The Perfect Holiday (2007)

Director:

Lance Rivera

Writers (WGA):

Lance Rivera (written by) &
Marc Calixte (written by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

12 December 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Romance

Tagline:

This Christmas, the perfect man just happens to be Santa.

Plot:

A young girl turns to a department store Santa in the hopes that he will help find a new husband for her divorced mother.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Christmas | Little Girl | Mall Santa | Wish

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Morris Chestnut	...	Benjamin
Gabrielle Union	...	Nancy
Faizon Love	...	Jamal
Charles Q. Murphy	...	J-Jizzy (as Charlie Murphy)
Katt Williams	...	Delicious
Jill Marie Jones	...	Robin
Rachel True	...	Brenda
Malik Hammond	...	John-John
Jeremy Gumbs	...	Mikey
Khail Bryant	...	Emily
Peter Jae	...	Clerk (as Pedro Kim)
David Anzuelo	...	Maintenance Man
Frank Bonsangue	...	Police Sergeant
John Bryant	...	Rottweiler
Paul Woodburn	...	Driver
Modi	...	Father in Line
Amber Joy Williams	...	Five-Year-Old in Line
Ira Hawkins	...	Judge
Conor Carroll	...	Kid on Jamal's Lap
Reymond Wittman	...	Kid on Santa's Lap
Brian Gilbert	...	Kid with List
Victoria Pannell	...	Sassy Girl on Street
Christopher Burns	...	Man in Crowd
Lisa Datz	...	Melody
Dylan Hartigan	...	Nerdy Kid on Lap
Mary L. Narango	...	Receptionist
Sandra 'Pepa' Denton	...	V-Jay
Susan Barrett	...	Woman in Crowd
Mike Elliott	...	Mr. Sing-a-long
Evelyn Taucher	...	Old Lady
Didi Gruenwald	...	Annabella
Maria Ford	...	Herself
Queen Latifah	...	Mrs. Christmas
Terrence Howard	...	Bah Humbug
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Farrer	...	Mall Janitor (uncredited)
David Gunning	...	Dinner Date (uncredited)
Christopher King	...	Store Owner (uncredited)
Zoe Portanova	...	Reindeer Girl (uncredited)
Melissa Silver	...	Barmaid (uncredited)

Directed by
Lance Rivera

Writing credits (WGA)
Lance Rivera		(written by) &
Marc Calixte		(written by) and
Nat Mauldin		(written by) &
Jeff Stein		(written by)

Produced by
B.T.B.	....	executive producer
Otis Best	....	associate producer
Shakim Compere	....	producer
Leifur B. Dagfinnsson	....	producer
Mike Elliott	....	producer
Joseph P. Genier	....	producer
Petra Hoebel	....	line producer
Queen Latifah	....	producer
Stevie 'Black' Lockett	....	associate producer
Marvin Peart	....	producer
Lance Rivera	....	co-producer
Rodney Shealey	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Christopher Lennertz

Cinematography by
Teodoro Maniaci		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Paul Trejo

Casting by
Leah Daniels

Production Design by
Anne Stuhler

Art Direction by
Randall Richards

Set Decoration by
Amanda Carroll

Costume Design by
Misa Hylton-Brim

Makeup Department
Jill Astmann	....	additional makeup artist
Kyndra Beaudoin	....	key hair stylist: Gabrielle Union
Francesca Buccellato	....	key makeup artist
Daisy Curbeon	....	additional hair stylist
Alan Cutler	....	assistant makeup artist
Robin Day	....	key hair stylist
Christine Domaniecki	....	additional makeup artist
Hildie Ginsberg	....	makeup department head
Mitchell Hale	....	additional hair stylist (as Mitch Hale)
Cassandra Keating	....	additional makeup artist
Tina LaSpina	....	additional makeup artist
Colleen Liddy	....	additional hair stylist
Barbara Roman	....	additional hair stylist
Susan Schectar	....	additional hair stylist
Charlotte Scott	....	additional hair stylist

