Call Me Claus (2001)

Good concept, poorly executed.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

When Lucy Cullins, a successful but cranky producer at a home shopping network, hires an actor named Nick to play Santa Claus on the network she gets more than she bargained for. Nick really is Santa Claus, and he faces mandatory retirement after 200 years on the job. Nick must find his replacement by Christmas Eve or the world will face dire consequences and he has his sights set on Lucy. Although Call me Claus is no masterpiece or even the best Christmas movie ever made it was still enjoyable and easy to watch but it also stayed true on the Christmas Celebration and Whoopi Goldberg was really good but for me the stand out performance was definitely Nigel Hawthorne as Santa "Nick" Claus he gave a really good performance and overall this is a simple TV Movie with a very simple premise and i'm gonna give it an 7.5/10

I loved this movie and of course I had and still have a major thing for the late Nigel Hawthorne who is so charming and handsome even at 72 in this film. His portrayal of Santa Claus is so genuine and heartfelt , you really just want to hug him. The plot of him looking for someone to replace him as the new Santa is cute. He finds Whoopi Goldberg and he must convince her that she is the one. . I'm shocked that this movie did not get a theatrical release ,while a movie as awful as ELF with the abysmal Will Ferrell did. It's kind of sad to know that Nigel Hawthorne had been fighting cancer for months and still did this movie as sick as he was. Without Hawthorne this movie wouldn't have been worth watching.He pushed to promote it and get it released and then he sadly passed away the day after Xmas that year. Wonderful movie and should be given a re-release at Xmas time in theaters.

I think it should've been released into cinemas rather than made for TV...instead, this year - we got Elf! What's with that?Although this film is rather slow paced, it's funny in all the right places and without trying too hard. A heartwarming (sometimes heart wrenching) story that includes a fantastic cast. Whoopi Goldberg (great as ever in her role as Lucy Cullins), Nigel Hawthorne (as the most convincing Santa Claus I have ever had the honour of seeing in a movie) and Victor Garber (in a wickedly comical role!). I watched it for the first time this morning and I want to watch it again and again and again!

CALL ME CLAUS is a good holiday movie that pretty much is a combination of 4 classic Christmas movies: A MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, IT'S AWONDERFUL LIFE, THE SANTA CLAUSE, and A CHRISTMAS CAROL. It concerns the plight of the real Santa Claus (Nigel Hawthorne) trying to find a replacement for himself after 200 years of delivering gifts to kids every Christmas. He finds her, in the form of a cranky home shopping network executive named Lucy (a wonderfully sarcastic Whoopi Goldberg). Lucy is understandably confused when St. Nick asks her to be the next real Santa. Though the premise is a bit far-fetched (it's a Christmas movie, so it's ok for it to be wacky!), the best highlight for this little gem of a movie are the performances. Whoopi Goldberg is terrific as Lucy, and Nigel Hawthorne is delightful as he portrays yet another Santa Claus who proclaims that he is the real McCoy (and he IS!).