I’ll Be Home For Christmas
Talk about bad timing. As Walt Disney Pictures prepares for the release of their annual Christmas movie, the star of the film decides to leave his popular television show. As rumors circulate why he left the show, his theatrical film stock and goodwill begin to melt like the winter snow.
That is what happened to “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” a fluffy, lightweight offering starring Jonathan Taylor Thomas. Thomas, who played middle son Randy Taylor on “Home Improvement,” left the show at the beginning of its final season. He wanted time off to prepare for college.
His timing couldn’t have been worse. Disney was getting ready to release their Christmas movie, and their high-profile star took a powder. It’s amazing how quickly people forget. “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” was in and out of theaters faster than the latest Jean-Claude Seagal effort. It didn’t help that the film was a trifling.
To make matters worse, Disney had to wait a year to release the film on video and DVD. Christmas movies sell better around the holidays, so a year after its release, “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” is back, this time on video and DVD.
It is not a bad film, but it does seem rather light. It might have been more at home as one of Disney’s Sunday night made-for-television films. Thomas headlines, playing Jake Wilkinson, a west coast college student who is more noted for his schemes and scams than good grades. Jake plans to take his girlfriend to Cabo San Lucas for the Christmas break, but finds himself headed home after his father bribes him.
With thoughts of a classic Porsche dancing in his head, Jake prepares to head east. He’s sidelined by angry classmates, who teach him a lesson by depositing him in the middle of the desert, trapped inside a Santa outfit. The film becomes a road trip, with poor Jake tagging up with numerous colorful characters in his quest to get home before the deadline.
The film never becomes grand entertainment. Jake’s adventures, as written by Tom Nursall and Harris Goldberg, seem common place. The writers leave no doubt that Jake will beat the deadline, but not before they toss several life lessons in his way.
Television director Arlene Sanford fails to make any of this matter. It’s all paint-by-numbers. Thomas is congenial as Jake, but his patter sounds like a mini-Tim Allen. The rest of the cast are just along for the ride, and fill in the numbers accordingly. If the writers and director had aimed a little higher, “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” would have been an engaging effort.
COMPLETE CHECK-UP
VISION: Good
1.85:1 Widescreen
Decent widescreen digital transfer. The colors are decent but not as strong as they should be. Clean negative allows for pure whites and shadows, while blacks are strong. Flesh tones are realistic, but the depth of field is limited. Attention to detail is okay, but not exact. Color saturation seems pale. No noticeable compression artifacts or noise.
HEARING: Excellent
5.1 Dolby Digital Surround
Effective 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround soundtrack gets the job done. The basses aren’t overpowering, while the surround effects are light but noticeable. Dialogue mix is perfect, while stereo mix (front left to right) is good. Rear speakers benefit from the usual dose of ambient noise, musical cues and some directional dialogue. Middle and high ends are clean. Overall effect is excellent.
ORAL: Good
Closed captions in English for the hard of hearing.
COORDINATION: Weak
Original Theatrical Trailer
Reel Recommendations
Main and scene access menus
PROGNOSIS: Will Live
Strictly for Jonathan Taylor Thomas fans.
VITALS:
$29.98/Rated PG/86 Minutes/Color/17 Chapter Stops/Keepcase/#17596
ATTENDING RESIDENT: John Larsen
PATIENT: I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
BIRTH DATE: 1998
HMO: Walt Disney Home Video
