Le Train de Noël

Big names in the Hallmark Holiday romance...Joan Cusack, Dermot Mulroney, and Danny Glover star in this uplifting story about a cynical journalist, Tom, who takes the train from Washington, D. C. to Los Angeles for Christmas. It is a four day train ride and his goal is to write a story...so he starts talking to the passengers. There is an eavesdropping busy body named Agnes, a film director Max Powers who is their with a writer trying to write a script, an elder gentleman John who is reading A Christmas Carol because he promised his wife he would read more classics, Missy an intuitive passing out advice, a young couple who are going to be married on the train, an older gentleman Higgins who used to work on the train, and a bartender Kenny who serves hot cocoa with candy canes and a drink called The Grinch. As it turns out Tom knows the script writer, Elenor and they have a romantic past that didn't end well. Will Elenor be inspired to write a script and will Tom write his article? Will they heal the wounds from their old romance?

This is a second chance romance, with a great cast, a beautiful Christmas train backdrop and some fun supporting characters. Not your usual Hallmark holiday fare...maybe a little higher quality. I highly recommend that you see this at least once.

"Chugging down the tracks in two thousand tons of pure steel, I always hoped I'd see her again."-Tom

"Trapped in a tin can with the one person I never wanted to see. I need to get off this train."-Elenor.

Small things start to go missing on the train and the couple's minister has an accident and doesn't make his connection to the train...

"No secrets on a train, especially the Christmas train."-Agnes.

Tom's long distance girlfriend shows up, boards the train and says she wants to get married...Tom wanted to tell her he wanted to breakup! What could go wrong?

Wonderful music and a fun plot...the best part is the side characters, and Joan Cusack really steals the show (as she often does!).

"Happy endings are for movies, Max."-Elenor.

I just finished watching the premier of Hallmark Hall of Fame​'s "The Christmas Train". It was a sweet story, with a well crafted script. The main 4 leads were perfectly cast. Joan Cusack, while always a little bit corky, had me smiling throughout the whole film. The back and forth between the films love interests (Kimberly and Dermot) was quite charming. It was fun to watch how Danny Glover brought out the best in his co-stars. While the parallel side mystery, kept me engaged.

The only real issue I had, was that this film had a tendency to cut short quite a few scenes. Which also gave way to a few pacing issues. There were a couple times I found myself wondering, "did I miss something?" and "how did we get here?" Yet, even with these flaws, I still found "The Christmas Train" to be an enjoyable ride!

The Christmas Train although not a true Christmas classic, is more a drama/romance film that is still decent enough to hold most filmgoers attention for the films 99 minute duration. There is something about a bunch of strangers who meet on a train that captures one's imagination and I was asking myself (and asking Mrs. Shullivan too) wouldn't that be nice to be on that Christmas train?

Of course a 4 day, 3,000 mile trip aboard the Christmas train that the published author Tom Langdon (Dermot Mulroney) was taking, with his seperate cabin that included a full desk and bed is not something most of us could ever afford, but eh' it's a movie so keep dreaming right?

I digress. Tom meets quite a few eclectic characters aboard the Christmas train including a Hollywood director named Max Powers (Danny Glover) who happened to bring along his next films screen writer a woman named Eleanor Carter (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) . From this point on a story unfolds about many of the characters aboard the Christmas train including the background stories of Tom and Eleanor.

I wouldn't say this is one of my top ten films, nor is it one of my top 100 Christmas films, because other than the train itself being called the Christmas train because it reaches its 4 day destination for Tom and Eleanor on Christmas Day, there is more a dramatic and romantic storyline than a Christmas story. Throwing in a bit of snow also doesn't make it a Christmas story. It is a decent enough film and I will rate it 6 out of 10, but I think there should be an alternate title than the Christmas Train. The title is deceiving.

If any movie is 'the worst ever', where every line of dialogue and every plot point is terrible and watching this movie will have you hating all Christmas movies I have just one question. How could anyone who honestly feels this way sit through the entire film? I join most all reviews that find this Hallmark Christmas movie a fun, good natured, good hearted effort with a better then average cast and a unique setting. I like Dermot Mulroney who plays Tom and thought there was good chemistry between his 'Tom' and Kimberly Williams-Paisley who played his lost love Eleanor. Danny Glover had a major low key role which he easily delivered. Joan Cusack and the 'fortune' teller added some needed humor and a tad of mystery.

The finale added an interesting, appreciated twist. The setting, aboard a snow bound train was welcome. So tired of car breaks down, fish out of water stuck in small town plots. Overall, this was an above average, pleasant train ride

Many reasons for see this short film ! From story, escaping from the classic recipe of Christmas film to performances ( a nice surprise remains the role of Joan Cusack ). But the precious gift is the work of Dermot Mulroney . It is his place and the his role. And the merit- in same measure- comes from his partners, first for Danny Glover and Kimberly William- Paisley . Result - a sort of Orient Express , the crime being remplaced, in lovely manner, by love.