User reviews

This is a superb film for the Christmas season. But, unless one usually has a supply of tissue on hand for this time of year, it is wise to be prepared before sitting down to watch "November Christmas." This is definitely a full box tissue movie for the ladies, and a hankie soaker for most men.

The movie goes at a very slow pace, but that's dictated by the story circumstances. Vanessa Marks is an 8-year-old girl who is being treated for cancer. And, some of the people in the rural New England town her family has moved to are hurting from their pasts. Nearly every scene is packed with emotion. I won't say more about the plot, but note that there are several smaller stories built into this one movie. And, it's done superbly.

Families that have experienced childhood or adult illnesses, especially, know the difficulties, the daily struggles, and the sadness. And, hopefully, most who have, also will have known the closeness, comfort and love that brings families and people together. My thanks to Greg Coppa, whose short story this film was based on. It shows how a child's cancer can bring out the best in people. And how it can lead to restoring friendships, healing personal hurts from similar losses, and neighborly caring and love.

The cast all are excellent in their performances. Especially worth noting is Emily Alyn Lind who plays Vanessa. Hallmark came up with a very different plot that makes this one of its "very best" Christmas movies of recent decades. It was filmed in Nova Scotia.

Here are some favorite lines from this film.

Claire Sanford, "Some women get diamonds. You shower me with pumpkins." Jess Sanford, "Got a bit carried away."

Jess Sanford, "I don't think anybody really knows if they're good at anything until they try it."

We all know Christmas movies can get bad. I am sure there is plenty examples of bad Christmas movies.

Now if I asked 10 people "What is One of the worse Christmas movie you have ever seen" I will get 10 different examples.

Now if I asked the same 10 people what is the best Christmas movie you ever seen chances are they will say "November Christmas" that is if they have seen it!

A father of a "Cancer stricken child" bumps up the holidays just to cheer up her child. By doing these the father inspires his town to mend fences and that "The Christmas Spirit" does not exclusive to December.

Not to be missed!

It's Hallmark, but not a romance story. Instead it's a story about a little girl with cancer. It's about her story and her family's story and about a nearby farmer who reaches out to support the struggling family. It's a story about what some extra effort from friends and neighbors can do to ease the road for a family who has "been dealt a bad hand" as Jess tells Tom.

The elements are there that make it hard not to have a story that brings tears to your eyes. The acting and direction do what's needed to make this happen.

The ending is kind of abrupt. It's plenty teary, but makes a leap that left some things not quite complete. For example, I would have loved to know more about the waitress/writer. Also, it wasn't much of a surprise, but I wouldn't have had the result any other way.

The movie is adapted from a short story and the story in the movie is a little thin because much of the screen time is spent developing characters' feelings and relationships rather than plot twists and other devices.

If all movies were like this I would actually watch TV or go to the movies! This was an excellent film, well written, well directed, well acted. It's all about relationships, and that's what life is about! Thanks to Hallmark for another outstanding performance and to the wonderful cast! I appreciated the fact that God and prayer were given proper respect and significance. I also appreciated the way our human condition (sickness, broken relationships, death) was dealt with as being a part of life. Life isn't always fair and hard times come, but the way we deal with it speaks of character and faith and perseverance, and taking joy where we find it. This is one movie that I would actually buy and make a family tradition to watch. Thank you!

As I was flipping channels, looking for something interesting, I found November Christmas. As I checked on the information, I saw that Sam Elliot was in this movie. Enough for me to watch......

I once read where he saw some parts that he had passed up on, then later thought that he could have done that...

I have always admired his work and felt that he could have/should have been a mega star, very much in the caliber of John Wayne, just in our era of time.

In my view, we do not have many actors in the caliber of our hero, John Wayne. Mr Elliot has stretched his acting legs many times, in different movies and different types of roles and he has excelled in each, as I expected.

In "November Christmas", Sam plays an aging neighbor to a family in crisis.This family in crisis, allows him to do a "do over" from a crisis in his past. This is something that he missed in his real life, so he gets to address that concept on screen. Sam personifies someone that is bitter from circumstances of the past, who transforms into a wonderful, Grandfatherly figure, with a new opportunity to right the past. He does just that, in grand fashion. It is saddening for me to understand what his age is, and to know that even tho he never attained the reputation of a John Wayne, He will always be a hero for me, and a truly grand actor, in my view.

Very sweet story that just reinforces the beauty and magic of small towns and the love they give. The ending was a little TOO perfect, but it was good.

I watched this because I was looking for some hope and to get into the Christmas spirit.

The story was absolutely heartwarming and uplifting. The casting was on point. I do feel the ending was a little rushed and wish the movie had been longer, but I still loved it.

I did miss the beginning of this movie but quickly found myself involved in it fully. This movie made me long for a time when you knew your neighbours and could count on them when you needed them. The neighbours in this movie go above and beyond with their wonderful surprises to make a little girl happy. I say get yourself a hot chocolate, a nice warm fuzzy blanket and a box of tissues for all those tender moments! This movie was well directed and the actors truly brought the characters to life. The scenery was also quite beautiful, I believe it was filmed in Nova Scotia. The Christmas Tree farm is especially beautiful! Just when I finished having a tearful moment over an act of kindness, they would come up with another one. If more movies were made like this I would honestly enjoy watching TV more. November Christmas is totally a family movie, no need to worry about foul language, nudity or violence. I would definitely recommend this movie and look forward to seeing it again.

this is so well done and such a heart warming story that it seems like it was written from a true situation. I Lost my mother and a brother in law to cancer and this movie just warms my heart every time I get to watch it.

if this is not based on a real life situation I would hope that people in real life would would do something like this for someone suffering from cancer no matter their age but especially for a child.

