The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017)

Pretty Good

Load of rubbish!!

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

The journey that led to Charles Dickens' creation of "A Christmas Carol," a timeless tale that would redefine Christmas. Dan Stevens and Christopher Plummer are two very likable and talented actors for sure but 'The Man Who Invented Christmas' was missing the Christmas spirit quite alot and unfortunately it's well known actors couldn't save it from falling apart. The storyline was interesting but the execution wasn't that good tho and the acting although good the characters were missing something as a whole for sure and it was quite disappointing. (3/10)

After missing this 2017 film, I agreed with my family: Considering the hot summer months and the rising political and social temperatures as well, an early visit to Christmas and the man who helped remind us what the holiday is all about was a pretty good idea (as in, why can't we think like this all year-round?)."The Man Who Invented Christmas" revolves around Charles Dickens (played by Dan Stevens of "Downton Abbey" fame) and the personal and creative journey he took in writing his beloved novel, "A Christmas Carol."Dickens, who wrote the book in 1843, intended it to "strike a sledge hammer blow" for the poor, an idea that sprang from a trek to Manchester, where he observed the plight of manufacturing workers, and from what he had seen at the Field Lane Ragged School.History tells us that his characters leapt to life in his consciousness and that he became so engrossed he "wept and laughed, and wept again," and that he "walked about the black streets of London fifteen or twenty miles a night when all sober folks had gone to bed."The film is sumptuous, the production values and photography lush and appealing and, when appropriately necessary, cautionary and convincing. Stevens is excellent as the driven author, moving from warmth to near creative madness without overdoing either, but Christopher Plummer as the imaginary Scrooge he conjures in his mind nearly steals the show, trading barbs and supplying the logic of someone who has forgotten the meaning of love and life.It's a special fascination to see how artists think and work, borrowing bits and pieces from the people and happenings around them to knit a separate entity that then stands alone by itself.I didn't find the film preachy or message-driven, though it's impossible in the current climate not to think that some of what's going on here and across Europe may not have seeped into the production. Art usually reflects the fervor of its time.Still in all, viewers across the political spectrum will find the film more than enjoyable and a welcome reminder that we should _ and can _ celebrate each other all the time, not just in advance of exchanging Christmas presents and knocking back a cold one.Adding some spice to the film is some clever humor delivered by actors top to bottom who clearly have the training and experience to bring a funny line into the winner's circle.It's said that "A Christmas Carol" reawakened the spirit of Christmas in both Britain and America.I think watching this movie does the same thing for viewers too no matter the time of year, and considering what we're experiencing now, that ain't a bad thing.

Charles Dickens' last 3 books have been flops. He is in debt, not helped by the arrival of his horrifically impecunious father. As he tries to bring to life his idea for a Christmas ghost story, real life and the story begin to interact, especially once he has nailed down Scrooge (who is keen to add his own opinions.This riff on Dickens' classic Christmas story is great fun. For maximum impact it assumes you have a reasonable knowledge of A Christmas Carol, but you're not that likely to be watching this unless you have read the book and/or watched one or more of the myriad screen adaptations.The period detail is good: the film looks lovely and is particularly well lit. The script is interesting and amusing and draws interesting parallels between Dickens' real world, and his tale. The cast is solid: Dan Stevens is a likeable, if flawed, Dickens.I very much liked the subtext of characters who don't always do what the author wants them to. I suspect that many people who have had a bash at writing fiction found this to be so!And having seen Christopher Plummer in this, I now want to see him plays Scrooge in a proper adaptation of the book.This quirky little film has a great deal of charm and heart.

My wife and I watched this at home on DVD from our public library. In many ways it reminds me of "Shakespeare in Love", a stuck and almost broke author desperately looking for inspiration and eventually finding it in the things around him.It starts in 1842 when Dickens at 30 is already a well-respected author. He and his wife are touring the USA and making speeches. Dan Stevens is Charles Dickens and carries the role very well. Back in London he seems stuck and needs another best seller. Christmas is fast approaching, he decides to publish something that will sell for the Christmas season.The result is his work "A Christmas Carol" which in the following centuries has become a most beloved work of fiction. Dickens didn't actually invent Christmas of course but his book improved it by making people more aware for the need for charity and good human relations in general. All in all the movie seems to be an accurate depiction of that phase of his life.What could have been a rather dry story was made very interesting by depicting eventual characters in his book as people he would encounter and have discussions with. A good, entertaining movie.