. It's in a small community. It's clear that Joseph loves her and their son. He wants to get back together, but Mary doesn't want to until the very end. She is most concerned about the women on their street seeing her and saying she wasn't able to keep their marriage together. Joe says the neighbors don't think that. It seems as though pride and some other things are occupying Mary. She's more concerned about what people say and think than she is about their relationship, love, marriage and family. At least, that's the way it sure seems. If not that, then Mary's role seems forced, or she really doesn't love the guy. But, Allison Hossack is a good actress, so I'm sticking with the unbelievability of the matter in the first place in the screenplay.
The young couple here are newly weds of three days. But their squabbling and arguing just isn't convincing. It really seems forced and unbelievable. Randal Edwards and Siobhan Williams otherwise are okay in their roles, but their bickering scenes are way out in the galaxy for believability. Then, the bickering of the other couple, Madeleine (Lori Riolo) and Drake (David Nykl) is almost deadpan. The way the film flushes out each one's naivete about their financial condition doesn't gel with the first scenes. And, if anything, it says that this couple of 15 years or so were a man and woman who never really knew the other.
Of course, James Mason, the clergyman with a loss who walked away, has his ghost to overcome. Then there's Darryl who drives a truck after failing his final exam to be a medical doctor. And Matt wandering off into the night and the babysitter all distraught.
This film tries to pack way too much into a story that then leaves it rather shallow.
The film has some other production problems as well. Continuity is a big problem more than once. When Mary sets out from her house in her SUV, she drives through the small downtown streets before getting onto a highway to head for the abandoned church where Joe and the others are stranded. But later, when the boy, Matt, sneaks out of the house to walk to the old church, he's never along a sidewalk or the town streets anywhere. Instead, he's on a road in a heavily wooded area. And, as one other astute reviewer noted - a big hole in the story is why everyone would stay in the old church when a boy can walk the distance from his home. Sure, Madeleine had a sprained ankle, but Joe and one other could have walked to the town or to his house to then return with help.
In a nutshell, there are too many plot holes and too little background on these people to make this a substantial film and satisfying story. And, in spite of that, the film seems to drag on at times. So, it's conclusion seems more like a fairytale with a happy ending, rather than one or more miracles, after a small group of people were stranded together.