Customer Reviews

The Christmas Wish

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This movie is about a man that walked in humility and forgiveness. It is not about 'Doogie' Howser OR Debbie Reynolds although they are both brilliant actors. The main theme forms around a grandfather that leaves his grandson a wonderful legacy: how to live in humility and truly love your fellowman. A mystery is uncovered by the Grandmother (Debbie Reynolds)and shared with the grandson (Neil Patrick Harris). A Christmas entry into the Grandfather's journal 'visit Lillian' has them wondering, who is Lillian? The grandmother asks her grandson to please find out who Lillian is as her Christmas Gift from him. So, the adventure begins. Through his searching, he comes to know who his grandfather really is but it isn't until the last 5 minutes of the film that you find out who Lillian is...and, when you do, it will bring you to tears as it does to me every time I watch it. I highly recommend this film ... have a box of tissues close by.

I was recently able to purchase this movie secondhand, and I have to say that it is a really outstanding film. The theme of the movie is forgiveness and the importance of family, and there is a little romance thrown in as well. It's an excellent family film with no swearing. The acting by Neil Patrick Harris and Debbie Reynolds is superb.

Will is a young man who moves from New York to manage the family realitor business after the death of his grandfather. Will grew up with his grandparents because his parents were killed in a tragic car accident when he was very young. Therefore his grandparents were the most important people in his life, and Will knew that they were very close to each other throughout their married life. As he said, they were so close they were almost like one person. After his grandfather's death, his grandmother Ruth starts to read her husband's journals that he wrote in volumes, one for every year of their married life. In the journals it mentions that he goes to see a woman named Lillian every Christmas Eve and other times as well. It was a secret that he kept from Ruth and she and Will fear the worst. Ruth's Christmas wish is to know the answer to the mystery, and Will is determined to find out who Lillian was and why his grandfather would keep this a secret from the family. In his quest, Will finds the answer to this haunting family mystery and finds romance along the way. I would highly recommend this film.

Just an additional note that there is another movie called "A Christmas Wish" but it is a classic with Jimmy Durante & Terry Moore, and has a completely different storyline. I see that it is being incorrectly advertized on amazon as a Neil Patrick Harris film. So, I'm just mentioning it so that you get the one you want. I have both versions as I am a big fan of Christmas movies. This one, from 1998, is only available used at this time.

I was recently able to purchase this movie secondhand, and I have to say that it is a really outstanding film. The theme of the movie is forgiveness and the importance of family, and there is a little romance thrown in as well. It's an excellent family film with no swearing. The acting by Neil Patrick Harris and Debbie Reynolds is superb.

Will is a young man who moves from New York to manage the family realitor business after the death of his grandfather. Will grew up with his grandparents because his parents were killed in a tragic car accident when he was very young. Therefore his grandparents were the most important people in his life, and Will knew that they were very close to each other throughout their married life. As he said, they were so close they were almost like one person. After his grandfather's death, his grandmother Ruth starts to read her husband's journals that he wrote in volumes, one for every year of their married life. In the journals it mentions that he goes to see a woman named Lillian every Christmas Eve and other times as well. It was a secret that he kept from Ruth and she and Will fear the worst. Ruth's Christmas wish is to know the answer to the mystery, and Will is determined to find out who Lillian was and why his grandfather would keep this a secret from the family. In his quest, Will finds the answer to this haunting family mystery and finds romance along the way. I would highly recommend this film.

Just an additional note that there is another movie called "A Christmas Wish" but it is a classic with Jimmy Durante & Terry Moore, and has a completely different storyline. I see that it is being incorrectly advertized on amazon as a Neil Patrick Harris film. So, I'm just mentioning it so that you get the one you want. I have both versions as I am a big fan of Christmas movies. This one, from 1998, is only available used at this time.

I seen this movie a few years ago and look forward to seeing it every year. This year I will see it more then once, I bought it. There is romance, mystery, and an old holiday feel to this movie evrybody should like!

We love this movie! It is a wonderful movie that we watch at least once each Christmas. We love to watch it with friends who have not seen the movie~the ending is suprising & unexpected. It is heartwarming and shows well the blessings of family & forgiveness. No profanity or nudity...our children love this movie as well. A must have on your Christmas movie shelf!

I won't spoil the mystery but this is one of those truly charming tales that will make you cry, smile, and shake your head in wonder.

A young man has come home to his small town roots to put his grandfather's affairs in order. The man has been living in the big city and his attitude is one of snobbish sophistication..."Grandfather was a nice old man, but that was THEN...times have changed."

He has every intention of selling off his grandfather's company (and the dozens of jobs) and going back to his grand city life.

Only he meets this young woman with a little boy...and Grandmother finds a little mystery that might make it real easy to leave his sainted grandfather's legacy behind.

As he falls for the young woman and her child, he finds himself wanting to keep the memory of the good grandfather intact...and all the clues that points to an unfaithful old grandpa start to irritate; especially since EVERYONE is so sure that a more wonderful man never lived.

Of course Grandfather wasn't having an affair. Of course he was as wonderful as everyone thinks he is.

But...

But just how good the man REALLY was will leave the viewer breathless.

This is one of my favorite Christmas movies. It exemplifies what Christmas is supposed to be about. It is well written, performed well, and is uplifting and inspiring. There is a thread of romance through the story, but as others have written, the main storyline is a grandson coming home to take care of his grandfather's affairs after he dies. Grandpa had a real estate company and the grandson hires a manager to run it for him, but he clashes with loyal, long-time employees. His grandma is reading her husband's journals and sees repeated references of visits her husband made to someone named "Lillian", but there are no details. She asks her grandson, as his Christmas gift to her, to find out who "Lillian" is. He wants to get things wrapped up and get back to his real life, but between the problems in the real estate office , the mystery of Lillian, and his developing feelings for his grandpa's former secretary, he can't seem to pull himself away. Through it all, what they really learn is what the grandfather was all about. The ending took me by surprise the first time I watched it, and it continues to move me with each viewing.
This is not "just another Christmas movie" with a syrupy storyline and a too-good-to-be-true ending. This is a quality production about a life well-lived. I wish it was still available new, as it makes a great Christmas gift.

What more can I say. This is simply a great Christmas movie for the whole family.

I have watched this movie for years when it airs around Christmas time. It's a wonderful story. It's well acted. And I don't want to depend on it being aired on TV. It has become one of my favorite holiday movies that I enjoy with classics like "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Scrooge" and "Babes in Toyland".

A welcome addition to my growing colleciton of Christmas movies, be they good or bad. Debbie Reynolds is a timeless actress and there is a nice twist at the end.