SanteeFats If not for the elves I would not rated this movie quite so high but I found them to be the best part of the movie. Funny as heck. Trying so hard to please and not understanding anything Mary really wanted done. Cookie, gingerbread, and cocoa breaks so often they seemed to be on break more than they worked. George Wendt plays Santa and does a good job. He has a heart attack and this causes his daughter, Mary, played OK by Jenny McCarthy to leave her high profile, high pay job to return to the North Pole to see him. She decides to replace her dad for Christmas as Santa over his objections of course. Her city boyfriend city shows up unannounced, comes up with a huge development idea for Santa's Village, and leaves in a huff when Mary almost kisses an old beau. He rushes to the city to pitch his idea to a board of directors on Christmas Eve no less. Mary and her new boyfriend jump in the sleigh and take off after him. They arrive a little late but too. He is pitching his idea and Mary comes in. She has put a coat on over Santa suit to look more professional I guess. Anyway old beau is making his pitch and she makes it look like he is over worked and under tremendous stress so he is delusional. The board leaves in disgust. As the board chairman is entering an elevator the sleeve of Mary's coat slides down a bit and reveals her white Santa cuff. He is one smart old man as he seems to recognize who Mary is now. He gives her an old wooden train engine that has been his for decades. It is broken and he asks if Mary can get it fixed so he can give it to his grandson. As it is handed over you see the initials S.C. on bottom, from times in the past when Santa made stuff by hand. I have left a lot of stuff out but if you watch this film I hope you enjoy as much I have. Merry Christmas all!!

Blueghost Yup. I rented it. And here are my thoughts.I'm not sure what the thinking was behind the script and direction, but I really felt like there was a lot of missing back story and overall setup to the film. Former Hugh Heffnerette McCarthy helps keep interest in the film with some solid acting, but the film's direction never allows her to fully exploit the corporate-power-woman act. She almost seems too light hearted to be taken as a hard nosed marketing exec, but nevertheless McCarthy gives it her all.I'm not sure where this film lost me, but story-wise, I think I must have missed an important plot point somewhere. One moment McCarthy's character is exchanging and setting up a high-powered date with her corporate love interest, and next she's taking her adviser/assistant to the North Pole on a dog sled. No where, and I mean no where, was there any sort of hint or mere suggestion that this woman is the daughter of St. Nick. But maybe it's presumed the viewer already knows the premise of the film? I'm not sure.In any event, the story skips along, glossing over these minor points, and tosses in some minor gags to alleviate a so-so film. George Wendt was a touch miscast as St. Nick, but has some of the best lines in the film. Even so, he never struck me as being a convincing Santa Claus. Sure, he's got the pot belly, and the beard and mustache, but it's scraggly, and Santa is missing his jolly disposition. It's almost like Wendt is doing the role just to get the cheque.The core of the story has promise, but the script wasn't developed enough, and the director was forced to work with what he had. Even so, he should've been more inventive. Truth be told one gets the sense that he didn't have the freedom to tinker with the film too much. In the final analysis the work feels like it was a moderately budgeted focus-group film. A film designed to just make enough to cover its cost, and maybe make a little money for the studio.A lot of thesping is put forth to cover up some rather thin material. Story, plot holes, and so-so slapstick and other schtick almost makeup for a pretty thin film. It's not one I'd see again. On the plus side it's fairly clean, so if you want your kids to see a Playboy Bunny with her clothes on, then rent this film. Otherwise skip it.

lastliberal I no longer think of Playboy when I hear the name Jenny McCarthy. I now think of Autism, and good acting. She does a superb job in this charming and funny Christmas story.Santa (George Wendt) is having heart trouble and so mom (Lynne Griffin) calls Mary Class (she changed her name) home. Mary (McCarthy) is a successful workaholic that has always had a rough time with dad (WHO HASN'T?). She wants efficiency, while he stick to tradition.She also left a beau (Ivan Sergei) when she left home and has new boyfriend in the big city. You can imagine the problems there when the two meet.So you have family struggle on a grand scale, relationship problems and lots of comedy in a great Christmas movie.Also stars Kandyse McClure, who will be familiar to "Battlestar Galactica" fans, who creates a little heat of her own.

Amy Adler Mary (Jenny McCarthy) is a high powered businesswoman who runs her own marketing and business advice company. However, her roots are at the North Pole...yes, she's Santa's daughter. When Santa has some health problems, Mrs. Claus calls Mary in to help get everything ready for the Big Day that is fast approaching. Mary obliges. But, can Mary's successful business techniques really work for the spirited but mentally infantile elves? We'll see. In the meantime, Mary has found her long lost love, Luke (Ivan Sergei), to be still employed as the area's mailman. And, he's still a doll, both in looks and demeanor. Is a repeat romance far away? This is a great movie, both for children and their parents. The elves are quite comical and should garner laughs from the little ones. Kids should also enjoy the enchanting village where Santa and his elves do their work. For grownups, McCarthy, Wendt, and company slyly draw forth mirth with their antics, as well. As for Sergei, this viewer would watch him recite a cereal box cover, a la Gigli, but, fortunately, this is not necessary. He brings charm, sweetness, and presence to his delightful character, Luke. What girl COULD resist? Kudos to the production company that brought this film to light. As a holiday gift to a family audience, it just does not get much better or more welcome than this.