This movie’s got more Oscar winners and nominees than most, so I can’t quite figure out how I’ve never heard of this movie before. Alan Arkin plays a creepy cashier who’s obsessed with Paul Walker, who plays a cop who’s crazy-jealous over his super hot girlfriend, played by Penelope Cruz, who thinks she may be pregnant with her crazy-jealous boyfriend’s baby and she’s feeling so insecure she confides in a lonely woman played by Susan Sarandon, who’s completely alone for the holidays other than her comatose mother and a complete stranger she meets while visiting another patient, played by Robin Williams, who’s an ex-priest having a crisis of faith.
This holiday movie has something for everyone: spirituality, homophobia, reincarnation, crippling depression, dead babies, and more. But in its heart of hearts it’s really just about a bunch of people who don’t want to end up alone – on Christmas, on their deathbeds, in the world just generally. Some of us feel encumbered by all our obligations to friends and family over the holidays but others are completely bankrupt when it comes to people who care, and for them, the holidays can be really, really hard.
If you’re one of those people, maybe opt for something a little more cheerful. And if you’re already feeling cheerful, why bring a good mood down? This is possibly just too depressing for Christmas fare, and that’s not even counting the fact that it stars two men now dead in real life, one of whom also expires on camera. It’s a real corker! Contrived doesn’t begin to cover it; Noel is a stocking full of sadness hung by the chimney with despair. But it does have Penelope Cruz dancing around in lingerie, so.
ASSHOLES WATCHING MOVIES 
Jay, what a perfect movie for the entire family at Christmas, “a stocking full of sadness hung by the chimney with despair”. Tubularsock plans to miss this movie as well as Christmas. The damn thing comes EVERY year!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It does, and it always catches me off guard. And I think it’s disgusting that so many christmas movies and songs are just dreadful and yet we’re inundated with them!
LikeLike
Why are people so afraid of being alone (during Holidays)? Thanks for the review!
LikeLike
I’m not sure. I think a quiet holiday is preferable to spending it with people you don’t like. It can even be nice compared to all the hustle and bustle. I think people are always just comparing themselves to others.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed.
LikeLike
Penelope doesn’t do it for me, now if it had Tom Hiddlestone dancing in his undies I might just do it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have the photo now of Penelope in lingerie so thank you Jay I might skip Noel. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I might skip it too, but thanks for the fun review.
LikeLike
I’m enjoying these reviews of wonderful festive flicks. Keep ‘em coming!
LikeLike
Wow!!! Interesting cast!!!
LikeLike