All Is Bright (Almost Christmas) - Film Review
by Kathryn Loggins

Directed by Phil Morrison

Pursuing change in Almost Christmas starring Paul Giamatti and Paul Rudd follows two French-Canadian ex-cons, Dennis (Giamatti) and Rene (Rudd) travel from Quebec to New York City to sell Christmas trees.

Dennis is released from prison to find that his wife (Amy Landecker) is with Rene and his daughter thinks he’s dead. With no prospects and no home, Dennis decides to swallow his pride and ask Rene if he can be his partner selling Christmas trees in New York City. Dennis is determined to prove to himself and to his wife that he can make an honest living and change from the thief he thinks he is.

Throughout the movie this proves more difficult than he imagined. Rene and Dennis get into various arguments and physical confrontations while trying to maintain a working business and freezing their buns off in the bitter New York City winter.

Closer to Christmas the two characters seem to finally overcome their struggles, when a chance robbery sends them back into despair. The next step the two partners tell us who these characters really are and how sometimes changing who you are doesn’t mean changing what you do, but why you do it.