Christmas Angel [DVD] [2012]

Product Information

But of course "Christmas Angel" features something else, in fact a few things else but what I am on about is the God side as Elsie shows Olivia that some things only God can do no matter how much you want things to work out the way you think are best. And whilst "Christmas Angel" does have a religious side it isn't preachy but instead has a more of a wholesome nature as through Olivia's friendship with Elsie she learns how to be smart but also thoughtful when it comes to others. For a while it appears this young girl, played fantastically by an 11 year old Izabela Vidovic, has all the maturity and gumption of someone much older, but Olivia soon overstretches badly. The latter are so formulaic that one after another of such films seems a repeat or copy with just slight changes from the previous one. Many of these can seem like daytime soap operas, and after a while the films of this type become mundane and hardly interesting. The challenge for these films, to hold interest of viewers is to provide something new and different enough - still keeping their romance theme.

In the story, a little girl and her friend, Izabela Vidovic and Tyler Humphrey, believe an old, abandoned house in their neighborhood has the power to grant wishes. Before long, everyone in school is shouting their wishes outside the house, hoping they'll be granted by the Christmas Angel. In the meantime, Izabela's mom, Teri Polo, meets the owner of the house, Kevin Sorbo, and sparks fly. This film is full of good cheer and believable performances. The late Della Reese gives a stan out performance.I almost hate to bring this up because of the antagonism it may generate, but this is a movie that talks about God, with characters, especially Elsie, who know that some of life's problems must ultimately be dealt with by God, whether we like the answers or not. Still, I would not consider the movie to be heavy on the preaching. This TV movie for 2012, "Christmas Angel," fits that bill. There is enough difference in it, that it's almost too complicated a story to tell well in just under 90 minutes. A single mom and a daughter live next door to an old abandoned house with boarded windows. Melinda works as an events coordinator for a bakery, bistro and catering shop owned by her friends, Jeb and Daphney Conroy. The setting is in Louisiana. Daughter Olivia's best friend is the son of the Conroy's, Lucas. One day, he throws a stone at the old house and makes a wish as some sort of superstition that I never heard of. In this film Olivia Mead has one wish: that her single mom (Teri Polo) would find someone that she can call dad. She and her classmates soon discover that the answer to all their wishes lies inside a mysterious abandoned house.

I respect Teri Pollo more and more for her gentle, caring characters especially after watching both this and The Christmas Shepherd. Kevin Sorbo also does well as the man who takes interest in Teri's Melinda. Now usually when it comes to Christmas movies there is usually a stand out performance, one actor who delivers and carries the movie but in "Christmas Angel" all the actors play their parts well. Teri Polo and Kevin Sorbo bring plenty of warmth and charm to their roles, typically appealing, but they also bring just enough emotional depth when it comes to their character's emotional baggage. And of course there is Della Reese who fills her role with warmth, beauty, wisdom and generosity making Elsie the sort of grandmother you would love every child to know. But there is also Izabela Vidovic who makes Olivia cheeky but also kind and she lights up the screen with her smile.Olivia (Izabela Vidovic) and her best friend Lucas (Tyler Humphrey) have to write about their biggest, most surprising wish as part of a school project. For Olivia she would love for her single mum, Melinda ( Teri Polo - The Christmas Heart), to meet someone and get married. When the kids in Olivia's class learn about a superstition of making a wish whilst throwing a stone at an old dilapidated house, which happens to be next to where Olivia lives, they all give it a go especially when some of the wishes start to come true. What Olivia doesn't realise is the old house is owned by the grumpy Dr. Nathan Davis ( Kevin Sorbo - The Santa Suit) who rents it out to Elsie ( Della Reese - Dear Secret Santa), a former singer who is now a recluse. Olivia ends up befriending Elsie and learns that you need to trust God especially when her mum and Dr. Davis become friendly as Olivia likes the new substitute teacher Mr. Brennan (Rob Boltin) a lot more.