The defence The Sentimental Softie
“Sincerity is not manipulation.”
The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.
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The Christmas Card
Drama · Romance · TV Movie · 2006
Sergeant Cody Cullen is deeply touched by a homemade Christmas card he receives while serving in Afghanistan. Upon his discharge, he treks to the picturesque California town of Nevada City. Cody is soon welcomed into the Spelman home and unexpectedly falls in love with the woman who sent the card, Faith.
Movie details
The Christmas Card
2006 Drama · Romance · TV Movie 1h 24m
Critical arithmetic
The consensus, allegedly.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
IMDb
6.9 / 10
4.7K votes
TMDB
6.2 / 10
Community rating
External scores via OMDb · CC BY-NC 4.0. Values normalized for display; availability varies by title.
Sergeant Cody Cullen is deeply touched by a homemade Christmas card he receives while serving in Afghanistan. Upon his discharge, he treks to the picturesque California town of Nevada City. Cody is soon welcomed into the Spelman home and unexpectedly falls in love with the woman who sent the card, Faith.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over The Christmas Card?
For the defence
The Sentimental Softie
“You came to feel something, and you will.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Cool Ironist
“Feeling things is a little embarrassing.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Stephen Bridgewater
Written by
Joany Kane
John Newton
Cody Cullen
Ed Asner
Luke Spelman
Alice Evans
Faith Spelman
Peter Jason
Richard
Ben Weber
Paul
Lois Nettleton
Rosie Spelman
G
Glorinda Marie
Molly
Court is in session
Put The Christmas Card on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Cool Ironist
“The strings are showing.”
Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.