User Reviews

The afternoon TV schedules seem to clog up from mid-November on with usually made- for-TV Christmas movies. This one I found a pleasant enough watch, even if Leslie Nielsen in switching from an airplane to a sleigh, isn't the first person I'd think of to play Santa Clause. The story's formulaic enough, with an orphan kid growing up to be a festive curmudgeon, even in his day job as a roving TV reporter on the look out for happy, "and we end tonight with..." stories. Because Santa apparently ignored his childhood letter asking him for a family, he won't commit to his pretty co-worker single-parent girl-friend and her young son.

However when old Santa falls out of his sleigh right on top of his car, gaining amnesia in the process, from there you can pretty much predict the minor twists and turns in the plot before the expected happy ending shows up. There's a sub-plot of a fairly eccentric bunch of elves trying to track down their boss in time for the Christmas deliveries, but the main fun is how humbug Peter re-connects with his inner child and in so doing makes things right in his private life.

The lead boy and girl are nice enough in their lovey-dovey parts and even the kid playing the young son holds back the sentimental-come-smart-aleck routine so commonplace with child actors in films like this. Neilson tries reasonably hard but with little in the way of comedic lines to deliver, comes across almost anonymously, especially hidden under a bulked up Santa costume and of course snow-white beard. You almost think it's a contract stipulation when he loses his beard for a time late on just so you can see it's really him.

The effects are okay and there are lots of nice Christmas decorations in the background to push home the festive feel-good factor.

Like I said, the film was pleasant, undemanding seasonal entertainment. Half way through there's a mini roll-call of Christmas classics like "It's A Wonderful Life" and "Miracle on 34th Street". "Santa Who" is well below the quality of those two evergreens, but its heart is in the right place and from where I was sitting filled up this particular spot in the schedule well enough.

Fairly good Christmas yarn in which S.C. has an accident which robs the old boy of his memory. He is aided in his recovery by a cynical newsman, a starry eyed little boy, and a cadre of dedicated elves intent on not seeing Christmas go down the tubes. Kids would probably go for this more than I did.

Leslie Nielsen was the best part of the movie! He was perfect as Santa, better than in "All I want for Christmas," albeit that was more a cameo role. He played an amnesiac Santa with just the right amount of confusion and sympathy. The part where he (re)learned the Christmas Carols was one of the most original parts. Overall a very enjoyable holiday movie.

This story has some of the most unlikable characters in any holiday movie I've ever seen. From the protagonist to his girlfriend to the brat of a kid she has..and PARTICULARLY the obnoxious excuses they have for elves...I had zero sympathy for anyone in this poorly written excuse for a flick . Any actual magic was left out until the last few minutes, presumably for budgetary reasons, and character behavior is so poorly contrived I have problems believing a human actually wrote it. It's as if you can literally see the actors shrugging as they follow the script and count the minutes until they collect their paycheck. Thete are a great many worthy Christmas films out there...this ain't one of them.

It looks like Disney is starting to understand that animation is not the only entertainment people desire! This is a pretty good little flick! I can not say this movie is outstanding, but it is enjoyable (in fact it is pretty funny).

BEWARE OF FALSE REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW TO THEIR NAME. NOW WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE MOVIE. IF ITS A NEGATIVE REVIEW THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST THE FILM . NOW I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 200 HOLIDAY FILMS. I HAVE NO AGENDA. I AM HONEST.

Christmas films about Santa are one of two things 1) Good or b) Bad this is this one falls into the bad category.

The story offers nothing new or any remotely since of wonder. The leads do an okay job but the screenplay is terrible.

In this story Santa falls out of his sleigh and hits his head an now has "Amnesia". As luck would have it he lands on the door step of a woman who happens to need a "Santa Claus" so the real Santa becomes a mall Santa.

Now the real Santa is in luck because a child knows that he has to be the true Santa and he is bound and determent to help Santa and save Christmas for everyone.

Now kids who are under 9 might enjoy this but most Adults will be rolling their eyes.

