Christmas in Canaan

I was so privileged to be invited to attend an advanced screening of this film and absolutely loved it! It's such a breath of fresh air to know that quality content like this is going to be on TV.

Billy Ray was absolutely wonderful as the dad, and the kids all did a great job as well, I thought.

For those of you that haven't read it, I also recommend checking out the book after you watch the movie this weekend :) It's a very easy read, extremely touching and has a great message.

I recommend this movie to everyone...young and old...I think we can all learn something from it!

Leery of TV Christmas movies, I watched this one on the Hallmark Channel recently (December, 2010) with my finger on the channel changer.

But I'm glad I didn't leave.

First, it is a wonderful story, just what we need to remind us that, despite politicians, such as George W. Bush and Barack Obama, playing such hob with the economy, tough times don't last and tough people do.

"Canaan" is also another reminder that a movie can be good even with a cast of -- at least to me at this viewing -- unrecognizable actors.

Every player, even the youngest, was thoroughly believable.

The script avoided clichés or, if seeming clichés were unavoidable, used them to creatively further the story.

Sure, it might make any good-hearted person cry, but there is nothing wrong with that, especially around Christmas time.

I saw what I considered to be a few inconsistencies in the movie. However, even though I grew up in a small town in Texas, it wasn't close Canaan because Taylor (the other town mentioned in the movie) is close to four hundred miles from my hometown. And I didn't grow up in rural Texas in the sixties. It was the fifties. So that probably explains the few scenes that I considered had strayed from historical and social accuracy because I was busy being a teenager in the sixties and wasn't paying close attention to society or history.

Those perceived anomalies notwithstanding, I was awed by the performance of Emily Tennant as Sarah/Sissy. Even though she played the character of a teenage girl quite convincingly, some of her more dramatic scenes perfectly depicted a young woman much older and more mature than her years. Her body language and facial expressions, especially during the scene on the porch with the father after Rodney's mother had come to claim him, made me think that she was, in fact, the "momma" of the family instead of merely being the eldest child. There was no doubt that she intended to protect all her family from any harm she could possibly thwart. During the film, the character nurtured every other character in the family, and Emily's portrayal was magnificently and convincingly accomplished.

The writer, all the actors, the director and crew deserve accolades for a wonderful story.

This is a beautiful story of an unlikely friendship between two young men, who would have never been friends if not for a great dad. One is white and one black, a highly unusual friendship for the time. It depicts the hardships of blacks and the poor rural whites of that time.

There is a scene where because they are so poor, the dad(Billy Ray Cyrus) gives everyone pictures instead of real gifts for Christmas, because that's all he could afford. I cried watching it. It was so sweet.

The movie gets into some touchy areas, like the black struggle to vote back in those times. And the attitudes that went along with that struggle.

This is a really touching, beautifully made movie. I do highly recommend to all.

First, I agree with jlynrobertson's comment about compassion being on the TV; it's refreshing to know there are still TV shows out there that we can value with our children and loved ones...my son (12 yrs. old) watch the movie with me and he had tons of 'why' and 'how' questions and I was so glad that he realized there was a true meaning behind this movie...and hope there are enough shows like this to last him a lifetime that he can learn from - as opposed to being in such a hurry and snubbing people off like we see so often in real life and the violence we even see even in cartoons now.

Second, I agree with claudiapatx's comment that the part about the pictures from a catalog as Christmas gifts - made me cry too! (and wouldn't you know, that's when my sister calls on the phone LOL Excellent, excellent movie!!!