Rob-o My wife loves this movie based on the 20 minutes we saw. There is some crazy bayou action going on the screen right now. It makes Louisiana look like Bethlehem during the birth of Christ. My wife is convinced that swamp people are not really this beautiful. Maybe this movie is set in a special members-only section of the bayou.The woman in this movie is clearly in her shell, probably due to her battle with drugs or possibly her son's father walking out on her, so she does not want to accept Tyler Hilton's magic light-up boat ride. But now at the end she is kissing him. Ed Asner plays a very convincing Santa. His monologue about the meaning of Christmas ranks right up there with Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. This movie, in my conclusion, is better than "No Strings Attached", which stars Ashton Kutcher. We watched 10 minutes of that movie, and not even the presence of Ludicrous could get us in the Christmas spirit. Christmas on the Bayou really got us in the holiday spirit by 10%, which is a lot more than I can say about that awful other movie "No Strings Attached". 5 stars because we didn't watch the whole thing.

TxMike I watched this with my sister, we both grew up in Louisiana and it was fun seeing Lafayette and St Martinville where it was filmed. The actors are not Louisianians but the accents were passable if not authentic. Ed Asner actually did the best job of approximating a Louisiana bayou accent. Christmas themed TV movies often have this similar theme ... a 30- something workaholic big city lady travels back to her rural home town and meets a nice young man that she resists at first but eventually gives in to. We KNOW from the very beginning this will happen, but we sit back and enjoy the ride getting there.Hilarie Burton is the divorced, 30-something marketing professional Katherine with a young son of about 8 or 9. They travel to her home town of St Martinville, about 20 miles SE of Lafayette, to visit her mom and spend Christmas along the bayou.As the movie opens, 20 years earlier, we see the 10-yr-old Katherine about to be kissed by 10-yr-old Caleb, but something happened and they never became an item. But now, back home she meets up with Tyler Hilton as the grown up Caleb who works as a ranger. Caleb hits it off right away with her young son, but Katherine is very gun-shy, her first marriage didn't work and she didn't want to get into another to do the same.Randy Travis has a good, small role as the local store owner Mr. Greenhall. Markie Post, looking really good in her early 60s, is Katherine's mom Lilly.But the best character is 80-something Ed Asner as Papa Noel who seems to be the real bayou Santa Claus, and he has a positive impact on the little boy. That little boy is Brody Rose as Zack.There isn't really anything new here, story-wise, it is just a good family movie with nicely attractive actors.

partyman10 This was one if the best TV movies I've seen in a LONG time. The production value was much higher than the usual standards, the story was well told, and the performances were genuine and heartfelt...not over-the-top and corny like so many other movies in this category. I especially liked the young boy playing Zach. His storyline was precious and I expect we will see him in many more movies.It was fun to see Ed Asner take on a Santa-like role again, too. Hilarie Burton gives a grand performance in a role that could have easily become melodramatic and she had great chemistry with the boy (Zach) and Tyler Burton and Markie Post. I've always been a fan of Markie's! She looks great and she, too, gives a very heartfelt performance.I highly recommend this holiday movie.

mcmiller53 Divorced, busy working woman with young boy goes to visit her mother in her small town for the holidays, meets her old boyfriend, natural resistance against his overwhelming charm ensues, bossy, know-it-all mother gives relentless advice to the point of wanting to smack her, and 'Santa' is an old, crusty guy who hates phones but makes wood toys and rides down the river in a boat or something. Guess what will happen? The child will bond with nature, the mom will learn that her job doesn't matter (who's paying for everything?), love will bloom and Santa will, with a twinkle of 'I told you so' will give you everything you've been missing in your world of reality, which means nothing but eating grits and hanging out at the local hardware store.If you've ever seen this plot before, why on earth would you waste your time ? You will know within the first 15 minutes what will happen and it does.You will never get this time in your life back, so don't waste it on this. There are so many other, worthwhile, heart warming stories out there with interesting plots that this is rendered an insult to any watcher.Instead, read A Christmas Carol, The Gift of the Magi, or, to not insult your intelligence but keep the charm, re-visit the classics, i.e., Shop Around The Corner, It's A Wonderful Life, you know the drill.