Christmas, Again Film Review – A Relaxed Tale of a Forlorn Christmas Tree Seller Boasts Genuine Charm
The is a New York drama with such a relaxed pace that it has taken a decade to arrive on the UK’s cinema screens. First released in the US in 2015, it’s an ultra-low-budget debut from debut filmmaker Charles Poekel, set almost entirely on a 24-hour pop-up Christmas tree stall. Poekel’s style remains decidedly genuinely independent and naturalistic to get slushy or sentimental about Christmas; in his view Christmas tree lights flash like police lights. But with its subtle approach, he positions the movie perfectly for a modest dose of festive warmth.
The Weary Seller Amid the Brooklyn Cold
Kentucker Audley portrays Noel (someone had in the film to comment on his name for the connection to be made). Noel is back for his fifth year selling Christmas trees in Brooklyn, standing outside in the freezing cold and resting in a not-much-warmer caravan parked next to the trees. Several patrons ask about the girl assisting him last year. But this year Noel is alone, broken-hearted and on the night shift.
There’s a documentary feel to many of the scenes, with customers posing pointless random questions. One woman requests the same Christmas tree as the Obamas (this is 2014). Noel looks numb with cold physically and emotionally; he’s exhausted and disenchanted, though Audley’s understated acting clearly indicates that he hadn't always been like this.
Quiet Moments and Flickers of Connection
Frankly, the plot is minimal. Noel rescues a woman, Lydia (Hannah Gross), who has collapsed drunk on a bench. She pops up again later in truly poignant scenes as Noel travels through New York, making tree deliveries – and these sequences could ignite a little flicker of good cheer even in the most cynical viewer. Poekel has not directed a feature since this, which is regrettable – you can’t beat it for authenticity and fluidity, and it’s filmed on gorgeously textured 16mm film.
A film of quiet charm and real mood, portraying the solitude and fleeting warmth of the season.
Christmas, Again arrives in UK cinemas from 12 December.