A Different Kind of Christmas (1995 TV Movie) User Reviews

problematic story

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 3 December 2019]

Long-time Santa Robert George has set up his home like he's the real Santa Claus all year around. He invites everybody to visit. The kids believe again. City attorney Elizabeth Gates (Shelley Long) fights bad developers and plans to run for mayor. Her hard-hitting reporter boyfriend Frank Mallory (Barry Bostwick) does a story on the Santa house and it becomes a popular destination. The neighbors are not happy and Elizabeth is bombarded with complaints.

Elizabeth's character doesn't make sense. I can accept that she is so clueless that she can shut down Santa. Once that happens, she should be working overtime to smooth over the situation. It can be excused by the big reveal but that only makes her original shutdown much more reckless. That scene needs more to set up the eventual reveal. Maybe she can recognize him at the last minute and sends in a cop to do the deed. She needs to sell that moment. In the end, the solution should be easy despite the family dysfunction. If he needs to be Santa, set him up in City Hall and get him out of the neighborhood. Non of this story makes political sense. With some rewrites, this premise could work but it needs a lot of fixing.

It starts off well, and then the stress level increases.

[dennisg-6 · 5/10 · 24 February 2010]

Santa Claus is coming to town . . . and setting up shop.

Santa moves in. He decorates the house, and the yard (including 4-foot candy canes and a fake-snow maker). Kids come by, and are enchanted with the love Santa gives. Unfortunately, MANY kids come by to share time with Santa. This increased traffic and parking upsets some of the neighbors (who don't have that Christmas spirit). One of the kids is lonely because his mom is too focused on her career (city attorney), and has little time (or attention) to give him personally.

This part of the movie is so sweet. Imagine, a real nice guy giving warmth and love to kids, and allowing their parents to see how to be kind.

The city attorney is pushed into enforcing the nuisance statute (for the traffic and parking problems). Most of the rest of the movie is pretty stressful. Mom is adamant about her son staying away from Santa (his one fun thing in life). Then, the legal system grinds away at Santa.

I enjoy the Santa. I wish I was an attorney, so I could help him.

Good God, what a corny stinker.

[KayMack23 · 4/10 · 25 November 2017]

This is one of those "made for TV movies" that might show on Lifetime. Shelley Long is in it. That should warrant a minus one star at least. She's too unattractive to get the casting couch, so she must get gigs based on what stinky pieces of crap she takes- this is one.

This is a film you sit around with the family and laugh at, not with.

She's single, and being courted by a millionaire dude, who wants to gentrify/build up a crummy, disenfranchised part of town with a "new theater, shops, and restaurants- it will bring hundreds of jobs to the town!" he gushes, but Shelley Long's character opposes with "Well, what about the community center??" So, a dingy community center for poor kids (who's parents are probably out of work) in the crummy part of town is a BETTER and more ethical idea than bringing jobs to the city and sprucing up that part of town?! Good Gracious.

This stinker has "cancer girl" (in all of these A Very Special Episode type deals) with the dark circles under her eyes. I wonder what miracle Santa will bring her? It has the "evil rich developer against the kids community center" plot, it has the "Santa" character - is he, or ISN'T he..a real Santa? Ugh I won't go on. This is so awful, so corny, I can't bear to write more here.

What if Santa Claus lived in your neighborhood?

[vchimpanzee · 23 December 2002]

Lots of people go overboard with their Christmas decorations. But in June? And the newcomer to this charming neighborhood has a white beard, wears a red suit and drives a bright red Cadillac. His name is Robert George, and he once worked as a barber in Nebraska, but he wasn't happy. Then he saw a vision of what he could do to make the world better. His goal: to give children Christmas year-round in a theme park. Shelley Long plays the pretty city attorney who is given the unfortunate job of shutting down this 'Santa Claus' after neighbors complain about noise, traffic and trash (as well as the outrageous decorations). Long is also running for mayor and dealing with a developer who wants to tear down the historic train station. And her son, whose father left years ago, doesn't like being neglected by his ambitious mother. He doesn't believe the man is Santa at first but later becomes one of the man's strongest supporters. Barry Bostwick is a cynical newspaper reporter who was fired from the New York Times and doesn't like being sent to do fluff stories. But this is the story that may advance his career. He later dates Long's character. You won't believe why this Santa Claus chose this town, and why he knows so much about the people. Later, the man has to get a real job, but he is so compassionate he loses every job he tries (well,almost). As with most movies like this, it takes a near-tragedy and a couple of miracles to make everything come out all right. A nice family film.

