juneebuggy Not bad for a made-for-TV- Lifetime Christmas movie, although in saying that there's nothing outstanding or new here either. Rob Lowe makes this worth watching however and I enjoyed the beginning where he's an out of work, struggling author who ends up digging ditches to support his family.As the story goes on Rob's first book becomes a blockbuster and he hits the big time, going out on an endless book tour complete with a new ego, groupies and a progressive case of neglect for his family.With the introduction of Christopher Lloyd's mysterious angel/conscience character, the plot lost my interest a bit and ultimately, as interesting as that idea was it was never fully fleshed out so that in the end you're left saying what!? Based on a novel by Richard Paul Evans. 12.24.13

studioAT I always like Christmas themed films and had enjoyed Rob Lowe's Sam Seaborn in The West Wing so had high hopes for this film.For the first hour or so it's a decent film. We've seen the concept of a small town writer getting a hit and becoming famous only to lose his family lots of times before but for the most part it's an enjoyable plot with Lowe giving a good performance and Paget Brewster stealing every scene from him.But then the change happens. It gets dark, it gets twisted and grim which for a Christmas film you don't need. The ending is trite and rushed leaving you wondering why you cared for these characters in the first place. I can see why the writers felt that it needed to shake the film up a bit but this was far too much.

gaer-1 I was pleasantly surprised after watching A Perfect Day. I expected clichés and something rather "cute", although reviews had warned me that the film has a dark side.The names Rob Lowe and Christopher Lloyd are very well known, but Frances Conroy, known to many as "Ruth Fisher" of Six Feet Under, was a bonus, playing a key role.The plot itself was not particularly original, but the treatment of the story was quite ingenious, and I was quite pleased with the acting.Robert Harlan (Rob Lowe) is fired at the beginning of the story by a man who says, much in the manner of Scrooge, "It's only business." This theme is repeated throughout the movie, very effectively.Allyson (Paget Brewster), Harlan's wife, is completely supportive of him and encourages him to write a book. We discover that he has already begun this book but has little confidence in his ability to do anything with it. He completes the book and is soon contacted by Camile (Frances Conroy), a literary agent who gives him his first big break, soon catapulting him to unexpected, incredible success.This is where the story really takes off. Michael (Christopher Lloyd) plays a mysterious role in Harlan's new life; the exact nature of that role is not fully revealed until the end of the movie.While many events are fully predictable—it is soon clear that Harlan's life is becoming increasingly unhappy as he becomes more and more successful—there are major plot twists that will leave many viewers quite surprised at the end and perhaps even eager to see the movie again.

g404c Robert Harlan (Rob Lowe) is a loving husband and father who is down and out looking for work. His wife Allyson (Paget Brewster) is confident he will get back on his feet, and she encourages him to resume writing a book he has been working on sporadically for quite some time. Robert decides to give it a try and he suddenly finds himself in the throes of success, fame and fortune, with assistance from a literary agent, Camille (Frances Conroy). Ultimately, Robert allows his newfound success to alter his priorities and compromise his values. This morality tale is darker than some of the others on TV this time of year, but that is part of its appeal. I really like this movie. Lowe is competent, Brewster's character is completely realistic, and Christopher Lloyd is effective. Worth watching if you happen upon it.