Movie Review - Dear Secret Santa

Dear Secret Santa

2013

The Cast

This is the Christmas version of The Lake House with a magic wishing well thrown in.  After receiving a call that her father has fallen, Jennifer rushes back to her childhood home where she starts to learn a few truths about herself.  Then one night she throws a coin into the wishing well and wishes for true love.  The next morning she finds a Christmas Card waiting for her in the mailbox and it's signed Secret Santa.  There's another card the following morning so she sets out to find out who her Secret Santa is.  She quickly realises it's none of the men she suspects and as the days pass and the cards keep arriving she comes to the conclusion that the sender is Jack, the boy next door.  The bad thing is Jack died three years previously in a car accident.

Though this is a touching story, especially in respect to Jennifer and her fathers strained relationship, and romantic, with the paranormal letter writing, there are a few things which stop this from being a great movie.  Though it was nice to see Ali in gold lingerie after her hospital gown gets caught in a door, the scene isn't needed as it adds nothing to the film and there's no other similar "Bawdy" jokes in the movie - had it been a "Carry On" film this scene would have been spot on, but is just awkward here.  Another awkward scene is when Jennifer goes to meet an author on the paranormal (especially probable time-travel).  This is because the scene feels rushed and thrown in just so Della Reese can make an appearance.  It's Jennifer's unquestioning belief in the time-travel theory which doesn't sit right in my claw.  This is made more awkward when Reece's character starts to belittle her own work in the field.  Once again, this is another superfluous scene.  Had it been better written it could have added a little more depth to the tale.

That said, on the whole, this is a very good and heartwarming story that is well acted and nicely filmed.  If you like romance, Christmas, and heartwarming family dramas then this will be for you.  It is well worth one watch and has made it onto my "Watch Again" list - though I may have to have a couple of years between viewings.

I give this a time-travelling seasonal 7 out of 10.

The Trailer