As Christmas movies go "Noel" plays for the most like a streamlined version of "Love Actually", the number of individual storylines are stripped down to barely a handful but somehow these seemingly separate stories manage to intertwine as chance encounters tenuously links them together over a Christmas Eve. But unlike "Love Actually" "Noel" is not a comedy, it is a drama one which attempts to deliver a heart warming sentimental message.

It's Christmas Eve and lone book publisher Rose Collins (Susan Sarandon - Stepmom) is visiting the hospital where her mother is living due to Alzheimer's where she meets a stranger when she pops in to see another seriously ill patient. At the same time New Cop Mike Riler (Paul Walker - 2 Fast 2 Furious) is struggling to deal with his jealous streak when it comes to his attractive fiancee Nina (Penelope Cruz) causing them to argue and separate. But Mike is stalked by a stranger, Artie (Alan Arkin - America's Sweethearts) who believes he knows him. Plus there is Jules (Marcus Thomas) who wants to spend Christmas in hospital because he remembers his best Christmas was when he spent it there as a 14 year old. As Christmas Eve progresses these separate people manage to cross paths as their stories unravel.

The thing is that whilst "Noel" aims to be a touching story revolving around these tenuously linked situations it doesn't quite work. It seems to take ages, meandering around setting up the various stories of lonely 40 something book editor, overly jealous cop, his girlfriend and the one around the man longing to relive Christmas past. It gets to the point that you start to wonder when anything truly significant will happen, whether there really is more to "Noel" than just meandering stories which don't really appear to be heading anywhere.

There lies an issue because it does finally develop these individual storylines as they tenuously cross paths but it takes them off into an almost fantasy world which for me was a mistake. Now there are movies, many of which that tell a tale over the Christmas period, which manage to combine realism and fantasy but "Noel" fails. It sort of ends up feeling absurd, unexpected and frankly a little disappointing causing a knock on effect of making the heart warming and emotional climax far too contrived and obvious. In many ways if "Noel" had somehow insinuated to this slightly fantasy element before springing it on us it would possibly have worked, but because it is almost plucked out of thin air it spoils things.

Strangely despite ending up having a slightly surreal storyline the characters and performances are remarkably good. Susan Sarandon who is for most the main focus delivers an effective performance as Rose the lonely, tired 40 something. Sarandon delivers the right amount of vulnerability to the character, unease when being close to men but also a touch of despair as she desperately wants to reconnect with her mother before Alzheimer's takes her completely.

Alongside Sarandon are decent performances from Paul Walker as Mike the jealous Cop and Penelope Cruz as his seriously hot fiancee Nina. Understandably "Noel" plays heavily on their sex appeal but at the same time allows both Walker and Cruz to deliver more character depth than expected. Plus there are some nice supporting performances from Robin Williams and Alan Arkin. Even Chazz Palminteri crops up in a small role as well as directing the movie.

The only real disappointment is not so much from the performance of Marcus Thomas, rather his character Jules Calvert. It feels almost like an afterthought, used to fill in between what appear to be the main storylines revolving around Rose, Mike and Nina. So much so that the when the emotional pay off comes in Jules situation it almost feels insignificant because his character is never really built upon.

What this all boils down to is that "Noel" has some nice touches and decent performances but are sadly spoiled by a meandering storyline which ends up becoming contrived due to the element of fantasy. Although set over a Christmas period it's not really overly Christmassy and the emotional, heart warming ending is wasted because of its flight into fantasy. Pleasant but nothing amazingly special.