Paper Angels (2014)

This UP movie was a great surprise. Loved it from beginning to end. This is not the typical Christmas romance movie. A well written story with some thoughtful advice between the lead character and the teenage boy he plays basketball with. Their lives intertwine around a Salvation Army giving tree in which children's names are hung as "Paper Angels".The lead is played well by Matthew Settle. I recognize his voice from "Band of Brothers" I think. The mom of the teenage boy is played by Josie Bissett who I recognized in being in an Episode of When Calls the Heart as AJ Foster. The teenage boy (Thomas) is the new kid and one of the basketball stars dislikes him and they play this high school drama up very well. Yes there is a teenage girl (Cassie). It is very well done. I notice a familiar face in a minor role. Delores Drake who plays a Salvation army worker.

A decent enough film but, being of a non-religious persuasion, I found it saccharine and unbelievable.(Possible minor spoilers below.)One of the most unbelievable things was the extreme self-sacrifice of not-at-all-doubting Thomas. He didn't seem to struggle at all to be selfless.There's a scene -- and I'm consciously trying to avoid spoilers here -- where a doctor is asked what someone can do about a medical problem; I was half expecting the doctor to reply: "Pray!"On a minor note, the coincidence of a physically abusive husband and the belief in a "guiding hand", was a little sickening.

This is a more serious Christmas movie with good actors. The two intertwining stories are realistic and interesting. Matthew Settle of Gossip Girl plays a financially struggling business owner with twins on the way. Josie Bissett plays an abused wife who takes her kids to settle down in the same town where they face money troubles. She is quite good in less glamorous roles than usual. Her son faces some bullying. Liked the way he overcame his troubles. The stories intertwine cleverly. The message isn't too preachy it's about charity - the Paper Angels in the title.A change from the more trite romantic Christmas movies out there. This one has a message and a watchable cast.

Paper Angels follows two families who are both struggling. A family who have fled their home thanks to an alcoholic husband/father and a young couple struggling for money whilst awaiting the birth of their first children. Whilst there is nothing here that elevates this above the ordinary it is still a heartwarming story. The plot is as predictable as most Christmas movies. There are some decent performances especially from Matthew Settle, Rustin Gresiuk and Josie Bissett. Yes you can say it's a bit too sickly sweet but it does exactly what its supposed too. Its downfall is that in a crowded marketplace these type of films really need something a bit different to live in the memory for longer than a few minutes. On that count this one maybe falls a bit flat. This is a decent if undemanding Christmas TV movie that fans of the genre should enjoy.