Rated PG for mild thematic elements.
Starring Hans Matheson, Samantha Barks, Lesley Manville, Sylvester McCoy, James Cosmo and Susan Boyle
Directed by John Stephenson
A great example of what “Christian films” could be…and should be.
Deep in the heart of the English countryside lies the enchanting village of Gladbury. Legend has it every 25 years an angel visits the village candlemaker and touches a single candle. Whoever lights this candle receives a miracle on Christmas Eve. But in 1890, at the dawn of the electric age, this centuries old legend may come to an end.
Max Lucado has been one of my favorite authors for years. And when I saw his name attached to this small picture, I knew I needed to check it out.
Let’s be clear right from the start, this is a Hallmark movie of the week – nothing more, nothing less. But if you can appreciate it for what it is, I think you will thoroughly enjoy it.
The cast, including Susan Boyle, is both sincere and somehow “cheeky” at the same time. As a pastor, I found the scenes of church life and “good sermon pastor” comments fairly true to life. “How many church members does it take to change a light bulb (or in this case change to light bulbs)?”
“Change??”
I wonder how many projectors almost burnt down churches??
I wish the director would have sped things up a bit, the pace is pretty slow, especially in the beginning.
Besides some of the “cheese,” there are plenty of heart-warming scenes that will encourage and uplift your spirits.
It’s always nice to have an earnest little film that reminds you of the true spirit of Christmas amid the overwhelming consumerism of the holiday. It’s not a great film, but it is definitely worth watching.
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
Yes, this one can be enjoyed by the whole family.
CONVERSATION STARTER:
- What shocking revelation does Pastor David admit to?
- What is a miracle?
- Do you believe in miracles?
- What were some of the miracles or answers to prayer we saw in the film?
- What are some of the miracles or answers to prayer that you’ve experienced?
- What seems impossible right now that you can pray about?
Read Luke 1:37
For nothing is impossible with God.
Jonathan McKee
Jonathan McKee is the author of over twenty books including the brand new The Guy's Guide to FOUR BATTLES Every Young Man Must Face; The Teen’s Guide to Social Media & Mobile Devices; If I Had a Parenting Do Over; and the Amazon Best Seller - The Guy's Guide to God, Girls and the Phone in Your Pocket. He speaks to parents and leaders worldwide, all while providing free resources for youth workers on TheSource4YM.com. Jonathan, his wife Lori, and their three kids live in California.