Search - The Christmas Choir on DVD

Not your typical Christmas Movie

J. Olsen | UT, United States | 11/14/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a good movie. It isn't just a mindless romance of a single parent at Christmastime--as so many Christmas movies are. There is a romance involved, it just isn't the whole story.



Peter is a workaholic accountant who has just been dumped by his fiancee. He meets a piano player in a bar who can sense he is down and invites him to "come home" with him. "Home" turns out to be a homeless shelter run by an outspoken nun who is trying to quit smoking. He spends the evening there, makes a donation and leaves, never expecting to return. But after seeing one of the homeless men the next day being pushed along for loitering, he returns to the shelter and helps serve dinner, much to Sister Agatha's surprise. But he wants to do more. On the way home he sees a group of carolers on the street receiving donations. He has an idea and returns immediately to the shelter to discuss it with Sister Agatha. He wants to form a choir as a way for the men to earn some money for Christmas, but there are obstacles along the way. He has to face Sister Agatha's doubts, the men's mistrust of his motives, their lack of training and discipline, his rocky relationship with his father and his own deteriorated personal life.



At first he sees himself as the one doing great things to help these men, but finally comes to see how much they have done to turn his life around. It is an uplifting movie that teaches a good lesson without heavy-handed preaching.



The romance is a gentle thread developing throughout the story. It is never suggestive or inappropriate.

Amazingly, this movie of a rougher side of life has no rough language. I think the term "brain-fart" is as bad as it gets, and we hear that only once. Alcohol abuse is dealt with as one choir member shows up to a performance drunk, violating the "cardinal rule". Peter is very angry, words are exchanged and he quits and walks out on the choir. He ends up drunk himself, which is ironic since in an earlier scene he had expressed his frustration with his own father's alcoholism. I can't think of anything else that might be objectionable to anyone. Things look bleak for a time, but are resolved nicely with an upbeat ending.



Overall, I think it is a very good Christmas movie that isn't just light fluff--it actually has some meat to it. I would definitely recommend it. The whole family can watch it, though younger children may not grasp the message."

Pleasantly surprised

P. Conable | Arvada, CO USA | 11/02/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"
Have always appreciated Jason Gedrick's performances & this proved to be another good role for him. It was enjoyable for the Christmas season & would have been any time. He, following a disappointment in his life, rose to the occasion to help a group of street people improve their lives by giving back just as the hero (Jason) had done to overcome some problems in his life. Everybody lived happily everafter!"

Christmas Dvd

Amber A. Wright | Honolulu, HI USA | 12/30/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I watched this movie last year and loved it so much I decided to order it this year so I can enjoy watching it over and over again. It's one of thise movies that gives a message and has that warm feeling when the cast comes up."

Xmas hope

Mr. B James | 12/21/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a Christmas film freak, i will watch mostly anything dealing with Christmas. I approached this film because i am a musician but i did not realise that it was based on truth until the credits rolled. It was not heavy going as a film .At first i thought that the performances were for me steroetypical. Things shown were too easy to happen and there was not enough depth of emotions in the whole package. Maybe it was because the makers wanted a light edged film I don't know . I think it had all the ingredients for a mini series That way there would have been room for exploring the various characters. However, i did enjoy it .It made me think . And without wanting to give anything away there was real joy for me to know what happened to these characters. I intend giving it another look and hopefully will be able to pick up on things i missed first time around . I guess that in someone elses hands it could have been a much deeper film , more serious , more heartbreaking because of its dealings with people who have fallen on bad times, and the real problems of motivating them . Would i recommend buying it . Yes i would.. It's a film that has its heart in the right place .and i was so pleased to have come across it ."