Production Management
Karen Gorodetzky	....	production manager
Jan Kikumoto	....	post-production supervisor
Ellen Pittleman	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mike Elliott	....	second unit director
Mike Elliott	....	second unit director
Thomas Fatone	....	first assistant director
Patrick Gibbons	....	second assistant director
Kim Thompson	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Sally Bonython	....	assistant property master
Robert Castillo	....	scenic artist
Robert Castillo	....	storyboard artist
Lou Charles	....	set dresser
Pete Dancy	....	set dresser
Peter DeCurtis	....	lead man
Yolan Fisher	....	property master
Dan Kajeckas	....	scenic artist
James Klotsas	....	on-set dresser
Lyvan A. Munlyn	....	scenic charge
Kevin L. Raper	....	graphic artist
Niquan Riley	....	set dresser
Maia Rose	....	set dresser
Kyle Salvatore	....	props
Billy Stearne	....	set decoration foreman
Adriano Valle	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Laurel Bridges	....	boom operator
Chris David	....	sound re-recording mixer
Patrick Dunnam	....	assistant dialogue editor
Christopher Eakins	....	adr supervisor
David Esparza	....	supervising sound editor
David Hingorany	....	sound mix engineer
John Marquis	....	dialogue editor
Daniel McIntosh	....	sound mixer: additional photography
Trevor Metz	....	foley cueing
Richard Murphy	....	sound mixer
Paul Ordonez	....	temp. sound recordist
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	dialogue editor
Adam Sanchez	....	utility sound
Gabriel J. Serrano	....	sound recordist
Geordy Sincavage	....	foley mixer
Eric Thompson	....	adr mixer
Mandell Winter	....	supervising sound editor
James Wright	....	dolby sound consultant
James Bailey	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Neil Ruddy	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
David Van Woert	....	visual effects producer
Leo Vezzali	....	visual effects producer
Felix Xu	....	visual effects artist

Stunts
Jared Burke	....	co-stunt coordinator
Jeremy Sample	....	stunt double
Jeremy Sample	....	stunt double: Faizon Love
Derrick Simmons	....	stunt double: Morris Chestnut
Derrick K. Simmons	....	stunt double: Mikey
Anthony Vincent	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Arisohn	....	additional electrician
David Benaroya	....	grip
Manuel Billeter	....	additional camera operator
Bob Calandro	....	grip
Oliver Cary	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Marshall Coles	....	electrician
John Coots	....	best boy electric
Matt Cross	....	electrician
David Daniel	....	camera operator: second unit
Cory Durst	....	company grip
Philip Gleason	....	video assist operator
Wesley Hodges	....	additional camera loader
Milly Itzhak	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Bernard James	....	electrician
Alexandra Kanal Matheson	....	camera loader (as Alexandra Kanal)
Ed Koza	....	grip
Gareth Manwaring	....	camera intern
Dave McAllister	....	key grip
Nestor Medina	....	electrician
Jessica Miglio	....	still photographer
Simeon Moore	....	generator operator
Roy Nowlin	....	electrician
Steve Peloquin	....	best boy grip
Antonio Ponti	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Craig Pressgrove	....	first assistant camera
Brian Pryzpek	....	gaffer
Rachael Saltzman	....	electrician
Daniel D. Sariano	....	assistant camera
Ethan Wilhelm	....	additional electrician
Darryl Wilson	....	dolly grip
Ian Woolston-Smith	....	Steadicam operator

Casting Department
Lori Eastside	....	extras casting
Don Wongprapan	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lorraine Coppin	....	wardrobe supervisor
Shawnique Hill	....	costumer
Estella Marie	....	seamstress
Estella Marie	....	set costumer
Jan Finnell	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Rick J. Brown	....	colorist: dailies (as Rick Brown)
Megan D'Arco	....	assistant editor (as Megan Robb)
John Gilbert	....	additional editor
Sandy Meade	....	post-production
Christopher Wild Rogers	....	digital intermediate producer
Lynne Whitlock	....	additional editor

Music Department
Drew DeAscentis	....	music editor
Paul Di Franco	....	music supervisor
Peter Fuchs	....	scoring mixer
Rossano Galante	....	orchestrator
Frank Lindquist	....	piano coach
Joel Martin	....	piano coach (as Joel A. Martin)
Michael John Mollo	....	score coordinator
Jeremy Sweet	....	composer: additional music
Jeff Vaughn	....	scoring mixer
Philip White	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Michael Fennimore	....	transportation captain
Robert Foster Jr.	....	driver
Gabe Turiello	....	driver: honeywagon

