Rated PG
Starring Zachary Gordon, Molly Parker, Rick Roberts, Bruce Dern
Directed by Peter Ganatra
The Story:
Poor Pete (Gordon). He awakens on Christmas Day and discovers that his parents (Parker and Roberts) forgot to get him anything for Christmas. Naturally, the day for this middle child just gets worse and worse. At the end of the day, his grandpa (Dern) gives him an empty box and tells him that he's supposed to figure out why it's so special. Then Pete wakes up to relive this terrible Christmas Day over, and over, and over...
Is it too soon for Christmas movies? I vote nonsense! It's never too soon! :)
However, Pete's Christmas started off a bit slow and I was leaning towards pulling it out and shipping it back unfinished. I hadn't bothered reading the plot, just saw "hey, a new Christmas movie" and thought why not?
So naturally, all of the bad things keep piling onto Pete.
But that's where this movie actually kicked things up a notch.
Other films start off strong and get weaker as they limp to the end.
This one started off slow, but built and then finished strong.
Filled with some good actors, everything plays out nicely as Pete learns that the only way to make Christmas stop, is to learn that there is more to Christmas than just getting (or not getting) a gift.
Eventually he learns, and yes, he even figures out what the mysterious empty box is all about.
Very sweet after all.
Final Grade: C+/B-
Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Probably not. My honey is not a big fan of the Groundhog Day type of films, and I have to choose those wisely. Maybe in a few years. :)
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