If you want to see a good film about "Santa Claus" then watch the 1994 film "The Santa Clause" with Tim Allen.

I recently watched Santa Who? (2000) on Tubi with my daughter. The plot follows Santa, who falls out of his sleigh and develops amnesia just before the holidays. Convinced he's the real Santa Claus, some kids try to help him regain his memory.

Directed by William Dear (Harry and the Henderson) and starring Leslie Nielsen (The Naked Gun), Steven Eckholdt (The Wraith), Robyn Lively (Karate Kid III), Tommy Davidson (In Living Color), and Max Morrow (The Russell Girl).

The movie is overall is straightforward and predictable. However, watching Leslie Nielsen is always enjoyable, and Davidson delivers a tremendous supporting performance. The film includes a few entertaining comedic sequences and one-liners, with the security guard scene being particularly hilarious.

In conclusion, Santa Who? Is a fun comedic addition to the Christmas genre that I highly recommend. I'd give it a score of 6/10.

As typical of made for tv movies, this stunk, big time. Here you have one of the funniest men on screen and the directors screw it up. And you just had to interject the single mom stuff and what looked like an elf that wears silk underwear. This folks was no Police Squad, Naked Gun or Airplane, not even close.

Starting off I will say Leslie Nielson seemed a better fit as Santa in all I want for Christmas, though having said that his performance her is still warming and nice. And although a little cheesy in places its a nice watch. So one day while flying in his sleigh Santa suddenly falls out because elf and safety was on a break. He gets amnesia and forgets his Santa and it's down to a little boy and family to get him back on track. Of course theres always an evil person and the elves are silly but all in good fun. I just think this was overall a nice Christmas movie to watch that had a good cast and fun moments.

This is a heart-warming Christmas movie for the entire family. Leslie Nielsen is terrific as Santa Claus. He is both engaging and benevolent as the jolly St. Nicholas. Tommy Davidson steals the scenes as the task-master elf...some of the best scenes in the movie. The movie itself is colorful and fun to watch. A charming spin on Christmas with an amnesiac Santa. The story is simple and predictable, but still is a joy to watch from beginning to end. Take my advice and set your clock back to eight years old, and just settle in on a cold winter's day and watch this movie...it will bring the spirit of Christmas back to you. Thumbs up!

Leslie Neilson is wonderful as usual and Max Morrow is very charismatic and great chemistry between the two. A very enjoyable movie. Lots of laughs for the whole family.

I would love to see a documentary exploring candid opinions in the film industry of holiday flicks. What do actors, writers, directors, set decorators, costume designers, and everyone else think about a genre which from one movie to another, from one year to another, trades on the exact same themes, ideas, and aesthetics? No matter how the details might change, the primary thrust hardly does; are such titles considered a rite of passage, or an obligation, or an easy paycheck, or do folks earnestly enjoy making cookie cutter Christmas fare? Is there ever a point where the hard work and commitment that one makes for any such flick is less than what is borne out in any non-holiday flick? Well, in this instance, I think we have a fair answer for at least that last question. A line given to Leslie Nielsen in the first scene where we meet Santa seems all too appropriate as Jolly Old Saint Nick opines that "The people go through the motions but the spirit isn't there, the magic is gone." I don't know what concatenation of circumstances led to this precise iteration of 'Santa who?' - but while it's not bad, nor does it inspire as anything that one ever needs to specifically seek out.

We get all the expected themes about the meaning of Christmas, childhood belief, family, gratitude, commercialism, and so on and so on. The actors act, the location scouts found filing locations, the art director created some festive visuals, the effects artists whipped up computer-generated imagery on par with other contemporary works, and so on and so on. In fairness, there is some definite cleverness here and there, and a few laughs to be had, among all the situational comedy, jokes, gags, and silliness. It's a credit to the screenwriters that there are some meaningful, thoughtful storytelling on hand, too, in the last act. At its best it's mildly enjoyable; at its worst, it's emptily ham-handed. Of course, one considerable issue facing this feature is that between those ends of the spectrum, the lion's share of these ninety minutes is something that we can safely "watch" without actively engaging, and without even necessarily keeping our eyes on the screen. The material could hardly be more light, fluffy, and tried and true - and defined by the logic of Movie Magic - and while the sum total is decent, there's also nothing so special about it as to necessitate viewing. We've seen this before, and we will again; there's nothing wrong with that, but also, so what?

