Christmas with a Capital C (2011) Movie Review

Christmas with a Capital C (2011)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Ted McGinley in Christmas with a Capital C (2011)

Putting Some Christ back into Christmas

It's been 20 odd years since Mitch Bright (Daniel Baldwin - Shadowheart) left the small town of Trapper Falls, Alaska and since then he has become a hot shot attorney. So when Mitch rolls up in Trapper Falls just before Christmas it puts his old high school rival Dan (Ted McGinley - The Bridge - Part 2) on edge because as the town Mayor he suspects that Mitch has some sort of ulterior motive for returning. And it doesn't take long for Mitch to show his colours by filing an injunction against Dan to prevent him erecting the Nativity scene on the council property, citing the separation of church and state and making it clear that Dan can't preach religion in his position as Mayor. But Mitch isn't finished there as he not only starts manipulating the local businesses but decides to run against Mitch as mayor. When a judge arrives in town and backs Mitch it leads Dan and those who are trying to preserve the traditional Trapper Falls Christmas to seek guidance from the town's pastor.

I remember a good 20 years back, I was out with some friends in the lead up to Christmas, when a friend drunkenly wished someone a "Merry Christmas" only to end up getting punched by someone who was offended and was then told by the police that maybe he should have said "Happy Holidays" instead. I didn't think anything at the time but as the years have passed I have noticed that Christmas has been relegated down the list by such things as "Seasons Greetings" and "Happy Holidays". Some people might say so what we live in a multi-racial country where not everyone follows the Christian way of life. But that is not the point, if someone wants to say "Happy Holidays" fine but it should also be fine to say "Merry Christmas".

Daniel Baldwin in Christmas with a Capital C (2011)

Okay I am going to stop my rant there as that is not what The Movie Scene is about but it does relate to "Christmas with a Capital C" as we have Mitch, the sharp lawyer, who has rejected religion deciding to cause a stink in a small town by making those who openly display their beliefs to feel persecuted and unable to share their beliefs. There will be plenty who say well it is over the top nonsense but there are many who do feel that as Christians they are being treated unequally and that is what this movie partly wants to say. It wants to say that Christians, or any religion, shouldn't feel like a minority who are no longer allowed to speak freely about what they believe whilst having to accept that others can.

But "Christmas with a Capital C" wants to make a point about equality and let me just say it does so in a more mature way than you might expect as it also wants to make a point to Christians about living life as Christians rather than just saying they are. Of course anyone with a scrap of movie know how will know that the minute someone leads by example it has a positive knock on effect in others. But here the writers have done a surprisingly good job of showing that leading by example is not enough to convert everyone and everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

What this all boils down to is that "Christmas with a Capital C" surprised me because here is a piece of Christian cinema which not only didn't have the budget issues you usually get from this genre but it also featured better writing than you normally get whilst displaying a mature attitude, although as you would expect one which is on the Christian side of things.

Tags: Christmas Movies


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