Comfort and Joy (2003) Reviews

• A charming and welcome addition to our Christmas movie collection

  lorraine02242010-10-29

  This is a lovely and charming Christmas movie. It's well written and well acted, with a clear storyline from beginning to end. No, you don't know why and you won't know why or how Jane remembers this other life she never lived, but you don't know the how or why of the fantasy of It's a Wonderful Life or A Christmas Carol either - or of all the other movies that feature a character who has some kind of awakening on Christmas Eve. Comfort and Joy is a thoroughly enjoyable movie about finding the life you never knew you really wanted. It has a positive message, but it isn't the slightest bit sentimental or sugar-coated. I'm delighted to have found Comfort and Joy; it's a great addition to our Christmas movie collection. I look forward to watching it every year along with all of our other favourites.

• More of a Christmas movie than Family Man

  maf-112009-11-13

  Another comment said that Family Man was a better version of this film, but I disagree. Now, don't get me wrong, Family Man is a wonderful film - well acted, written, cast - BUT it is not what I consider a Christmas movie. For one thing, in that film, the children's' existence is predicated on events in the past. When the main character's "glimpse" into an alternate reality is over, there's no way it can ever, ever happen. When this movie was over, I felt depressed, sad that the kids would never get to be, and NOT in a Christmas mood. So, this movie - Comfort and Joy - fixes that problem. This is a fantastic, happy, truly Christmas movie. All the events in the "glimpse" that the main character in this film experiences happen in the future - so, when the glimpse is over, it's all still possible. When this movie was over, I felt happy and optimistic. I love this movie. I just wish they would play it more often so that I wouldn't have to keep ordering it from Netflix.

• Different, but good

  L_Forster2003-12-25

  I thoroughly enjoyed it. Started watching and couldn't tear myself away. A feelgood experience that makes one realize, there are things in life more important than "things". I hope I get to watch it every year, it isn't often a classic in the making comes along.

• It is a comfort and a joy to watch a delightful holiday movie like this!

  inkblot112007-02-01

  Jane (Nancy McKeon) has it all or so she thinks. She is a high-powered executive who drives a jag, has an equally well-connected boyfriend, and a wardrobe to die for. Her best friend is a working mother and they meet at the gym to discuss life's issues. Her friend advises her to consider the "whole package" of career and family and to try to find more suitable husband material than her present boyfriend. Jane laughs. However, on the way to a party on Christmas Eve, her car spins out of control and, when the 360 revolutions stop, she finds herself in a new life. She has a handsome and caring husband, two beautiful children, a station wagon and a closet-full of reasonably-priced clothing. Aghast, Jane runs to her old apartment, only to find it occupied by someone else. Having nowhere to go, she reluctantly goes back to her new family's home and tries to sort things out. Her acquired relatives go to church, help out at homeless shelters, and go ice skating. Can Jane learn to appreciate her new roles? This is a lovely movie for families to watch on any given evening, not just at holiday time. It has some good performances, good production values and great messages. How many of us get to "try out" a new path in life and discover the possibilities we may have missed? None of us do, except in a fine movie such as this one. Do you love movies that foster family values in a clean, fun way? Get yourself a copy of this one without delay.

• nice li'l movie, nice li'l story...

  imthebest_rt2007-01-09

  Its a nice little movie with a nice little story. May be it seems complex to few people. But it is more like the parallel world or time machine concept. Jane travels to future time, 10 yrs ahead & sees her as a new Jane. This view completely transforms her current life & changes her to the future new Jane. Jane Berry is a successful enterpeunor, who is single & hates family or people. On a Christmas when she is driving back home in her jaguar when she has an accident & hits a pole. Sam (Steven Eckholdt) comes to her rescue to take her out from her wagon now & tells her that he's his husband for last 10 yrs & she has 2 kids with him. 10 yrs back she has dumped her boyfriend & left her job for Sam. Jane is completely psyched out to find herself in a new world where she is a new Jane who is completely different from the previous Jane. Slowly she starts getting used to things & starts liking the place and people as well. After a small fight with her parents on Christmas dinner she is completely impressed by Sam & her family. She kisses Sam and again drools, finding her in her jaguar again after that accident. Sam comes to her rescue and she is back in her original world. She tells Sam that she knows him & is in love with him to which Sam is shocked to hear. They move together to Sam's house to lead a happy life in future! A nice concept, nice presentation too...