Review of The Christmas Blessing (2005) by Buggy B — 25 Dec 2014

This was pretty good, one of those made for TV, Christmas (ie) type movies. This one is based on a book and apparently a continuation of an earlier movie "The Christmas Shoes", although I didn't see that one and it didn't matter in regards to the story here. Anyways, Neil Patrick Harris plays a young doctor who returns to his hometown after losing a patient on the operating table. His plan is to give up medicine and work in widowed fathers garage.

Harris does a decent job here, I mean its a TV movie so its not like he had to push his acting abilities. He does have some good scenes with Angus T. Jones from 'Two and a Half Men' and a plausible enough romance with Rebecca Gayheart who also does a good job. Rob Lowe is in this too, sort of a cameo type role but imperative to the story and enjoyable as always.

I have to say this was a bit of a tear-jerker, way sadder than I was expecting actually especially if you lost a parent as a child. Several of the characters also go through life threatening situations (requiring Christmas miracles and such) with not all of the outcomes are favorable. Oh and apparently recovery time for a liver transplant is about 12 hours.

Filmed in Canada -Alberta (as most made for TV movies seem to be) this features a bunch of Canadian talent and I particularly enjoyed Hugh Thompson as the widowed father and Shaun Johnston of 'Heartland' fame. 12/14/14.