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NOELLE

"The Promise of Christmas"

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What You Need To Know:

NOËLLE is an engaging movie that presents the Gospel of Jesus Christ clearly but also raises some ecclesiastical questions. The story opens with Father Jonathan Keene on a ecclesiastical mission to close a dying Catholic Church in a small town on Cape Cod. Father Jonathan keeps imagining a young girl staring at him. When he gets off the bus, he bumps into Marjorie, who has drops her glove. He has been sent to the Sacred Heart Chapel to confront Father Simeon whose church is dying. Father Jonathan suggests that Father Simeon do something to revive the church, such as a living nativity. He suggests Marjorie should play Mary. As Christmas approaches, it appears that Marjorie has a dark secret and so does Father Jonathan. Everybody needs Jesus Christ.

NOËLLE is well directed. The acting is superior. Moments in the movie are heart-rending. The music is excellent. Regrettably, the story has some slow moments, but the ending is poignant. The Gospel and the need for forgiveness is presented. And, miracles happen. A little script doctoring could have cleared up the pacing problem and the theological and ecclesiastical flaws of the storyline.

Content:

(CC, BBB, L, V, S, AA, M) Strong general Christian worldview set in a Catholic church with Catholic priests who question their calling, a fact that may concern some Catholics, and a brief but positive discussion of the Virgin Mary; two light obscenities and three light profanities; man on motorscooter falls several times on icy roads, priest beats up a man who got a woman pregnant, woman bleeds from pregnancy, and discussion of abortion; discussion of abortion, discussion of affair, discussion of unwed pregnancy, and some minor kissing; no nudity; drinking excessively by two different priests; no smoking; and, townspeople would rather go to Christmas Party rather than put on Nativity pageant and wealthy man engaged to one woman sleeps with another woman.

More Detail:

NOËLLE is an engaging movie that presents the Gospel of Jesus Christ clearly but also raises some ecclesiastical questions.

The story opens with Father Jonathan Keene seemingly alone on a bus at winter-time traveling to a dying Catholic Church in a small town on Cape Cod. Father Jonathan keeps imagining a young girl who is staring at him. When he gets off the bus, he bumps into an attractive woman who drops her glove.

At the Sacred Heart Chapel, as the representative of the Bishop in charge of closing unprofitable churches, he confronts Father Simeon whose church is dying. Father Simeon likes to drink with the townspeople and believes in miracles. Father Jonathan, on the other hand, is all business and hates the people aspect of the ministry. Father Jonathan suggests that Father Simeon do something to revive the church, such as a living nativity. He suggests that the dark-haired girl, Marjorie, who dropped her glove, would be a terrific Mary. Marjorie is dating a very wealthy ne’er do well who seems angry at her all the time.

As Christmas approaches, it appears that Marjorie has a dark secret and so does Father Jonathan. Everybody needs the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

NOËLLE is well directed. The acting is superior. Moments in the movie are heart-rending. The music is excellent. Regrettably, the story is slow in a couple places, but the ending is poignant. The Gospel is discussed clearly. The need for forgiveness is presented. The love of Jesus is shown. And, miracles happen.

On the other hand, these priests have deep flaws. Jonathan even gets into a fight. Both of them question their call. Non-Catholic Christians will have no problem with this, but traditional Catholics will have a problem with the ecclesiology. The movie might have been better if it had been set in a Lutheran or Episcopal church for this very reason that it ignores the special sanctity of ordination espoused by the Catholic Church. Non-Catholics may have some problems with the images of Mary and the discussion of Mary. This is a movie that could have been fixed and made acceptable to a wider range of the church.

It came highly recommended to MOVIEGUIDE®. We highly commend the filmmakers for making an intriguing movie. We only wish they would have done a little script doctoring.

Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.


Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.