Stats: 2005. Starring Neil Patrick Harris, Rebecca Gayheart, Angus T. Jones, and Rob Lowe. TV-G.
Background: This is the sequel to The Christmas Shoes, and since I'd never watched that film before, I didn't want to watch this one. I just bought it in a 3-pack with The Christmas Shoes and The Christmas Hope. (See my review of The Christmas Shoes here.)
Plot: Nathan (Harris), the boy from The Christmas Shoes, is burned out from the stress of being a surgeon in a city hospital. He returns to his hometown, where he attempts to reconnect with his dad. He meets teacher Meghan (Gayheart) and quickly begins building a relationship with her. He also connects with Charlie (Jones), an young boy who has just moved to town. When Charlie and Meghan both become ill, Nathan grapples with the prospect facing of loss yet again.
Reactions: Before I get into my overall review, I have to get two things off my chest: 1). The fact that Nathan hides that he’s a doctor when he meets Meghan really bugs me. I just don’t understand his motivation. This, of course, sets up a major conflict in the movie, as Meghan is furious when she discovers Nathan didn't tell her the truth about who he was. Everyone else in town knew he was a doctor, so why didn't he tell Meghan? 2). You have to pretend the last five minutes of The Christmas Shoes didn't happen when you watch this movie. I was glad to see Rob Lowe reprise his role as Robert from the first movie, and it was good to see the changes Robert made in his life. But to have him not know who Nathan was when he clearly figured it out at the end of the first movie was a bit frustrating. Plus, Nathan left the shoes at his mother’s grave in The Christmas Shoes—but in this film, his father accidentally gave them to a Goodwill-type organization. Continuity, people!
Overall, I enjoyed the movie. It’s not as gripping (or tear inducing) as The Christmas Shoes, but it’s still a good story. I especially enjoyed the story line following Nathan’s father as he finally decided to move on with his life. And you really can’t go wrong with Neil Patrick Harris as a romantic lead. (For another great NPH movie, check out The Wedding Dress. At this rate, I’ll be 50 before I get to it in the review list!)
Verdict: Keep
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