If you're looking for something uninvolved to put you in the "Christmas spirit," there are far worse ways to spend your time. Just don't raise your expectations or expect a revelation; save it for the holiday season, and that is surely the best way to get the most out of 'Santa who?'

Comedy. You know, there are paintings undeservedly forgotten and little-known to a wide circle of viewers (for example, "Imaginarium" of 2012), which you will never deliberately come across. They have few ratings, and even fewer reviews, and after watching - you wonder "How could this pass you by?" A terrible injustice. And it happens when the picture is little known, there are few ratings, there are even fewer reviews, and after watching you understand - and that's great! For this picture deserves it. As you can understand from this introduction - I am very disappointed and therefore - I will express everything that I think about her. And here's my short opinion - Leslie Nielsen and emptiness. And although I will focus your attention on the minuses of this "shidevir", but before that I will mention the pluses, which are also there, because we must be honest. So the pros: 1. Leslie Nielsen is the only bright spot in this painting. His mere presence made your humble servant happy. Leslie even tried to joke here - but it was just a pale shadow of the former Leslie, or the writers did a poor job on humor. Yes, even improvisation could save the day - but no, the Christmas miracle did not happen, and everything slipped into gloom. Santa's make-up and costumes went very well with Leslie, no pretensions here. 2. Christmas atmosphere - the picture was being prepared for the holiday, so the spirit of Christmas is here, and even strong. Hurrying people, many dressed up Santa Clauses. Dialogues about family, past. A holiday both outside and inside each individual person. Scolding the atmosphere would be ridiculous and stupid of me. 3. Music - both the famous Christmas songs and melodies written especially for the picture. This complements the atmosphere and allows you to experience the powerful and important moments of the picture. Music is on the top five! So the cons: 1. Tyagomotina - you know, the desire to turn off the Christmas comedy in the third minute of viewing is a record of some kind! The picture does not last long, only an hour and a half, but how boring and uninteresting it is. All the time I was timing, I looked at the clock and prayed to God that this burden would finally end. The main idea is that Christmas is a family holiday and family is the most important thing. Yes really damn it? Who would have thought! Is there anything besides the idea? There is nothing else here. 2. Empty and uninteresting characters - forgive me, but I can't call them heroes. The journalist Peter is a walking cliché, Santa Nielsen is not bad, but one could try, Head Elf is amusing, but he is not enough. Actors do not save the day at all. The script was written clearly without straining. 3. Humor is the first Christmas comedy where I never smiled, or even laughed. Bravo! The writers are geniuses. No joke comedy. I thought that only our Enjoy Movies or other Russian filmmakers could do this, but no. America is not far behind in this regard. 4. Picture - chroma key and graphics are a shame even by the standards of the late nineties, not to mention our time. The picture physically hurts the eye and looks so fake that after watching it I wanted to look at a thoughtless blockbuster with cool special effects in order to forget this nightmare once and for all. And once again the Russian localizers translated it incorrectly, because in the original the picture is called "Who is Santa?", And not "Santa Claus's Vacation", damn the health resort. A little about the main characters: 1. Santa Claus performed by Leslie Nielsen - an old man with a red cap, with a sack of gifts that fell from a sleigh and fell into the hands of a local journalist pursuing selfish goals. Behaves in a friendly manner and helps improve the lives of others. Leslie Leslie! An obvious miss! 2. Peter Albright, played by Stephen Eckholdt, is a local Christmas-hating journalist who has a real Santa on his head. And how not to take advantage of this opportunity? He still has no idea where his idea will lead. An empty, cardboard and predictable character played by Stephen with absolutely no twist. 3. Max played by Tommy Davidson - the main elf, who goes in search of his boss, because without him there will be no Christmas. The only black man there slightly amused, though his screen time was not enough, and even then - there have to thank the actor for Tommy - obviously trying, unlike the others. Well done! I dream to forget that I watched this picture. Santa Claus! Make this wish come true! Ask! As a result, we have a bad Christmas comedy, with an average lousy script, good music and atmosphere, bad humor, creepy drag and bad acting. Even Leslie Nielsen did not save. My rating is 4 out of 10 and I do not recommend this picture for viewing!

I enjoyed this film, it is always nice to have a way to just relax and watch a Christmas movie when it is cold outside.. There is a reason a lot of people should have an icon like Santa Claus...The fantasy and mesmerizing aura of a jolly old man who is Mr Benfactor for millions and millions of children is of course the primary reason!! Other reasons however, extend to the adults!! Christmas and Santa Claus perpetuate a spirit of giving and spark a realization of how fortunate we as Americans really are, hence, we should be more like Santa Claus, and act like it is Christmas all the time!!! Steven Eckholdt was fantastic in this movie!! I am glad I watched it and I will watch it again and again...By the way: Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone!!

I love this movie and watch it every year. I love little Max Morrow actually getting to act in something. He didn't get much of a chance to do that in Monk. The story is unique and great. The only downsides to the movie in my eyes are the elf segments. They are stupid, but I guess they're interesting to kids. It does suffer, though, from the all-too-common "males are bad/idiotic" stereo-type: The little boy who tortures Santa while the sweet little girl tries to talk to him, Peter as a Grinch because of a bad childhood, the airport security guys stupidly falling into tricks of the elves, the guys who get tied up by the elves etc. Not a single female had any negative qualities. Well, except perhaps the woman who complained about her headache. At least Santa gets to look good most of the time in the movie. Overall, it's a charming film with a great story.

Just watched the DVD of "Santa Who," and was again thoroughly delighted. Casting was very well-done, with Leslie Nielsen a nice choice for SC. Robyn Lively was not only a good "mom" choice, but also very easy on the eyes.

Of course, this movie - this story - is no "Miracle on 34th Street," but then nothing is. Regardless, Santa Who is a fun Holiday film with a good story and very nice costuming.

By the way, how many recognized "Red Green" as the security guard at the reindeer pen (toward the end of the movie)? No duct tape in sight, but fun to see him - if only for a brief moment.

I love the TV-movie "Santa Who?" It is such a classic. One reason is Leslie Nielsen, who plays the one-and-only Santa Claus.

Peter Albright (Steven Eckholdt) is another highlight.

Everything is to love about this film. That is why I enjoy it.

Santa Who? (2000)

I little surprised that I Never heard of this movie before,

Santa is played Leslie Nielsen, who really funny playing Santa in this movie

This was really good and funny Christmas movie, As Santa as fallen from sky and now as gotten amnesia just days before Christmas even,

Santa landed on The reporter car who lost faith in Santa, when in the orphan when it was child, after we wish never came truth,

As some really funny moment in the movie, it could be even funnier as times, it great good feel Christmas movie for the whole family.

8 out of 10

I started out feeling like this was a corny badly acted movie, but I stuck with it and although the acting is not top level, other than the little boy, it's actually a very good kids film with a good Christmas Story. I would recommend this for all children and families who want uplifting Christmas movie. There is some really lame attempts at comedy and at least a couple of the characters will seem dislikeable but I think kids would find some of it funny even though, as an older adult, I don't. But overall I enjoyed the film and I'm giving it 8 stars. Unfortunately, it's listed as The Wonderful world of Disney season 5 instead of just simply Santa Who, so you really have to want to find this film in order to leave a review. I guess a lot of people, like myself, understand that on many platforms the way to really do an authentic search is to just go to a search engine like Ggle and then appropriate platforms will show on the results. Because using the search engines on some platforms simply miss a lot of results but will show up on a search engine. That could explain the low reviews on here.