When Angels Come to Town (2004 TV Movie) User Reviews (11)

Worth Watching

[Christmas-Reviewer · 7/10 · 28 January 2017]

BEWARE OF BOGUS REVIEWS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY REVIEWED ONE FILM. THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE PRODUCTION. I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 200 Christmas MOVIES. I HAVE NO AGENDA. I AM FARE ABOUT THESE FILMS.

In this film Peter Falk reprises his role as Max the angel in this heartwarming holiday drama about two very different families who need his help at Christmas. This time, Max's job is at stake when his heavenly supervisor comes to earth to discipline him for contacting the wrong family in need. Also stars Katey Sagal, Tammy Blanchard, and Seann Gallagher.

Now this film is a "Typical" Christmas film but it is well done The story is cute but very predictable. What the film does correctly is cast likable people in all the roles. The film is not boring but it could of used a little more work on the story itself. Now that doesn't mean avoid the film. I want people to watch it because it is well made and has a huge heart that is in the center of the film.

Just don't think too much about the plot because you will be able to figure everything out after 10 minutes into the film.

When Angels Come to Town-Isn't it Really A Wonderful Life? ***

[edwagreen · 7/10 · 8 December 2009]

Peter Falk, as always, steals the show in this film as an angel who is sent to earth to help several people find their way. A woman angel is sent as well, and at first she wants him replaced for general incompetence.

We really have a double story here. A father and son, unhappy over the death of the latter's mother and a failing business, seem to be drifting apart. The son once dated a lovely young lady who has been orphaned along with her young brother. She works in a department store and wants to take full charge of the 12 year old, but her efforts are hampered by a rule-book social worker, the latter not seeming to have feelings.

Falk is excellent here as he assumes several roles in his attempt to help the people.

What makes the movie good is that it captures the true purpose of the holiday season. We've seen this type of story dozens of times before; but at holiday time, it hits home.

With it all, isn't it a really wonderful life?

Great Heartwarming Movie

[mammamia701 · 8/10 · 23 November 2019]

Imagine my delight to catch this movie on Hallmark Drama....I loved this movie when the first time I watched it several years ago. Just a few weeks ago I was trying to remember which movie had the theme of a box and a family trying to escape the Nazis. Loved that I found it to watch again and see Peter Falk again as Max. Adding Katey Sagal as Jo was wonderful. There were so many different storylines going on, get it all ends in typical Hallmark fashion...happily.

My only criticism, and perhaps I missed it, was the photo and escape happened in 1962, well after WWII, so they couldn't have been running from Nazis. This may have been a blooper or my misunderstanding. I guess the only thing to do is watch this again, which I will happily enjoy.I

PS....you may need Kleenex!

Max is back! And Jo is with him.

[vchimpanzee · 20 December 2004]

In this sequel to 'Finding John Christmas', the angel Max walks into a struggling department store in a small Maine town. 24-year-old assistant manager Sally waits on him and, after Max leaves, she sees he has left behind one of his many bags. Sally wants to adopt her younger brother, who has been sent from one foster home to another and could be put in an orphanage. She needs a promotion for the income required to be considered for adoption to take place, but this appears unlikely.

Meanwhile, Karl must make changes at the Christmas ornament factory his father started after coming to this country from East Berlin (his escape is shown in black and white flashbacks). His father does not want to end the tradition of using glass blowers rather than automation, but tradition costs money.

Max has made yet another mistake, and this time Jo is sent down to take over for him. It turns out he was supposed to help Karl, not Sally. Interestingly, Karl and Sally met years earlier.

Peter Falk was good again as Max, even dressing as a woman named Maxine at one point. But once again, he didn't get much screen time. Katey Sagal showed a variety of skills as Jo, starting out very serious and committed to following rules, later getting silly after discovering human vices, and finally ending up warm and caring. You might say she went from Cate Hennessy to Peg Bundy and back to Cate Hennessy. Both Max and Jo dressed as street people at some point, and both played their roles quite well.

Tammy Blanchard made a charming Sally, though she could get riled when people stood in the way of what she wanted.

This was a real feel-good movie. Miracles did happen, but not everything was resolved neatly at the end. Just like in real life, though real solutions were likely within reach.

After about 3 times

[jldeangelis · 6/10 · 11 December 2014]

of watching this movie it was apparent a misstep v. reality has been made in the movie.

You have to watch this movie, to understand and see how it affects individuals and families in their everyday life.

If you are looking for a feel good feeling, watch this movie.

If you are looking for a historical, family, finding where you came from, this movie delivers.

The challenge comes to you a fellow movie goer to understand the importance of movies like this and how it CAN affect us in everyday life.

