I had just finished reading Debbie Macomber's book that this movie is based on and when I saw that there was a movie for it I was beyond thrilled. The movie appeared to hold a worthwhile cast and who doesn't love Doris Roberts? However, after watching the film, which I can honesty say was an effort in itself, I was unimaginably disappointed.
First off, they have completely re-arranged the story from what was in the book. Now, I understand that screenwriters have creative license when converting a book into a movie, but my God! The ONLY resemblance to the book is the characters names! In the book: Jake Finnley's argument with his father is because Jake ordered 500 Inteletron robots on a hunch they would fly off the shelves. His father JR is furious and worried the store would be losing money because in the current economy, no one can afford a 200.00 robot. The majority of the story centers around Gabe wanting this robot and his Aunt Holly trying to find a way to pay for it, while not intruding on a budding relationship with Jake.
In the Movie: Jake's father is upset because he DIDN'T order any Inteletrons as Jake is hoping that people will go back to old fashioned toys for the kids. Gabe is left to learn the true meaning of Christmas by having older toys like train sets and the like pushed at him.
I found that this single change drastically alters the entire story. Not only that, but I assumed with a cast like Doris Roberts and Loren Holly it would be a wonderful holiday film. Instead, the acting was hollow, Lauren looked plastic and talked like a wind up doll for the entire movie, and the match making was a farce. The only decent quality in the whole film was the kid, whom I suspected wrote the script because real adults do not talk like that! So, buy it if you like a formula story, pushy morality, bad/sad acting and scary botoxed babes, for anyone else stay away.
First off, they have completely re-arranged the story from what was in the book. Now, I understand that screenwriters have creative license when converting a book into a movie, but my God! The ONLY resemblance to the book is the characters names! In the book: Jake Finnley's argument with his father is because Jake ordered 500 Inteletron robots on a hunch they would fly off the shelves. His father JR is furious and worried the store would be losing money because in the current economy, no one can afford a 200.00 robot. The majority of the story centers around Gabe wanting this robot and his Aunt Holly trying to find a way to pay for it, while not intruding on a budding relationship with Jake.
In the Movie: Jake's father is upset because he DIDN'T order any Inteletrons as Jake is hoping that people will go back to old fashioned toys for the kids. Gabe is left to learn the true meaning of Christmas by having older toys like train sets and the like pushed at him.
I found that this single change drastically alters the entire story. Not only that, but I assumed with a cast like Doris Roberts and Loren Holly it would be a wonderful holiday film. Instead, the acting was hollow, Lauren looked plastic and talked like a wind up doll for the entire movie, and the match making was a farce. The only decent quality in the whole film was the kid, whom I suspected wrote the script because real adults do not talk like that! So, buy it if you like a formula story, pushy morality, bad/sad acting and scary botoxed babes, for anyone else stay away.