Bent Hamer demonstrates restraint and poise in this collection of interlinked Christmas tales, set on Christmas Eve in a small Norwegian town. An estranged father must find a way to get his presents to his children, a doctor is called away from his home to assist a desperate couple, a Muslim girl forges a friendship with a fellow non-celebrator, a woman hopes to finally lure her lover away from his wife, an old man prepares for a guest and a homeless man struggles to get back to his hometown.
On the face of it, little seems to appeal: interlinked vignettes are somewhat old hat and it seems a little unseasonal for Christmas movies just yet. And besides, everybody knows that the only Christmas movies worth watching are Muppets’ Christmas Carol and Die Hard. But somehow, Home for Christmas works and works well. The script is tight and nothing on screen goes to waste. The cast are good and give understated, believable performances.
When several storylines are presented in this way, it’s unavoidable not to pick a favourite, and for me, the tale of the estranged father was the highlight of the film, the high water mark being a scene that is simultaneously frightening violent, poignant, surreal and blackly humorous. Another of the film’s strengths is in its appeal both to the traditional and secular aspects of Christmas in the twenty-first century and Christians and non-believers alike should enjoy the film. The only flaws are a rather mawkish song played over the Northern Lights as the credits begin, which seemed like a rather obvious cliché that the film could easily have avoided. There’s also a rather incongruous and explicit sex scene that seemed wholly out of place in what would otherwise been a family-friendly affair. Despite this, I left the screening room feeling warm and Christmassy. Job done.
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