John Russell You're probably familiar with Rory Culkin's detached persona in Signs 2002. Replace Mel Gibson's helpless grimace with Sherilyn Fenn's impossibly perfect face and signing voice and you've got the setup for the juxtaposition of grief and holiday magic.For a movie with a strong cast and an even stronger script, it's almost impossible to see on cable or rent. I've seen it once and can't get it out of my head. I connected with this and even identified with Jackson (Rory) because I lost a parent when I was 9. Off Season brought back the weirdness of my slo-mo wanderings through the minefield of good intentions. Hume Cronyn's last performance will be remembered as a holiday classic but I see it as children's fantasy noir.The real magic happens when we shift from feeling powerless to help Jackson to believing that Sam Clausner (Cronyn) IS Santa. Don't get too comfortable because you'll never be completely sure. As a bonus Sam & Jackson deliver memorable adages like, "I'm in the Joy Business... now do you wanna join me?" It's a Christmas gift without the tinsel.

edwagreen Bruce Davison directed this mess. How many Culkin brothers are there? They all look the same with the dead-pan face image.Anyway, this film is far from good because there are so many angles and sub-plots which could be used here.Davison co-stars as a psychologist. When Culkin realizes what happens to him, you would think that the former would begin a relationship with the aunt.Even the late Edmund Gwenn would have been annoyed with the idea regarding Hume Cronyn. Is he or isn't he Santa Claus. This premise was both idiotic and foolish. You know that Adam Arkin is no dentist when he is packing heat.Cronyn's antics were all done so as to help the recently orphaned Culkin? Come on. This is not holiday fantasy, it's more like holiday misery.All that was needed was for the aunt to want to be a lounge singer. The whole situation was ridiculous at best.

jpwat In my opinion this is one of the most beautiful movies made. It is well acted and well put together. Hume Cronyn is always worth watching but the biggest surprise for me was how Sherilyn Fenn has matured - a first rate performance. However, the main thing is that this is a lovely story with a charming, and quite unexpected twist near the end. I wish they would make more movies like this instead of the unending stream of "over the top" or "ugly" rubbish which seems to be so popular these days.

eastbourne17 This beautifully done movie has all the makings of a Christmas classic. As soon as it's available, I'm going to buy it. The writing, the acting, the photography (done in warm, glowing reds with touches of green), and the story are all perfect. It's done with taste,imagination, wit and subtlety.The movie is a perfect blend of reality (depicting real-life people and situations) with fantasy (the Santa angle)-- the two essential elements of a moving Christmas classic, in the tradition of Miracle on 34th St. and One Magic Christmas (underrated and unjustly neglected).Try by all means to see it while it's on this season. If you miss it, make sure you catch it next year.