Dear Santa

For some of us, Christmas is not simply the feeling of joy towards family and friends, but an occasion to reminisce some great movies or watching some of the great festive flicks that make everything alright. This is perhaps best described as the view taken by the Director of Dear Santa, in which lovely Amy Acker is say, ‘the letter made me cry’, what can the viewers expect?


Plot

Olivia is a young girl and lives with her father Derek, and though they are only two, they always seem happy despite missing her mother very much. One day Olivia writes a Christmas wish to Santa with a request to help find her father a new wife to keep the family together. Amazingly, in the next shot, we see Crystal Comstock on Christmas evening in a bar, and as luck would have it, she finds the letter that perfectly matches her Christmas wish – wishing, she finds love once again.

In other words, ‘I’m still looking for my father’, she is Danny Warford and you’ve guessed it right, a widow. She is now expected to find a new husband who is as kind as the old one, but how? Perhaps, watching Christmas movies would help, casting Derek, which boys love. Everything seems enchanting with Acker, after all, the female protagonist and a wedding in a Christmas film, who wouldn’t love this merry tale?


Cast & Crew

  • Director: Jason Priestley
  • Writer: Barbara Kymlicka
  • Cast:
  • Amy Acker as the main character: Crystal Carruthers. She is a woman looking for meaning in life and love.
  • David Haydn-Jones as a single father, Derek Gowen.
  • Emma Duke as Olivia Gowen, the daughter of Derek.
  • Patrick Creery as Pete, Derek’s close friend and supporter.

Awards & Recognition

No major accolades were received by the film Dear Santa, but it was fairly received as a sweet and pure Christmas movie. It has depicted realistic characters and inspirational ideas which appealed to subscribers of Hallmark movies amongst other audiences.


IMDb Ratings

The film holds the rating of 6.3/10 on IMDb known for commendable performances and festive feeling sturdy, it has indeed received a warm reception.


Personal Insights

The movie Dear Santa is successfull at capturing the holiday spirit through it’s intricate plot and its appealing characters. The movie can be further appreciated by Acker’s performance in the role of the self-centered Crystal, who after undergoing a drastic change displays warmth and empathy. She finds a romantic connection in Acker, adding authenticity to the dramatic turn of the relationship.

Director Jason Priestley lightens the touch of the film in a way to ensure that it is an entertaining watch for all and has a heartwarming feeling to it as well, which is perfect for people of all ages.


Cultural Significance

The film focuses on the themes of being there for people and having warmth within communities especially during festive periods. The narrative also portrays the despair, as well as the joy, of those who try to make people’s lives better through charity work, such as Crystal working in a soup kitchen which was Derek’s. It is a soft perspective on the holidays that emphasizes giving rather than receiving, a perspective that most everyone shares at Christmas.