Christmas in March

I’m in The Washington Times today with a review of the new French/international production of Joyeux Noel (“Merry Christmas”) an overly sentimental tale of the famed battlefield Christmas truce during World War I. Here’s a sample:

That war business is no good, no good at all. Watching Joyeux Noel ("Merry Christmas"), a movie about the famed Christmas truce during World War I, one can't help but be reminded of this idea -- and little else -- over and over again.

The movie is little more than an old-fashioned plea to stop the violence and just get along. It's a simplistic fantasy that ignores the larger complexities of war in favor of a belief in basic human goodness. Still, as far as fantasies go, it's an appealing one, and Joyeux Noel, despite being drenched in sentimentality, often delivers its naive ideas with a light touch. It's the feel-good war movie of the year.

Buy a copy of The Washington Times or read the article online.