Jackson Booth-Millard
I had seen this Christmas movie listed in the television schedules a number of times, I had probably ignored it rather than missed it, but I finally decided one year to give it a chance. Basically young Peter Albright (Connor Cunningham) has written a letter to Santa Claus, simply wishing for a very Happy Christmas with a family, but he is traumatised when he sees his mother throwing the letter into the fire, unaware that it is a tradition in European to burn letters so that Santa will collected them faster. Years later, Peter Albright (Steven Eckholdt) is a television reporter desperate to find a good story to broadcast over the upcoming Christmas holiday, but because of his negative childhood memory, he does not feel the Christmas spirit like everyone else. Meanwhile, in the North Pole, Santa Claus (Leslie Nielsen) and the elves are preparing for another year of presents, ready to load into the sleigh and deliver to children all over the world. But Santa feels like Christmas is now more about the presents and the commercialism, he wonders if he should consider retiring. Feeling ill, Santa decides to go for a ride in his sleigh and get fresh air, but he is caught in bad weather, he, the sleigh and the reindeer end up falling out of the sky into New York City. Santa lands on top of Peter's car, when he recovers Santa has no memory of who he is, only that his name is Nick (his nickname, like St. Nick). Peter's girlfriend Claire Dreyer (Robyn Lively) suggests, because of his authentic Santa Claus suit, that Nick should audition to become the replacement for the recently removed mall Santa. Peter sees his story, a Santa Claus that has amnesia, as an opportunity to make a news story, to get the people to help find his real family, and more specifically to get an audience. Claire's son Zack (Max Morrow) is convinced that Nick is the real Santa Claus, as Nick remembers things about Christmas, but is unable to remember how he knows them, this is source amnesia, adults refuse to believe Zack, but he is determined to help Nick regain his memory and prove his belief is not a fantasy. All the while, the elves, led by Max (Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls' Tommy Davidson) are searching New York trying to find Nick and return him to the North Pole. Peter was slowly starting to believe the possibility of Nick being the real Santa, but then a couple call the set-up helpline claiming that Nick is their grandfather who went missing, and has grown a beard, they take him home with them. But then Peter realises Zack was right, his suit jacket contained many letters, including the one Peter thought was burned when he was a child, this proves that Nick is indeed the real Santa Claus. In the end, Nick finally regains his memory, Peter reconciles with Zack and Claire, and Nick transforms back into Santa Claus, with a newfound love for his job, the spirit of Christmas and making all children of the world happy, and Peter is happy his childhood letter wish has finally come true. Also starring Darren Frost as Rupert the Elf, Karen LeBlanc as Lenny, R.D. Reid as Grady, Saw IV's Billy Otis as Shifty Man and Marty Moreau as Easter Bunny. Neilsen previously played Father Christmas in a movie called All I Want for Christmas, he is good choice being good-natured, and he is funny, and Eckholdt is not bad as the Scrooge-like reporter. It is a very simple story, Santa has a bump on the head, forgets who he is, and a child believer wants to help him and save the festivities, it is a bit predictable, with mush and sentimentality, but it does have a charm to it, a fairly enjoyable seasonal family comedy. Okay!
