Fallen Angel

Terry McQuinn (Gary Sinese)'s father takes care of the Wentworth family's summer place Serenity Cottage in Rosepoint, Maine. He recalls a time 30 years ago as a kid when Charles Wentworth brought his family for an unusual Christmas visit. On a snowy road after delivering gifts to the hospital, Charles killed a woman and child in an accident. He became despondent, and his wife leaves him taking their daughter. He would work at the hospital until he's gone. Terry constantly clashed with his father and struck out on his own. He returns home from California after 20 years when his father dies. He meets Charles' brother Warren (Gordon Pinsent). He reconnects with Charles's daughter Katherine Wentworth (Joely Richardson) after 30 years who arrives with her adopted blind daughter but she doesn't remember her time in Rosepoint.

The movie takes a bit too long to get to Joely Richardson and even longer to get her together with Gary Sinese. It has a slow sad tone. This is more of a relationship movie between Terry and his dead father as well as Katherine and her father. It's also a very haunting movie. If the movie has more Joely Richardson, this would be more of a tear jerker. This is a sweet melodrama performed well by excellent actors.

I saw this movie and enjoyed it very much. The way it was made was unique in how that young Terry and Katherine were in a car accident and then after when as as adults the way Terry recognized Katherine. I liked the way Terry explained to Katherine how he knew her and told her about her dad and how her and her dad met each other. It really meant very much to me.

I viewed this movie tonight 12-19-04 and thought it was very well directed. I was awestruck at the acting by Jordy Benatter. I am not familiar with this actress, but if she isin't blind in real life she is one great actress. This movie had everything, sadness, joy, highs and lows. It will keep anybody that likes great family movies glued to their seats.

I have never wrote a comment before on any movies, but this one just tugged at my heart. I will recommend this movie to all my friends and ask them after the film how they enjoyed it. I am sure I will get very favorable comments from all. Give this movie at least 9 stars out of ten.

7.4 stars.

There is a whole lot of really touching and moving subject matter in 'Fallen Angel', and it has potential for greatness. Unfortunately, it misses the mark of a great film. It has a few poignant moments, but never attains greatness. Why not great? First of all the back story is somewhat jumbled, leaving us wondering what is happening and what is the main focus. Is this about him and his father's relationship, or about a customer's family, or a character study on becoming a man amidst the struggles of an absentee father, or maybe how people handle guilt? It feels like the theme of the film doesn't hit the spot until near the very end. Generally, the audience should detect the point of any story sometime in the first act, if not early in the second. In this case, we are late in the fourth act before realizing this is about a woman and her daughter being fulfilled. To me it seemed the whole time this was about the protagonist male (Sinise) but it's really not about him at all. He's more like a figure narrating from the sidelines, but is also pivotal in bringing cohesion to all the scattered components. His backstory is inconsequential to the audience's interpretation of what is important. They should have had the sweet little girl (daughter of lead female) be the narrator sometime in the future as she is retelling the story of a man who found a woman after 30 years of silence and regret.

I say 7.4 stars for the acting and drama aspects, but the entertainment value was compromised by the confusion and lack of direction.

I've seen this movie 3 times over the years, at Christmastime. It has a melancholy tone that sets it apart from the usual saccharine, hyper, nasal, peroxided, alternate universe movies served up at Christmastime on TV. It ends on a heartwarming note.

I liked the backstory, the scenery, the inclusive casting, the weight Gary Sinese gave to the piece every time he was on screen (which is pretty much the whole movie).

The weakest part is the woman who is too coy, with Princess Diana doe-eyed silliness, and a manner of speaking that makes her seem mentally challenged.

The fact that I could watch it 3 times over the years speaks well of the overall product, however. It is rare for me to watch one of these Christmas moves even once, let alone 3 times!