Best movie ever!

Absolutely the worst movie.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

As Christmas movies go, this is a very good one. I always try and watch my favorites during the holidays, and this is one. The main character is very likable, but flawed and Steven Weber as Calvin does an excellent job driving the flick. The supporting cast is well above average as well. Molly Shannon stands out, and so does Patricia Velasquez as the BiG Business WOMAN from South America that represents BiG $ if handled well. Calvin has an interesting family dynamic as well, with siblings, children, and a father with Alzheimer's onset. The music is excellent as well, setting the tone for this offbeat Christmas film. I laughed many times and the payoff at the End, a MUST for Christmas flicks, was very satisfying.

Like most peoples Christmas our Christmas revolves around traditions. One of our traditions is Boxing Day soup. We take all the leftovers from the previous day and with good stock make a thick, nourishing soup to eat. The result is a cheap satisfying meal that leaves you feeling full and happy for virtually no effort. I mention this because this film is like a soup of other films. Groundhog day, Switch, Family Man, Scrooge, Scrooged, Christmas Do-Over and a few others thrown into the straight to TV blender and zhushed together to make a hearty broth of Holiday movie with a little cream on top to make it sweet. Its not original, overly sickly, clever or particularly brilliantly executed but the whole is better because of the sum of its parts. Steven Weber is slickly cynical as Carter, getting frustrated as he can't figure out how to buy his way out of his predicament. Jesse Carter pitches just the right side of perfect without being smug as his brother looking after the Dad. Molly Shannon is totally likable as Angie. The kid is not utterly annoying. The whole cast pull together to make this chug along in an enjoyable way to reach the climax. There genuinely is a point where you think he isn't going to get there. But hey, its a Christmas movie it has to have a happy ending, thats the point. There's some nice little comic touches, and a couple of genuine laugh out loud moments. Not huge belly laughs, its not Christmas Vacation. Some of it is quite dark, but you need the dark to make it light and sure enough it all works out.Sure it drags a tiny bit in the middle, a lot of films do, and not every single thing works but in the main its a perfectly nice, perfectly good, perfectly watchable film to get you in the mood for Christmas that you can watch round about the beginning of December and it'll make you feel all warm and fuzzy and full of that familiarity of Christmas. Just like Boxing Day Soup.

Yes, this movie is similar to Groundhog Day, Family Man, and A Christmas Carol.... BUT it still carves out it's own place at the table.If you like Christmas movies, and if you go into this understanding it was made for TV - you'll be VERY pleasantly surprised and pleased with this comedy. It's not Oscar material, it's not deep, it won't make you cry (thank goodness), but it will give you some laughs and it's a fun holiday film.There are many many similar films..... most are dull or okay (Christmas Do-Over with Jay Mohr is markedly similar in plot to this tale, but not nearly as entertaining).Molly Shannon as the angel is absolutely fabulous! Steve Webber does a great job tying comedy and humanity together, creating a sympathetic and believable (for a holiday TV movie) character.While the plot is familiar in its similarities to other films, and consequently extremely predictable - the humor and contemporary setting make this a great "sitcom" style film.It wouldn't be a Christmas movie without a moral and the lesson here was deeper and more provocative than expected. He wasn't able to buy, give, volunteer, or simply donate his way out of the mess - it was more and I especially appreciated that.If you want a fun family Christmas movie with some light laughs, check this out!

Steven Weber (Sexual Life) just doesn't get it. He is condemned to repeat Christmas Eve over and over until he does. Bill Murray did that in Groundhog Day and did it in a fashion that would make every imitation, including this one, pale in comparison.It was a nice try by Director Martha Coolidge (Material Girls), but it simply fails to have the magic that Murray brings to the table. It's not knowing what is going to happen, because you know what is going to happen in A Christmas Carol, and yet you can still watch multiple versions and enjoy them. Murray so stole Groundhog Day that you just can't watch an imitation. I really found myself watching the clock and saying, "When it going to be the 12th Day?" Molly Shannon (Evan Almighty, Year of the Dog) was great as the angel, as was Stefanie von Pfetten (40 Days and 40 Nights) as Weber's girlfriend. And Patricia Velasquez (The Mummy, The Mummy Returns) was sweet Christmas candy in a wasted role.