Beautiful Film (with its Content and Image) But the Characters Are Too Quirky
Good solid ensemble cast makes `Noel' a moderate success. As far as the script by David Hubbard goes, it is very earnest and sentimental, maybe too sentimental for some viewers. But that is not a problem to me. For all the impressive names included here - Susan Sarandon, Alan Arkin, Penelope Cruz, Paul Walker (yes, he is good), and uncredited Robin Williams, `Noel' might not be what you expect to see at Christmas or anytime you want to be sentimental, for the film is mainly about the characters (and New Yorkers) who do not particularly like the yuletide.

And probably that is exactly the point. `Noel' follows the life of those who'd rather stay out of the parties and feel-good atmosphere of the Christmastime. Susan Sarandon's Rose, hard-working divorcee, is so much occupied with taking care of her hospitalized mother that she is not willing to spend the night with the handsome co-worker who is clearly in love with her. Paul Walker's police officer Mike is so jealous a guy that he is always watching his beautiful fianc�e Nina (Penelope Cruz). Besides Rose, Nina and Mike, we see the life of Jules (Marcus Thomas), Artie (Alan Arkin), and Charlie (Robin Williams). The film is directed by Chazz Palminteri, who appears briefly as `Arizona.'

We find the lives of these people intertwined on the Christmas Eve. One life influences another in the unexpected way, but all lead up to the miraculous results. Some of their stories get sentimental when they cross the fine line between the natural and supernatural, but the same thing had happened in `A Christmas Carol' and no one would be offended with the appearance of the three ghosts.

[TOO QUIRKY TO SOME] In spite of its beautiful picture (by Russell Carpenter, `Titanic') you cannot call `Noel' all joyful or delightful. The pretty talky script is full of confessional monologues, which are sometimes painful to hear. Not that the film is dismal. It should be called heart-warming experience, but the characters are so quirky at times, and even plain weird at worst, so it is hard for me to relate to some of them. Arkin's character is a borderline case of stalking, and Jules that of obsession. What they do (which I cannot reveal here, but it is suggested that they do it every Christmas) is too much for me, but the film asks us to take it as it is.

There are some insightful moments in `Noel' when the characters are outside the weak story. Surely we say, as Rose does, we are very busy at this time of the year (as if it is a blessing) when we meet someone we know. And the fact may be that we feel really isolated. Susan Sarandon embodies the utter loneliness of Rose with her skilled performance, which could have been used more effectively with a better story. In fact, she is too good.

I say this complaint because the film does worthy attempt to show the people who'd rather not have the Christmas spirit, but finally come to accept it. Rose is the most natural, and convincing. As to the rest of the characters, their quirkiness is a little bit of a stretch to make us believe their personalities. Besides them we have the stereotyped images of Nina's family or Mike's partner, and the all-too-familiar jokes based on homosexuals, which are not helpful at all The film is good, beautiful to see, and so is Penelope Cruz, but with more ordinary characters it could be much better.

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