A group of disparate characters look for understanding and compassion in the midst of a lonely holiday season in this comedy drama. Rose (Susan Sarandon) is a middle-aged divorcée whose mother is in the hospital with an advanced case of Alzheimer's disease; while Rose wants one more chance to tell her mother that she loves her, the woman doesn't even know who she is anymore. Mike (Paul Walker) is a police officer who has become the obsessive focus of an elderly waiter, Artie (Alan Arkin), who is
convinced Mike is the reincarnation of his late wife. Meanwhile, Mike is engaged to marry the beautiful Nina (Penélope Cruz), but he's so consumed with jealousy and suspicion that she's not sure if she can go through with the wedding. And Jules (Marcus Thomas) is a street hustler who has only one fond memory of Christmas -- ending up in an emergency room, where the staff was holding a party. Jules wants to relive the experience, and is even willing to injure himself to do so. Noel was the first directorial effort from actor and playwright Chazz Palminteri. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
One of those unpleasant fiascoes meant to lodge a lump in the throat at Christmas, but it only ends up making you want to bludgeon the elves with their own toy-shop hammers.
Palminteri draws some very good performances from his cast -- only to pile on a lot of shameless heart-tugging on top of a contrived script about five New Yorkers facing Christmas Eve alone.
The mawkishness meter is turned up full blast by the time Williams, wearing the hangdog expression he saves for maudlin dramas, shows up out of nowhere as a former priest to save an unhappy Sarandon from jumping into the East River.
A film about folks celebrating Christmas together is about as interesting and carries as much dramatic thrust as the 1989 Christmas reunion video immortalized on Uncle Fred's camcorder.
Noel delivers two astonishing scenes of love and forgiveness that will take your breath away and are perfectly in tune with the miraculous nature of Christmas.
A great Christmas Movie, One for adult as younger children just wouldn't understand. It shows the lives of 5 different people and how in this story they mingle together to form an outstanding story with a tear jerker ending. Rose was great along with the rough and rowdy cop. 5 stars
December 21, 2009
Bruce Bruce
Super Reviewer
I never thought I would ever watch a beautifull like Noel Movie DIRECTED BY CHAZZ PALMINTERI! A Movie focuses five lives with different problems on christmas eve.
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