I have Watched this movie a couple of times and every time it tugs at my heart and puts tears in my eyes.

as others have said you fall in love with all the characters and to the point you wish you could have taken part in the making of this movie.

I would suggest this move to everyone to watch this beautiful movie

November Christmas is a sentimental movie with not much of a festive theme until the end of the film.

A Rhode Island community get together to help out the parents of a severely ill 8 year old girl. Sam Elliot is the curmudgeon who suffered a loss of a child some years earlier and recognises what John Corbett is going through and realise what he is up to.

Fearing the worse Corbett wants to give his daughter an early Halloween and Christmas in case she does not make it through to the end of the year. The small town rally round once they find about the little girl's condition.

The film is sentimental, light on plot but the direction is sensitive and the film is told in flash back which leads to an encouraging ending.

A great movie with a touching topic, believable characters, and good acting... even by the children. I watch this movie often and at other times besides Christmas.

I saw this one Xmas years ago, LOVE IT! I look for it each Xmas on the list of Hallmark movies on tv and its never come on again. It is so good!

One of my favorite Hallmark Christmas movies. Great cast..Can't go wrong with Sam Elliot..

This person is would not know a good movie if it reached out and clobbered them! All you have to do is look at all the other reviews and see that this person is a 'JOKE'! The ending of the movie was perfectly done and as a whole the movie was one of the best I have seen in a long time! I really felt moved by how the whole town came out and gave this little girl Christmas in November so that she would be able to have Christmas at home since she was most likely going to have to spend it in the hospital.

The only thing that I found wrong with the film was that it seemed as if they left us hanging on the story of the teenage writer who befriended the little girl. It would have been nice to know what happened to her in the future.

The first time I watched the music pulled me in immediately. Then John Corbett & Sam Elliot...you will fall in love with the little girl.

Just Amazing!!!!

We only recently stumbled across this 12 year-old film (as I type) and only then because I noticed Sam Elliot is in it.

A little girl has leukemia and may not make it until Christmas, so her father arranges to move up all the holidays to try to squeeze them in before the worst might happen.

It's no spoiler to reveal that the little girl recovers, because the movie leads with her as an adult, and the whole movie is a flashback into a book she wrote about her childhood.

Sam Elliot's character runs a nearby farm, and he had also lost a child. When he gets wind of what's happening, he helps. Eventually, the entire town helps. The movie is warm and moving, and immediately when into our favorites list for the holiday season.

8.0 stars.

I often wonder how movie makers create such inspiration. The directing is superb, and the music is wonderful and sets the mood throughout.

The genuine portrayal of the girl with cancer, this little girl can act, she has a rare gift. You either got it or you don't. The little boy is good too, for his part. The parents feed off each other, she with her very nervous and fearful state of mind, asking her husband, asking God - why couldn't she be sick instead of her little girl. I cried, so moving. And the father, he tries to be a rock for the family, but you can see he's cracking just a little. Sam Elliot, my goodness does he act this part so well. What a fantastic interpretation of an old timer farmer full of empathy and love for all. All of the characters blend so well in this, the movie is seamless, and time passes so quickly.

The side story with the teenage girl who wants to be a writer. I really liked her character, and wish they would have developed it a bit more, maybe she wrote the children's book about the past, and would have liked to see all the other folks at the end too. They could have extended the last scene another few minutes to provide better closure for everyone, much potential was squandered.

You MUST SEE this movie. It will inspire you to become better.

A community comes together to help a family dealing with a young child's cancer. No Christmas prince. No saving the family farm. No girl from the city falls in love with the backwoods boy. But it was just a great Christmas story. The acting is great and the music is good too. You can tell it was made with a purpose of doing a good story rather than a bajillion Christmas movies with nonstop quantity.

Would recommend and watch ever Year.

A community comes together to help a family dealing with a young child's cancer. No Christmas prince. No saving the family farm. No girl from the city falls in love with the backwoods boy. But it was just a great Christmas story. The acting is great and the music is good too. You can tell it was made with a purpose of doing a good story rather than a bajillion Christmas movies with nonstop quantity.

Would recommend and watch ever Year.

A poignant story of families facing heartbreak with excellent acting, endearing characters and believability… UNTIL, very near the end… it suddenly becomes a moronic public service announcement. Several characters are gathered in the town diner when tired old clichés such as "that's what it's all about, isn't it ~ helping your neighbor and giving back" suddenly start tumbling out of everyone's mouth. It is mind boggling and such a departure from the rest of the movie which managed to be both heart wrenching and heart warming without having to explain to viewers, in the most condescending way, what it all meant. I was suddenly cured of any emotional connection to the characters as I watched this inane transition to PC drivel. All tears dried up but quick. Then, the ending… Gads, it was so cheesy and saccharine sweet. It was almost like a parody and did not belong in this movie. I cannot imagine what happened behind the scenes to ruin what could have been a first class motion picture. What an embarrassing ending.