Heartwarming story with a group of characters that you really care about. What I found the best part of the movie to be was the actors. All of them. And they had to have had a good director to work with as well. Some of the actors I've briefly seen before in small films, Lifetime movies, etc. In this, they were all a revelation. Again, they were all terrific but. Mia Topalian as the main character. And Jessica Morris as her mother Jan were both outstanding. In fact, Morris was a revelation in an understated performance. It shows how many fine actors are in Hollywood but they just need a project like this small, nicely done film, to really shine. If you're expecting a Hallmark or a Lifetime Christmas movie, this may not be your cup of tea, but it was obviously done with love and caring and does show what Christmas should really be about. I'm going to keep an eye out for other films these actors appear in. Some very minor quibbles - it's obviously a lower budget piece - just not enough kids in the High School or on the streets in general. But that's really not important. At a time when digital f/x is king and story (and, too often, acting) takes a back seat, a film like this was just the perfect film for me to watch. I didn't give it ten stars de to some production values but it's still a wonderful film, very powerful in places. One I really recommend.
Review of Shoelaces for Christmas
