LauferFilm.com
Andrew May, Jack Hourigan, Helen Welch
Andrew Austin (Andrew May) is a successful man. Everything seems to be going perfectly. They have a successful wine business, he married his high school sweetheart, Suzie (Jack Hourigan), and has two wonderful children, Chris and Mary. Suzie is a wonderful singer and teaches music to the kids, but comes down with cancer and is dying that throws the Austin family into chaos. This may be their last Christmas together, so the family heads off on a vacation to their summer home on Lake Erie to find answers. Andrew has some real issues with a secret he has been holding deeply for way too long, and as everyone searches for peace, they have to bring the calm faith and belief back into their life before it’s all gone.
William C. Laufer and his daughter Tiffany Laufer worked together to write, produce, and film this beautiful Christmas story. I believe that the relationship between the father and daughter working together strongly affected the story in that the parents are dealing with the problems on their level, and their kids are also dealing with their own issues with the potential loss of the Mother. There are many touching scenes in this film. One of the most poignant is when the little boy looks as his Dad and simply says “Is Mom OK?” Looking for the reassurance from his Dad, that is very hard to give when he’s looking at his own guilt and fears. The kids bond together and try to help each other figure out how to deal with it.
The story is going to be close to most everyone, as almost everyone has had some contact with someone who is very ill and may not survive. This causes a flood of emotions from sorrow and grief, to anger and shame, mixed in with self doubt and guilt. This is a very touching film. It’s mostly positive in the end, stressing faith and trust, and a hope for a better tomorrow. There is a web site [here] where you can learn about the story and order the DVD with bonus features, but the film is also being shown again on TBN this Christmas. Be sure to catch it if you want a touching story that will build up your faith in mankind and certainly the strength of the family. This is one of the most touching Christmas films with a story that you might not know by heart, so I think it’s well worth tracking it down and watching it. It’s a really good film.
Warning though. If you’re pro-abortion you’re not going to like how that is handled. Also the ending is a bit far fetched, but this is a story, not a factual encounter. (The web site states it’s based on a true story, but I’m pretty sure it’s the problems and issues facing a love one with cancer. I’m sure the ending is not intended to tell a factual true story. If so, I’d like a bit more evidence of that.)
EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog
