"A Christmas Tree Miracle" centers around the George family, a rich family who live a very modern, materialistic life. Around Christmas, the dad is laid off from his job, and suddenly the family is forced to try to make ends meet while still living their same lifestyle. Unfortunately, things don't go so well on that front, and the family is eventually forced to move out to a motel. Things continue to go downhill, until someone's generosity makes the family learn the true meaning of Christmas through embracing the simple life. Or something. Truth be told, this is a plotline that could have been cute, and could have been endearing, and could have delivered a great message, but the overall delivery ruins it.
Part of the problem is that, as a whole, you REALLY don't feel for the characters, namely because all their decisions make no sense for someone in their situation, and most of what happens to them is really their fault. For example, the mom says they're trying to live "normally," but this involves going on ski trips, buying new cars, etc., and ALL while the dad is unemployed. The dad doesn't seem keen to get any job for a sustainable income, and I'm guessing he's not even pondering looking outside their small community for a job, because you never hear about him going for interviews elsewhere and, as far as moving goes, the family never seems to even leave the county. The wife also REFUSES to sell the house and move elsewhere, for no other reason than "I love this house." Yes, I know, this is supposed to be a movie about character development and how the characters change over time. I get that. However, the characters are so over the top ridiculous in their reaction to their condition, and exhibit zero common sense in how to handle it, that you won't feel ANY sympathy for them. And I write this as someone who has not only been laid off in the past, but has had to make lifestyle changes, temporarily move in with extended family, and make personal sacrifices, all while supporting a wife and child. To be fair, there is a scene at the 30-minute mark where the dad visits grandpa, and gramps lets loose into him with all the mistakes he's done. My wife and I were literally cheering for that character, because he was basically saying all the things we had opined up to that point. Unfortunately, nothing changes in the family, and they still suffer the consequences of their decisions - which, again, leaves you unsympathetic to their plight. Even after the family gets some help, the dad is ready to back stab the person helping them - which, again, makes you really not like him, and by the end of the movie the only reason you care about the parents at all is because the script basically tells you to.
That being said, there are perhaps three characters who stood out to me: Nick George (Barrett Carnahan), the oldest son who exhibits more common sense than his parents; Henry Banks (Terry Kiser), the kind old man who runs a Christmas tree farm and helps the family out; and Nina George (Siomha Kenney), the youngest daughter. These characters stood out for me for two primary reasons: 1) they're played by the best actors in this whole movie; and 2) they're the only likable characters in the whole flick. This is especially true for Nina: Siomha Kenney plays her role remarkably well for a girl of her age, and outshines older actors around her, and Nina is so selfless and thoughtful as a character that you actually feel REALLY bad for the kind of environment she has to grow up in. Seriously, there are scenes in this movie where she'll be so sweet and be met with such coldness that THOSE parts broke my heart more than anything involving poverty. (This also, once again, makes you feel very little sympathy for the family.) I'm saddened to see that her page seems to involve only this movie, as I feel like she could go on to do bigger and better things.
In terms of the script, the writing can be really ridiculous. I've already written on how unsympathetic you'll be about most of the characters. On top of this is some really laughable dialogue. For example, when the oldest daughter is told she'll have to rely on a landline phone, she responds, "A landline phone? Gross!" Seriously? "Gross"? Who talks like that? She also thinks take-out pizza is only $2, even though I think even the most spoiled teenager would be well aware that even the cheapest pizza does NOT cost $2. Add on top of this some character turns that make no sense. For example, later on in the movie the daughter learns to sew from an old timey sewing machine... but this character change makes absolutely no sense given how we've established her as a selfish, ignorant brat who would have had zero interest in hard work and old-time values. Also, the politician character in this movie, while not portrayed as perfect, isn't portrayed initially as evil, but at the very end of the movie he suddenly comes across as a major sleazeball to such an extreme that I half-expected his mustache to grow a few more inches so that he could twirl it like Snively Whiplash. Besides this, there are elements in the script that are introduced but not really explored. For example, the relationship between the oldest son and the homeless girl seemed like a good premise, but all they do is hint that it's gonna happen and leave it at that. (I actually cared more about that minor subplot than I did the relationship between the mom and dad.) Another example is the politician's wife, who reveals early on that she's struggling with her husband's political duties, and later on covers for the mom to save her from embarrassment, but after that she's basically written out of the film. She could have played a larger part at the end, or had her own character turn, but the script doesn't really give you anything close to that.
I rate this 4 stars because, as I said at the beginning, this film has a good premise, and there are a few moments that, if they had been in any other movie, COULD have been great. Also, I commend once again Mr. Carnahan, Mr. Kiser, and Ms. Kenney for their acting jobs.
Part of the problem is that, as a whole, you REALLY don't feel for the characters, namely because all their decisions make no sense for someone in their situation, and most of what happens to them is really their fault. For example, the mom says they're trying to live "normally," but this involves going on ski trips, buying new cars, etc., and ALL while the dad is unemployed. The dad doesn't seem keen to get any job for a sustainable income, and I'm guessing he's not even pondering looking outside their small community for a job, because you never hear about him going for interviews elsewhere and, as far as moving goes, the family never seems to even leave the county. The wife also REFUSES to sell the house and move elsewhere, for no other reason than "I love this house." Yes, I know, this is supposed to be a movie about character development and how the characters change over time. I get that. However, the characters are so over the top ridiculous in their reaction to their condition, and exhibit zero common sense in how to handle it, that you won't feel ANY sympathy for them. And I write this as someone who has not only been laid off in the past, but has had to make lifestyle changes, temporarily move in with extended family, and make personal sacrifices, all while supporting a wife and child. To be fair, there is a scene at the 30-minute mark where the dad visits grandpa, and gramps lets loose into him with all the mistakes he's done. My wife and I were literally cheering for that character, because he was basically saying all the things we had opined up to that point. Unfortunately, nothing changes in the family, and they still suffer the consequences of their decisions - which, again, leaves you unsympathetic to their plight. Even after the family gets some help, the dad is ready to back stab the person helping them - which, again, makes you really not like him, and by the end of the movie the only reason you care about the parents at all is because the script basically tells you to.
That being said, there are perhaps three characters who stood out to me: Nick George (Barrett Carnahan), the oldest son who exhibits more common sense than his parents; Henry Banks (Terry Kiser), the kind old man who runs a Christmas tree farm and helps the family out; and Nina George (Siomha Kenney), the youngest daughter. These characters stood out for me for two primary reasons: 1) they're played by the best actors in this whole movie; and 2) they're the only likable characters in the whole flick. This is especially true for Nina: Siomha Kenney plays her role remarkably well for a girl of her age, and outshines older actors around her, and Nina is so selfless and thoughtful as a character that you actually feel REALLY bad for the kind of environment she has to grow up in. Seriously, there are scenes in this movie where she'll be so sweet and be met with such coldness that THOSE parts broke my heart more than anything involving poverty. (This also, once again, makes you feel very little sympathy for the family.) I'm saddened to see that her page seems to involve only this movie, as I feel like she could go on to do bigger and better things.
In terms of the script, the writing can be really ridiculous. I've already written on how unsympathetic you'll be about most of the characters. On top of this is some really laughable dialogue. For example, when the oldest daughter is told she'll have to rely on a landline phone, she responds, "A landline phone? Gross!" Seriously? "Gross"? Who talks like that? She also thinks take-out pizza is only $2, even though I think even the most spoiled teenager would be well aware that even the cheapest pizza does NOT cost $2. Add on top of this some character turns that make no sense. For example, later on in the movie the daughter learns to sew from an old timey sewing machine... but this character change makes absolutely no sense given how we've established her as a selfish, ignorant brat who would have had zero interest in hard work and old-time values. Also, the politician character in this movie, while not portrayed as perfect, isn't portrayed initially as evil, but at the very end of the movie he suddenly comes across as a major sleazeball to such an extreme that I half-expected his mustache to grow a few more inches so that he could twirl it like Snively Whiplash. Besides this, there are elements in the script that are introduced but not really explored. For example, the relationship between the oldest son and the homeless girl seemed like a good premise, but all they do is hint that it's gonna happen and leave it at that. (I actually cared more about that minor subplot than I did the relationship between the mom and dad.) Another example is the politician's wife, who reveals early on that she's struggling with her husband's political duties, and later on covers for the mom to save her from embarrassment, but after that she's basically written out of the film. She could have played a larger part at the end, or had her own character turn, but the script doesn't really give you anything close to that.
I rate this 4 stars because, as I said at the beginning, this film has a good premise, and there are a few moments that, if they had been in any other movie, COULD have been great. Also, I commend once again Mr. Carnahan, Mr. Kiser, and Ms. Kenney for their acting jobs.