"Great Entertaining Story of Love"
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What You Need To Know:
CHRISTMAS IN CONWAY is one of the best scripted, best directed television movies ever made. Itās entertaining, well orchestrated and full of laughter and tears. The pacing never lets the viewer down. The acting by Andy Garcia, Mandy Moore and Mary Louise Parker is superb. Thereās not a lot about Jesus in the movie, despite it being Christmas. That said, the movieās underlying theme is sacrificial love, forgiveness and reconciliation. Hopefully, CHRISTMAS IN CONWAY will become a Christmas classic.
Content:
(BBB, CC, V, M) Very strong moral worldview set at Christmas with a reference to prayer, a reference to God, selfless giving, forgiveness, reconciliation, and standing for whatās right, but no real focus on Jesus; no foul language; young man falls from Ferris wheel, grouchy amusement park collector shoots at hero, wife dying, police threaten hero, and some pratfalls; lots of kissing between husband and wife as husband tries to love his wife during her final days; no nudity; no alcohol; no smoking or drugs; and, mean neighbor, family feud, and unrequited love, but all the plot problem issues are resolved positively by the end.
More Detail:
CHRISTMAS IN CONWAY is one of the best scripted, best directed, best acted television movies ever made. Itās entertaining, well orchestrated, and full of laughter and tears.
The movie opens with contractor Duncan Mayor bringing his wife Suzy home for in-home hospice care. The young lovely nurse, Natalie, shows up and really does care about Suzy and Duncan. However, Duncan is totally in love with his wife. He wants to take care of her. He doesnāt want anyone else there and feels the doctor has forced Natalie on him. Having lost her mother to cancer, Natalie understands. Suzy is clearly in pain but sheās funny, saucy and insightful.
Next door in the garden district, their neighbor, Gayle, has hired a young award winning landscaper, Tommy, so she can win the townās āChristmas Showcase.ā As a young boy, Tommy got in trouble stealing from Duncanās father. Suzy spoke up for Tommy when he was sentenced and, as his teacher, helped him turn his life around. Duncan, however, refuses to forgive Tommy for stealing from his father.
Duncan proposed to Suzy on a Ferris wheel. She tells him one day that the ride never ended. So, heās determined to build a Ferris wheel in his backyard.
The amusement park owner has let the park go to rust. He shoots at Duncan when Duncan comes to negotiated for the Ferris wheel. Eventually, Duncan trades his beautiful mobile home and a Christmas tree for the Ferris wheel.
When Gayle sees whatās happening to her pristine neighborhood, she demands that her brother, the sheriff, stop Duncan.
Will Duncan learn how to forgive Tommy? Can he give Suzy the ultimate sign of his love? Will the sheriff stop Duncan? Will all these broken people reconcile? After all, it is Christmas.
CHRISTMAS IN CONWAY is a great, not just good, but great, television program. The humor is hilarious. The tragedy is poignant. The pacing never lets the viewer down. The acting by Andy Garcia, Mandy Moore and Mary Louise Parker is superb. Thereās not a lot about Jesus in the movie, although it is Christmas. Thereās only one reference in the beginning to āthe good LORD,ā and the storeowner says heās praying for Suzy.
That said, the movieās underlying theme is true sacrificial love, forgiveness and reconciliation. Itās seldom that a movie captures the viewerās emotions as effectively as CHRISTMAS IN CONWAY. Hopefully, it will become a Christmas classic.
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