ashwetherall1

I watched this as a time killer. But I was surprised by the charm of this little film. That deals with a friendship between 2 awkward teenage girls and the mutual crush that drives them apart. Add complications to the mix that they are both approaching they're Batmitphas and you have a classic Sadler lightweight gem.

But it also has an underlying and clever statement about the misuse of social media by the young and the growing pains of the teenage life..

Its also great to see Sadler clan + Idina working together on film. Theres a natural chemistry that comes through.. All in all. A nice film that put a smile on my face..

Just watched this and to be honest I was hoping for the best but really expecting the worst.. Thats why, I watched it early.. Well thank god... It was a very worthy sequel to the Christmas classic.

Never over doing it and keeping the character's real.

It also benifits from getting many of the original cast back and keeping them very likable. Now, without giving to much away, the story now set in the early 70s and follows Ralphie now in his 40s coming to terms with his fathers (The Old Man) passing and also dealing with percieved personal faliures. But his mother has asked him to make a special christmas and thats what he's going to do. (All this is in the trailer).

The film has all the style of the original and the new character's such as Ralphies wife and kids are very well drawn and acted.

I will be watching this again as part of double features with the original closer to Christmas.

All in all a very fine sequel that manages to bring the story full circle..

First things first.. This isn't as awful as the other reviewers are claiming. The story isn't bad, although by being relevant to the standard of to today it lacks the authenticity of the time in which its set, along with signposting the ending at every opportunity. That said the acting isn't terrible. Jenny Agutter has surprising little to do.

And they really needed to have some real side characters that made the original such a joy.

But overall It looks like an extended episode of Call the Midwife. It has a TV quality. It really needs that Lionel Jeffreys magic and quirkiness that made the original a true classic.