The Christmas Heart (2012)

brilliant actors, brilliant editing

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

You can tell from the synopsis that this isn't going to be a baking cookies and tree decorating Christmas story. There are some very sad moments as the family faces the worst and we even get to know a little bit about the donor and his family.The movie drags at different points. Some of the sorrowful moments seem shallow. Most of the acting is not that good. Teri Polo is an exception as she does a good job as Matt's mother, Ann. Polo always seems to be good with kids. In this one she shows a woman with faith, but one who fights hard against her doubts.One reviewer says this movie is in effect Christian drivel. Yet one of my biggest complaints is that no God is ever mentioned, except Santa. You could almost argue that this movie is about praying to Santa. There is one involved scene where the mother tells her other son to have faith in Santa. It is true that this movie is preachy about having faith.This is a Hallmark movie, so you know the ending is going to stretch believability. Oh boy, this movie goes way over the top on that one. Yet if you get past all that, and past the moments in the middle that got preachy and dragged, the ending is worth it. I'm not sure if the humor during the climax added to, or subtracted from the touching ending, but several elements come together in an interesting way and give us a true Hallmark Christmas ending.

I loved watching this film. It's not the biggest film with a never ending budget and lots of special effects, but it does tell story and carries a really important message and it does it very well. It shows the power of compassion, co- operation, determination & community, but also shows that we all have the ability to make a difference if you are committed enough. If you watch this film and you finish it not having thought about what you should be thankful for and/or you don't feel even slightly uplifted, you are either cold hearted or have missed the point of the film. Don't read between the lines & try to over think it, just watch it & let yourself go along with the story line.

This film is different. It is a feel-good film for December. It is about being kind, about being afraid for your loved ones, it is about the difficult subject which heart transplant is, and it is about our reactions and feelings when we are very scared that our loved ones will die. I watched it with my children, an 8 yo and a teenager. It kept us interested and we had strong sympathy for the persons in the movie. It gave us a lot to talk about, because the questions of life, death, organ donation and illness is not something that comes up in a day to day discussion. My kids were very interested in the subject and really interested in the film. On the other hand, the acting is often pretty bad in the film, it is often very soap-opera like. But the kids weren't concerned about it, acting in children's movies is often pretty bad anyway. I just bit my tongue sometimes so I wouldn't blurt out "ouch" when the acting was too much of a cliché. So, I highly recommend the film for what it is, a good film for parents to watch with their kids and teenagers, to think with them, and talk about some thought provoking subjects. It is also a gorgeous relief from all the films that are filled with gore and profanity, finding good films to watch with kids can be so hard these days. So, don't expect Oscar winning performance, just enjoy the ride and the good sides in this film.

This latest Hallmark offering of its Christmas themed movies this year breaks from their more common story lines such as Santa adventures, Scrooge adaptations, and Christmas time romances. This movie has a more serious tone: a teenage boy's life hangs in the balance after he collapses during a basketball practice. He has a heart defect and needs an immediate heart transplant.It's more a story of faith than anything else. The fact that it's Christmas time certainly plays into the story, but more to set up events, than to be the main focus of the action. How the characters bind together to help and support each other and the boy are the real focus. The interactions of the people are very real; in particular, the mother of the donor and the parents of the heart patient have believable and frank dialog with the doctors involved. This movie often hits some emotional moments, and avoids getting schmaltzy. The use of the luminaries as a metaphor is a sweet touch. Some events that might have otherwise been dismissed as contrivances in another story, are made logical to fit the plot, both by carefully seeded plot points; as well as the fact the entire story is embracing the ideas of faith and miracles. You've got to love that barn storming cowboy in a Santa suit who sets out in a vintage Cessna against the worst storm nature could throw at him, as well as his courageous co- pilot and passenger that dare to trust him. Their flight lives up to everything the movie prepares you for. Only one minor criticism of the movie: a couple of actors overact in a couple of scenes.A nice, sentimental movie with positive intentions that it conveys well. Worth catching during one of its repeat showings this December.