Have you ever gone to see a film, not knowing what to expect? And after viewing it, did you leave the theatre feeling completely entertained? Well, I have and I did. And the film that did it for me was “Christmas in the Clouds”.
This is a simple boy meets girl story. Only the boy (who owns and runs a ski lodge) thinks the girl is a resort critic and he does everything in his power to impress her which she mistakes as romantic interest. Meanwhile, the real resort critic (who is thought by the staff to be a typical out-of-towner) is having a horrible stay due to a myriad of comical and tragic circumstances. All the while the "boy's" dad and former tribal chief is trying to win a Jeep Cherokee in the local Bingo tournament. So yeah, just your basic boy meets girl romantic comedy. And who doesn’t love those kinds of stories?
It’s an absolute joy to watch this film. Writer/Director Kate Montgomery, really knows what she was doing and I’m looking forward to seeing more films from her in the future. The film has some familiar comedic jokes and conventions, but just when you think you know the punchline that’s coming, they hit you with a totally different, but still completely hilarious punchline. What’s more, I never felt like I had to be a part of the culture to understand what was going on in the story (like I did with “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” or “Bend it Like Beckham”, which this film has been likened to because of its focus on a particular ethnic group). It was a great film. Not just a great film that spotlights a particular culture, a great film, period.
The acting was top notch. While the cast is predominantly unknown Native American performers (like Tim Vahle, Mariana Tosca, Sam Vlahos, Jonathan Joss, & Sheila Tousey), everyone played their roles with such conviction that even when they have serious moments; it never feels like they’re out of character. Graham Greene’s performance alone is worth the price of admission. His vegetarian chef steals almost every scene that he’s in. The weakest performances were from the children and the Warrior Mouse (it’s hard to explain, you just have to see it), but even they didn’t hinder the film or my enjoyment of it. What’s more, Kate Montgomery resisted pressure to change the script and omit the Native Americans so that “marquee” stars could be attracted. Personally, I’m glad that she didn’t cave to that pressure, because the movie works so perfectly with this cast, that if they had “bleached out” the roles and gave them to big name (and predominantly white) stars, I doubt that it would have worked as well as it did. Personally, I’d love to see any and all of these performers in many more films. They deserve to receive recognition for their hard work in this film.
Additionally, the scenery for this movie is beautiful. They use some of the most beautiful vistas as backgrounds. I’ve heard different reports that say it was filmed in either Idaho or Utah (or possibly both). But wherever it was filmed, they really knew where to shoot.
I have nothing but praise for this film. I can already tell you that it will be on my top ten films of 2006 list. There weren’t any fart jokes or frat house gags (thankfully). The humor had a Frank Capra meets “Northern Exposure” feel to it and as a result, the film was that much better for it. If you get the opportunity to see this movie, take it.
I will definitely be picking this up when it comes do DVD. Though, because of the nature of its limited release, that may be a while. Regardless, once I find it, I WILL be adding it to my collection.
