If You Believe (TV 1999)

Bah! Humbug! Susan Stone is definitely what you'd call a modern-day scrooge. She is a young, jaded book editor who is consumed with self-doubt and has lost the passion and drive that ... See full summary »

Director:

Alan Metzger

Writers:

Anthea Sylbert, Richard Romanus

Stars:

Ally Walker, Tom Amandes, Hayden Panettiere

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ally Walker	...	Susan Stone
Tom Amandes	...	Thom Weller
Hayden Panettiere	...	Young Susan 'Suzie' Stone / Alice Stone, Susan's niece
Meredith McGeachie	...	Robin
Andrew Tarbet	...	Bob Stone
Jonathan Welsh	...	Dylan Lewis
Victoria Snow	...	Dorinda
Demore Barnes	...	Mark
Anna Starnino	...	Gloria
David Talbot	...	Donald
Richard Romanus	...	Walter
Paul Brown	...	Herbert
Vik Sahay	...	Doctor
Marilyn Boyle	...	Aunt Nelly
Maureen Cassidy	...	Elizabeth Stone

Storyline

Bah! Humbug! Susan Stone is definitely what you'd call a modern-day scrooge. She is a young, jaded book editor who is consumed with self-doubt and has lost the passion and drive that defined her childhood persona. On the verge of losing her job and being completely on the "outs" with her family, Susan has nearly given up on happiness. Out of nowhere, a cheerful, carefree seven-year-old girl named Suzie awaits Susan back at her apartment. It turns out that little Suzie is the embodiment of Susan's inner child, she is Susan as she once was years ago. Suzie has come to help the adult Susan rediscover and recapture the love of life that she's lost.

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Plot Keywords:

embodiment | verge | rediscover | book editor | recapture | 

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Taglines:

Susan Stone is about to discover the miracle of childhood ... her own.

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 December 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Et si c'était vrai

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hearst Entertainment Productions, Lifetime Television, Spring Creek Productions

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Quotes

Susan Stone: [to herself at age 7] I'm not talking to you. You're not here. Now put that necklace back, it isn't a toy.

User Reviews

Not new - but nice

Charming little movie with a breathtaking performance by Ally Walker. In her career, she embodied many different characters: she was wonderful as Sam Waters in PROFILER and she was funny as Josephine in HAPPY, TEXAS. She even made KAZAAM look like a good movie for me ! Furthermore Ally Walker was perfect as Veronica in UNIVERSAL SOLDIER and will always be Andrea Bedford from SANTA BARBARA for me.

The part of Susan Stone in IF YOU BELIEVE was a challenge and a gift for Ally Walker. She demonstrates both being able to achieve success by playing a character she is not associated with (like Sam Waters from Profiler or Audrey Macleah from WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS) AND being able to carry a movie completely with her enormous charisma. She is wonderful ! Look the movie for her performance !

The story is well-known. Stone-hearted and frustrated Susan, how is a reader, gets the chance to think about her ruined life. In her case it's herself appearing as a 7-year old girl and trying to show that life is worth living. Of course Susan changes into a nice person at the end. That's fun to watch. Perhaps there are little too many scenes for the fact that Susan can't believe that the little girl is actually talking to her. Sole complaint !

Most of the time the girl, Hayden Panettiere, is good, but in some scenes she is just a little bit TOO overstated. That are the moments when you ask yourself WHY kids play in movies.

Anyway, 7 out of 10.