Christmas is less than 10 days away! How is that even possible? This is the time of year where everyone starts watching Christmas movies, so I had better get reviewing some of them! For my first review for this Christmas season I will be talking about a movie about the writing of one of the most famous Christmas stories of all!
My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning.
The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017):
"I will finish on time."
The famous writer Charles Dickens needs money and has to write a story in six weeks. He wants it to be meaningful and represent Christmas, but he isn't sure how. After hearing a story that a young nurse tells his children about fairies and spirits coming alive on Christmas Eve, he gets an idea. He struggles with getting it exactly as he wants it with illustrations and everything and on top of that his father comes to stay. Charles is battling his own past while he is trying to answer the question of, how does this story end?
"Christmas should be a time when men and women open up their hearts." (paraphrase)
Length: approx. 105 minutes.
Costumes: 8, there are some interesting costumes that fit the time period, but nothing extravagant.
Costumes by: Leonie Prendergast.
Script: 9, only one bad word.
"Nonsense, you just like a good cry."
Crew:
Directed by: Bharat Nalluri.
Written by: Les Standiford, & Susan Coyne.
Starring:
Dan Stevens as Charles Dickens.
Justin Edwards as John Forster & the Ghost of Christmas Present.
Ely Solan as Young Charles.
Jasper Hughes-Cotter as Walter Dickens.
James Heffernan as Charley Dickens.
Aleah Lennon as Mamie Dickens.
Ella Mai Delaney as Katey Dickens.
Katie McGuinness as Fanny Dickens & Mrs. Cratchit.
Marcus Lamb as Rev. Henry Burnett & Bob Cratchit.
Pearse Kearney as Henry Jr. & Tiny Tim.
John Henshaw as Butcher & Mr. Fezziwig.
Annette Badland as Butcher's Wife & Mrs. Fezziwig.
Pat Mooney as Garrick Club Waiter.
Ger Ryan as Mrs. Dickens.
Donald Sumpter as Haddock & Ghost of Marley.
Simon Callow as Leech.
Aideen Wylde as Charlotte Wigmore.
Adam Dolan as Warren's Factory Boy.
Amelia Crowley as Mrs. Grimsby.
Bill Paterson as Mr. Grimsby.
Cinematography by: Ben Smithard.
Music: 7, I can't recall what it was.
Music by: Mychael Danna.
Notes: This movie is based on the writing process of Charles Dickens's famous work, A Christmas Carol. Because of this, there are a lot of spoilers for A Christmas Carol, so if you haven't read that or seen a movie version of it, you'll want to wait to see this movie until after you have done that.
Content: 9, there is only some mild drinking, and that's it!
Originality: 7, I love how they showed the writing process and as a writer myself (well, sort of one) there were a lot of things that I have done! You definitely look for inspiration everywhere, your characters follow you around, and you hate it when people disturb you! Though, it is not the first story that I have experienced like this. I have read a fictional book before about how Charles Dickens came up with the story.
Age Range: It is perfectly clean and fine for any age, but as I said, only watch this after reading or watching A Christmas Carol!
Overall Score: 8!
"I say a lot of things that are nonsense when I'm working."
I was looking forward to watching this ever since I had heard that it was coming out! I knew that Dan Stevens would be a fabulous Charles Dickens. My younger sister saw it in April of last year and I couldn't believe it because I kept telling her that you can only watch Christmas movies in December and January! Oh well.
The title implies that Charles Dickens made up Christmas, though in the movie it never claims that and as a Catholic I know the real story of Christmas, but this movie shows the creation of one of the best Christmas books ever written. A Christmas Carol shows the joy we need to have during Christmas, and always! There were a few random things that I would have liked to have been tied in better, but overall this is a very sweet movie, and I look forward to watching it again.
I was looking forward to watching this ever since I had heard that it was coming out! I knew that Dan Stevens would be a fabulous Charles Dickens. My younger sister saw it in April of last year and I couldn't believe it because I kept telling her that you can only watch Christmas movies in December and January! Oh well.
The title implies that Charles Dickens made up Christmas, though in the movie it never claims that and as a Catholic I know the real story of Christmas, but this movie shows the creation of one of the best Christmas books ever written. A Christmas Carol shows the joy we need to have during Christmas, and always! There were a few random things that I would have liked to have been tied in better, but overall this is a very sweet movie, and I look forward to watching it again.
Sorry, I meant to have this post up yesterday, but at the time when I usually write my posts I realized that it was Jane Austen's birthday so of course I had to watch one of the movies based on her books.
Have any of you seen this movie? Do you love A Christmas Carol as much as I do? Thanks for reading!
MovieCritic