Too much Drama, not enough Christmas

[docm-32304 · 5/10 · 16 December 2021]

I really wanted to like this film. On the one hand it was refreshing to see a real Christmas movie instead of some formulaic rom-com from the H Factory. However, the movie did not maintiain the cuteness factor it started with and instead got into a lot of dark depressing drama that seemed to drag the film to almost a standstill, then boom everything is fine and it's over. Disappointing.

Worth watching

[Christmas-Reviewer · 7/10 · 11 September 2017]

BEWARE OF BOGUS REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW. WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE PRODUCTION. NOW I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 400 Christmas MOVIES. I HAVE NO AGENDA. I AM FARE.

A family secret threatens to thwart the mayoral bid of a single mom (Shelley Long) whose father (Bruce Kirby) thinks he's Santa Claus.

This film is very good. It deserves a better rating than the 5.7 it has on IMDb. You have to take into account that the average IMDb user is not a fan of these types of films.

Shelly Long plays to type in this film however her character is suppose to be 35 and at the time of filming she around 47.

What works is the fact that "The Christmas Spirit" is in everybody and that spirit should be limited to just one day a year.

The film works and it is very entertaining. Family Safe. Give it a try!

Is he really Father Christmas? I guess we'll never know!?

[adamjohns-42575 · 2/10 · 22 November 2020]

Not one of the best. A very 80's film made in 1996 and before they realised that the leads should be vaguely attractive and not just recycled C-Listers.

Although I say that, the story wasn't bad. It could have been delivered with a bit more drama, but I didn't turn it off at least.

When you're Dad is Father Christmas, you might get a bit overshadowed, but isn't the whole point of Christmas to learn how to love and forgive. That's what we find out here. A lot of stories intertwining and some silliness ensues with a really bratty kid, although she is a terrible mother too.

Even the fact that "The Rocky Horror Picture Show's" very own Brad appears, does not help it along and Diane from Cheers does nothing for me.

If you've seen the rest, then watch this one.

Wholesome feel good Christmas movie

[squeaky1423 · 7/10 · 5 December 2020]

Shelley Long plays a single mom with an aspiring political career. Working as city attorney, she has a son, and is estranged from her father, who dresses and acts like Santa Claus (and plays the part), since Santa was not a supportive dad growing up. This is a made for t.v. movie (and I caught it on t.v. after it already started) and it is rather good. Ignore the poor ratings. Watch it with the family and enjoy.

Who could get angry with Santy?

[helpless_dancer · 7/10 · 17 December 2001]

A man, claiming to be Santa, moves to a new town and instantly antagonizes his neighbors. Even though he is popular with the kids and does many good deeds, the complaints cause trouble for him with the police and a local politician, a woman who harbors a deep hostility for the old gent. "Santa's" true identity is eventually revealed and the lady must make a few important decisions. Good film for the holidays.

A REALLY NICE FAMILY FILM

[dkrob · 9/10 · 5 April 2004]

I had a delightful surprise when I watched Troop Beverley Hills and this film was a delightful surprise as well. This is not a film classic like Gone with the Wind but for me much more enjoyable to watch. As with many of Shelley Longs films it was full of heart and good intentions. It was nice to see the mayor from Spin City playing the romance interest and he was very good in that role though I would have loved to have seen more of him and Shelley Long on the screen, and Santa was good as well. If you like a film full of violence and sex this is not for you. There were moral issues raised in this film but not heavily and they were helpful and valid as well. I do recommend that you have a hanky with you in the last 10 minutes of the film because I found it a real tear jerker.