Please watch the movie and let me know what you think.

Great heartwarming movie.

[AJAB · 10/10 · 20 December 2004]

This movie was very heartwarming. It was also very timely as we see a lot of bad news on TV or violence it was great to sit for a wonderful family movie. I especially enjoyed seeing Peter Falk in drag,he's a great actor. Tammy Blanchard, has a way of getting everyone to cry with her, that can be very liberating. Katey Sagal and Gallagher were very funny together. The young boy, Alexander Conti was very convincing and believable. He is very handsome I hope to see him again he seems to have the appeal of Brad Pitt/Leo Di Caprio. Overall the story and the actors were superb. I loved the way the story went back to the past in Berlin. This was a great touch of bring the storyline to a different level. This tied in the family in the story and also the viewers, especially those who were there in Berlin when the wall went up. I have friends who commented on the validity of the story. Their comments were that the cast and actors made the story great. I would definitely compare it to It's a wonderful life. A Great movie,I'll buy it on DVD.

Peter Falk at Christmas time

[Jazzie-too · 10/10 · 9 December 2007]

Peter Falk could be christened: Saint Christmas. He is a phenomenal character. His spirit, portrayed in each of his seasonal movies evokes such a good feeling. Isn't this what he's always done in his movies or TV shows! That's not a question. I watch any and all of his "Christmas Angels" movies every year. Actually, I watch anything he plays a part in, big or small. He makes an impact. I just want to give him and big hug and say "thank you", so much!! Each year I watch with added interest and focus, looking for new applications and direction in my own life. I like so many of the Christmas time movies, but this is surely in my top 5. I hope Halmark continues to run it each year, so that new viewers also have the experience of this very special movie.

not bad

[lexyshirley · 5/10 · 21 December 2004]

So I don't celebrate Chirstmas but this movie is pretty good the acting's no bad I would watch it again. So this is the Story Peter Faulk is an angle named Max (he's had a few movies like this one) and he has his own way of doing things Katy Segal, Jo, comes down "in the Field" to fire Max But She screws up and they both have to fix everything. Katey gets drunk and falls in love with this guy shes supposed to be helping and finds out how good hot chocolate is its really rather cute. So this movie has two families one trying to stay together the other drifting apart and Max and Jo get in the middle to get these two Families together as one. Heart warming cute basic Chirstmas movie.

i really like Peter Faulk but not as Colombo so I give my approval for this movie. The Family can enjoy this one. There are some Nazis but you don't see anything disturbing. As always there is a life lesson, like every Christmas movie but you get over that quick enough. Oh and I this isn't your type of movie please watch to see Peter Faulk in a dress (Hilarious) Enjoy, Lexy

Excellent Movie

[marc-377 · 10/10 · 30 January 2005]

Excellent holiday movie along the same lines as It's A Wonderful Life. Tammy Blanchard was AWESOME!!! Peter Falk was excellent also. Would love to see Tammy Blanchard get more featured roles, just saw an old Law & Order episode that she was in also & she does a great job there as well. Falk plays a haphazard angel along the same lines as Claraence in It's a Wonderful Life that even though he is being hounded by his higher ups, proves that he knows what he is going in regards to the situation at hand. This should be played EVERY Christmas & become a family tradition. Now, I am just trying to ramble on enough to get to the 10th line!! :-)

Wow, could not have been more terrible

[msarajoy · 1/10 · 23 July 2020]

Putting aside that this movie moved slower than a snail high on drugs, this was a TERRIBLE show.

Jo the angel throws herself physically at Karl, grabbing him and kissing him and she is old enough to be his mother. A horny cougar angel?? How offensive is that to those who believe in angels?? Hallmark, you should really know better.

The entire mood of this show, despite it being about angels supposedly, was so heavy and depressing. There was no light, even when the so-called angels appeared. 95% of the show, Karl is in financial crisis and Sally is upset about her brother and they are both soddingly unhappy people! Yes I get these are real life problems but do BOTH the leads have to have such depressing lives and personalities? In a Hallmark movie?

If these two don't need to be talked off the ledge, I will be on the ledge myself by the end of this show - if I last that long. Nah, I can't continue watching ...

I lost respect for Peter Faulk

[jkm0119 · 1/10 · 16 December 2017]

While Peter Faulk was a good actor I lost respect for him when he played in this movie. This is one of the dumbest movies ever made. It was made to make fun of angels and show them as being human. The premise of the movie is actually evil and tries to make Christmas something other than what it truly is.The person who wrote the story is more to blame but the fact that it was actually made into a movie with one real actor is appalling . This movie should never be seen by an audience that actually loves Christmas and respects angels.