Other crew
Peter Anders	....	craft service
Monica Barraza	....	production coordinator
Rebecca Bernard	....	set intern
Eve Biddle	....	production assistant
Frederick P. Bimbler	....	legal counsel
LaWanda Black	....	assistant: Queen Latifah
Eunice Choi	....	assistant: Mr. Elliottt
Pierre M. Coleman	....	production assistant
Stacie Blair Davis	....	assistant: Mr. Elliottt
Anne Marie Dentici	....	set production assistant
William Doll	....	electronic press kit
Jodi Domanic-Riccio	....	script supervisor: additional
Vadim Epstein	....	key production assistant
Alexander Etseyatse	....	set intern
Steve Faughnan	....	location assistant
Jason Fesel	....	set production assistant
Jonathan Gardner	....	production assistant
Tena Golding	....	assistant production coordinator
Trish Gray	....	location scout
Patricia Harrington	....	assistant: Mr. Genier
Mark Jean	....	assistant: Mr. Peart
Tanya Johnson	....	assistant: Mr. Rivera
Matthew Kreiner	....	production secretary
Ronnie Kupferwasser	....	location manager
Jennifer Markowitz	....	accounting clerk
Greg Morton	....	assistant: Mr. Dagfinnsson
Brendan O'Rourke	....	assistant location manager
Susan T. Parsons	....	production coordinator
Kevin Pazmino	....	production assistant: first team
Jean Pesce	....	additional location scout
Matthew T. Price	....	assistant: Mr. Elliott
Matthew Reedy	....	production assistant
Guillaume Renberg	....	remote head technician
Patti Small	....	production accountant
Michelle Stella	....	clearances and product placement
J.P. Summerskill	....	payroll accountant
Sandy Tate	....	assistant: Mr. Compere
Willie Toubman	....	assistant location manager
Angelika Walaszczyk	....	executive clearance specialist
Sharon Watt	....	script supervisor
Kevin Wigfall	....	assistant: Terrence Howard (as Kevin 'Webb' Wigfall)
Christopher Williams	....	location assistant
Mia Amber Davis	....	stand-in: Queen Latifah (uncredited)
Cohl Kenneth Klop	....	voice-over (uncredited)

Thanks
Steven Gorelick	....	special thanks
David W. Schoner Jr.	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Capital Arts Entertainment
• Destination Films
• Flavor Unit Entertainment
• Truenorth Productions

Distributors

• Yari Film Group Releasing (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Audio Visual Entertainment (2009) (Greece) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Third Millenium Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (all media) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Base FX (visual effects)
• Identity Studios (additional visual effects)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies
• Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams & Sheppard  legal counsel
• Identity Studios  visual effects
• RPM Group  promotion and marketing
• Wildfire Studios  adr recording facility
• Wildfire Studios  sound post-production

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG for brief language and some suggestive humor

Runtime:

USA:96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Bergenfield, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Capital Arts Entertainment

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The Johnny Rocket that's shown in the movie is located on a street with a sidewalk showing the outside. When the two gentleman are then shown inside of Johnny Rocket's talking you can see from the traffic of people outside the window that this is obviously an indoor Johnny Rockets.

Quotes:

Nancy:Since when did my kids become the Jackson Five?
John-John:I ain't being Michael!

Movie Connections:

References "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids" (1972)

Soundtrack:

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

kid friendly Christmas movie

This movie was OK, probably the best thing I liked was the Perfect Christmas song in it. I'd like to hear that song on the radio. In this movie, Queen Latiefa plays the narrator role: maybe an angel since she uses a little magic. She introduces the story of a song writer Benjamin, whom is trying to get a dead with record star Jizzy. To make money in the mean time, he is a mall Santa. Next comes Jizzy's ex wife, Nancy, and her kids. The kids tell Santa, aka Ben, that their mom needs a complement. So, Ben takes it on himself to find a way to introduce himself. Nancy tries to track him down and two meet again and start dating. Nancy's oldest son John John dislikes Ben and plays pranks; however, Ben knows about them in advance because the other kids tell Santa what's going down. Eventually, Ben gets a call from Jizzy about liking the song he wrote and then he finds out Nancy is his ex, which leads to complications. But being a kid film, you know it will work out in the end.

FINAL VERDICT: Kids will probably enjoy this more. There's just not much to the plot.