Angels in the Snow (2015)

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About

When nothing short of a miracle can hold a deteriorating family together, a Christmas getaway sets the stage for a miracle to occur. A heartwarming family story of love, loss and rediscovery.

The story centres on the Montgomerys, a family whose relationships have frayed to the point of breaking, and on the Tuckers, the family they encounter over the Christmas break. Charles and Judith Montgomery and their three children, Alexander, Jennifer and Emily, are set against Joe and Amy Tucker and their children, Robbie and Lucie, and the film draws its warmth from the contrast between the two households.

Plot

The film is narrated by Emily, the youngest of the Montgomery children. Charles Montgomery, a wealthy workaholic absorbed in his business worries, takes his wife Judith and their three children to a large, isolated mountain cabin for Christmas, although Judith had hoped for somewhere smaller and cosier. Charles and Judith's marriage is badly damaged, Judith wants back the husband she married, and the children are drifting apart from one another.

A fierce snowstorm sets in, and late one night the Tucker family arrive at the door looking for shelter after their van has gone off the road. Judith takes them in. Over the holiday the Montgomery children watch the Tuckers, who are openly affectionate and plainly enjoy each other's company, and the contrast pushes the Montgomerys to face what has gone wrong in their own family. The shared Christmas also brings to light the secret behind the Montgomerys' rift, a grief the family has never dealt with.

Source novel

Angels in the Snow is based on the novel Christmas Journey by best-selling author Rexanne Becnel. The screen story is credited to Kenneth Atchity, Chi-Li Wong and Julie Brazier, and Brazier wrote the screenplay.

Cast and characters

Kristy Swanson stars as Judith Montgomery and Chris Potter as her husband Charles, the couple at the centre of the fracturing family. Swanson is best known for the title role in the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Colin Lawrence plays Joe Tucker and Catherine Lough Haggquist plays his wife Amy.

The younger cast comprises Nick Purcha, Lizzie Boys and Jaeda Lily Miller as the Montgomery children Alexander, Jennifer and Emily, and Kolton Stewart and Alexandra Siouras as the Tucker children Robbie and Lucie. Kurt Evans appears as Jason. A complete cast list is given below.

Where to Watch

Details

Director: George Erschbamer

Writer/Screenplay: Kenneth Atchity, Chi-Li Wong, Julie Brazier (story); Julie Brazier (screenplay); based on the novel Christmas Journey by Rexanne Becnel

Producer: Kirk Shaw (producer); Kenneth Atchity, Devi Singh, Fernando Szew, Norman Stephens (executive producers); Chi-Li Wong (co-executive producer)


Running time: 90 minutes

Certificate: Unrated



Genre: Drama, Family

Released: November 15, 2015


Cast

Soundtrack

  • Bring On The Snow written by Peter Allen and David Hudgins, sung by Warren Stanyer, courtesy of Peter Allen Publishing


Trivia

  • The film premiered on both Hallmark and the UP network as part of a Christmas special intended to launch a franchise, but no further films followed and it went to home release instead.
  • UP's head of original programming described it as the network's first Christmas film to go into production in 2015.
  • The film is adapted from Rexanne Becnel's novel Christmas Journey.
  • Filming took place in Maple Ridge, British Columbia.
  • Kenneth Atchity, one of the three credited writers, also appears in an uncredited role as a mourner.
  • Kristy Swanson is best known for playing Buffy Summers in the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
  • The film is also known as Ángeles en la nieve.

Critical Reception

Angels in the Snow attracted little critical attention on release, with only three critic reviews recorded on IMDb, and it holds an average user rating of 5.7 out of 10 from around 1,800 votes. The film received one award nomination.

It sits within the well-established tradition of the Christmas television movie, and was positioned as the first entry in a planned seasonal franchise for the UP network, an ambition that was not pursued further.

Common Sense Media rated it suitable for ages 12 and up, praising its messages about family, open communication and generosity but voicing strong reservations about the resolution, which it felt delivers the expected happy ending at a high cost.

Reviews

  • IMDb users rate the film 5.7 out of 10 from approximately 1,800 votes.
  • Common Sense Media: age 12+, "okay for mature tweens and up".
  • The film recorded only three critic reviews, reflecting the limited press attention given to seasonal television movies.
  • One award nomination.

Links

Production

Angels in the Snow was directed by George Erschbamer from a screenplay by Julie Brazier, based on a story by Kenneth Atchity, Chi-Li Wong and Brazier adapted from Rexanne Becnel's novel Christmas Journey. It was produced by Kirk Shaw for Odyssey Media and MarVista Entertainment, runs 90 minutes and premiered in the United States on November 15, 2015.

Filming took place in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, a location used regularly for Canadian-shot television movies. The production was mounted as the opening title of a Christmas franchise carried on both Hallmark and the UP network, though no subsequent films were made and the picture was subsequently issued for home release.

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