Christmas in Canaan (TV 2009)

DJ and Rodney don't like each other from the start. Rodney thinks DJ is an ignorant white farm boy, and DJ thinks Rodney acts too smart for his own good. After a school bus scuffle between ... See full summary »

Director:

Neill Fearnley

Writers:

Donald Davenport (teleplay), Kenny Rogers (book),

Stars:

Billy Ray Cyrus, Tom Heaton, Jaishon Fisher

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Billy Ray Cyrus	...	Daniel Burton
Tom Heaton	...	Wylie
Jaishon Fisher	...	Young Rodney
Zak Ludwig	...	Young DJ
Jessica McLeod	...	Young Sarah (as Jessica Mcleod)
Darien Provost	...	Young Bobby
Candus Churchill	...	Eunice
Tom McBeath	...	Carl (as Tom Mcbeath)
Matt Ward	...	Older Rodney
Jacob Blair	...	Older DJ
Emily Tennant	...	Older Sarah
Brendan Meyer	...	Older Bobby
Julian Christopher	...	Shoup (as Julian D. Christopher)
Paul Herbert	...	Clancey
Rukiya Bernard	...	Charlene

Storyline

DJ and Rodney don't like each other from the start. Rodney thinks DJ is an ignorant white farm boy, and DJ thinks Rodney acts too smart for his own good. After a school bus scuffle between the two, DJ's father and Rodney's grandmother come up with a clever solution that brings the boys closer than either of them would like. Living in Canaan, Texas in the 1960's does not make it easy for a black boy and a white boy to forge a friendship. It is only amid the magic of an unforgettable Christmas that DJ and Rodney discover a land of milk and honey where hope and love make all the difference.

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Plot Keywords:

boy | school bus | christmas | 1960s | texas | 

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Genres:

Drama | Family

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 December 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Au nom de l'amitié

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hallmark Channel, The, Bauman Entertainment, Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit (CPTC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Canaan, Texas is a small town northeast of Denton, Texas, near the Oklahoma border.

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Connections

Followed by Christmas Comes Home to Canaan (2011)

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Soundtracks

"Swing Down Sweet Chariot"
Performed by The Crownsmen Quartet
Featuring: Ronald Ray Cyrus, Bill Watkins, Ronnie Large, Mike Barber & Donny

User Reviews

Previous reviewers nailed it: Great movie

Leery of TV Christmas movies, I watched this one on the Hallmark Channel recently (December, 2010) with my finger on the channel changer.

But I'm glad I didn't leave.

First, it is a wonderful story, just what we need to remind us that, despite politicians, such as George W. Bush and Barack Obama, playing such hob with the economy, tough times don't last and tough people do.

"Canaan" is also another reminder that a movie can be good even with a cast of -- at least to me at this viewing -- unrecognizable actors.

Every player, even the youngest, was thoroughly believable.

The script avoided clichés or, if seeming clichés were unavoidable, used them to creatively further the story.

Sure, it might make any good-hearted person cry, but there is nothing wrong with that, especially around Christmas time.