Hallmark Channel,
Sean Astin, Ethan Erickson, Donovan Scott
Dan Ryebeck (Ethan Erickson) is struggling. He’s unemployed, trying hard to buy the gifts he thinks his kids Sally (Annie Thurman) and Joe (Griffin Cleveland) deserve, but in the process he’s neglected his wife Linda (Anne Dudek), who is fed up with him. While drowning his sorrows, a chance encounter changes his life when he becomes Santa. His first edict is that everyone gets everything they want, no questions asked, and then he sets out to shower his wife and kids with gifts. Like “Bruce Almighty”, Dan learns the hard way that granting every wish doesn’t work out very well. It takes him a long time to learn the lessons that family doesn’t require expensive gifts, but just time and attention.
This film is obviously a bit far fetched. Santa needs a holiday in the islands, so he sets up some sot in a bar to become Santa while he parties. But it’s really a lot more than that. This Hallmark film has got a lot going for it. The lessons of family and how the best gifts are gifts of time and simply love and concern. It’s well told, and though not the greatest Christmas film I have ever seen, it was certainly a pleasure to watch. It’s painful sometime to see people screwing up and making the wrong choices, but sometimes that’s what’s necessary to learn the lessons we need to know. This guy made some bad decisions, that’s for sure, but he has a good heart and comes around in the end. This is a classic good triumphs over evil story that was a pleasure to watch. I enjoyed this one. Sean Austin was a hilarious elf, too, by the way!
[Here is the Hallmark Channel page for this movie!]
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