'Angels Sing' (2013)
Opening thoughts: Have been on a roll watching Hallmark/Lifetime etc Christmas films for a few years now. It has been an interesting and worthwhile endeavour, though a very inconsistent one. There was never the mentality of expecting a classic or the film in question to be flawless. Something that was never managed with pretty much all the films seen. There was always the expectation of seeing a film where one can see at least some effort rather than merely cash-in level. The former being obvious in most luckily.
'Angels Sing' is a fun and charming film, that lifted my soul, had me singing along and warmed my heart. A lot better than the rating suggests, though the more mixed critical reception is very understandable. It is not a perfect film by all means, with a first half an hour that is very easy to criticise and makes one unsure whether to continue. In my mind though, 'Angels Sing' does get a lot better and is well worth sticking with as long as one does not expect too much.
Bad things: It could have been better. 'Angels Sing' does start off shaky, with a first half an hour that does ramble in pace and sees a lot of awkward, cheesy dialogue and every bit as awkward interactions.
There are times where the sentimentality could have been toned down, the story is not always securely paced with moments of rambling and the dialogue doesn't always flow.
Good things: On the other hand, there is a lot that is good. Had no issue with the performances. While Harry Connick Jr and Connie Britton are very amiable leads, the supporting cast are even better. Willie Nelson really twinkles in a charmingly whimsical and lively role, while Lyle Lovett's smile and voice are dreamlike. The singing from all is great and as someone who appreciates country, seeing some country legends here evoked a lot of nostalgia and it didn't feel forced.
Loved also the music, which is upbeat yet also very movingly soulful, the fun and heart that the film is full of is present in the music alone in fact. The characters were worth caring about, no annoyingly overblown flaws or over-perfection here but instead characters that felt real. While the story is far from perfect, it is very heart warming and charming with a touching ending. Did appreciate that the religious element was not over-used or heavy handed, am always wary when there is any messaging involved and especially concerning religion but it was done just right here. The production values are slick and don't look cheap.
Concluding thoughts: Summing up, not great but very worthwhile and worth sticking with.
7/10.
