When Dan Stevens asked that Matthew, his "Downton Abbey" character, be "killed off" so he could pursue other acting opportunities, I thought his career would go directly downhill. Matthew Crawley was a pleasant young man - but really didn't give Stevens much meat to chew so I figured his career would go the unsuccessful way of many other actors of limited talent who left successful TV parts. However, he was right to leave. He is much more talented than Matthew Crawley allowed him to be. His versatility is showcased to perfection as Charles Dickens in THE MAN WHO INVENTED Christmas.
It doesn't hurt that his Dickens is surrounded by a charming group of eccentrics, some of whom exist in his 19th century reality and others of whom exist only in his fertile imagination. I particularly liked Anna Murphy's Tara, the Irish housemaid who presents Dickens with inspiration for several key elements in his "A Christmas Carol." Ms. Murphy's career should advance as she has a quite likable screen persona and an ability to stand out in any scene.
Christopher Plummer is wonderful in every part in which he plays. What woman wouldn't want to heal the heart of his Captain Von Trappe (THE SOUND OF MUSIC)? Who wouldn't want to hear his Chang declaim Shakespeare in its original Klingon(STAR TREK VI)? And who couldn't be caught up in the soul of Hal in his Academy Award winning BEGINNERS? I saw him in his stage presentation of BARRYMORE and was mesmerized. His Scrooge is equally mesmerizing.
The script is tight, the acting is solid, the sets, costumes, and staging are perfectly 1843. This movie should become a true Christmas classic - just as "A Christmas Carol" itself is a classic. In short - I loved it!
It doesn't hurt that his Dickens is surrounded by a charming group of eccentrics, some of whom exist in his 19th century reality and others of whom exist only in his fertile imagination. I particularly liked Anna Murphy's Tara, the Irish housemaid who presents Dickens with inspiration for several key elements in his "A Christmas Carol." Ms. Murphy's career should advance as she has a quite likable screen persona and an ability to stand out in any scene.
Christopher Plummer is wonderful in every part in which he plays. What woman wouldn't want to heal the heart of his Captain Von Trappe (THE SOUND OF MUSIC)? Who wouldn't want to hear his Chang declaim Shakespeare in its original Klingon(STAR TREK VI)? And who couldn't be caught up in the soul of Hal in his Academy Award winning BEGINNERS? I saw him in his stage presentation of BARRYMORE and was mesmerized. His Scrooge is equally mesmerizing.
The script is tight, the acting is solid, the sets, costumes, and staging are perfectly 1843. This movie should become a true Christmas classic - just as "A Christmas Carol" itself is a classic. In short - I loved it!