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I must say for a comedy starring Paul Rudd and Paul Giamatti, then "All Is Bright" was somewhat of a disappointment if you look at the movie from a comedy aspect. Why? Well, because there was almost no comedy here. This was more a drama with some elements of pseudo-comedy thrown into it.

The story is about Dennis (played by Paul Giamatti) who is released from prison, only to find his wife Therese (played by Amy Landecker) having told their daughter that he is dead. And to make matters worse, she is to marry his former partner in crime Rene (played by Paul Rudd). Down on his luck and low on cash, Dennis have to bite the sour apple and go with Rene to New York City to sell Christmas trees.

Now, as much as the story is without comedy that will make you laugh, then the movie is equally stacked with an interesting story that was really well acted by the lead actors, and they really carried the movie quite nicely.

The characters in the movie were well carved out, with lots of depth, personality and characteristics, as odd as they may be. But with the talent of Rudd and Giamatti, then the audience are introduced to two very different characters, that are each individually very likable for better or worse. And together on the screen, their chemistry is just magnificent.

"All Is Bright" is well worth a watch if you enjoy a movie that is something out of the ordinary.

In Quebec, thief Dennis (Paul Giamatti) gets out on probation after 4 years in prison. He returns home to unreceptive wife Therese who wishes to marry Rene (Paul Rudd) when he finally divorces his wife. He has no prospects and no place to live. He wants to buy his daughter a piano but has no money. He pushes Dennis to take him to NYC to sell Christmas trees. Olga (Sally Hawkins) buys a tree and Dennis delivers it. He makes more money stealing.

Rudd and Giamatti are good comedic actors when the material is there for them. This is a rambling unfunny story. The duo don't develop good chemistry. Sally Hawkins has a weird Russian accent. With such talented actors, this is a failure of the writing.

'ALL IS BRIGHT': Three Stars (Out of Five)

Paul Giamatti and Paul Rudd star in this comedy-drama film that's a lot more serious (and less comedic) than I was expecting (with that pair). It's a Christmas movie about two losers from Canada trying to sell Christmas trees in New York City. It was directed by Phil Morrison (who also directed the 2005 indie critical darling 'JUNEBUG') and written by first time film writer Melissa James Gibson. It's a lot more of a downer than it looks like (in the trailers) and isn't really that funny but it is a somewhat interesting character study.

Giamatti plays an ex-convict named Dennis, who just got out of prison in Quebec, Canada. His wife, Therese (Amy Landecker) is now sleeping with another man, Rene (Rudd). She also told their daughter, Michi (Tatyana Richaud), that Dennis was dead. In order to make enough money to buy Michi a piano for Christmas Dennis agree to sell Christmas trees with Rene in New York City. Neither is especially good at the job and it's a big challenge.

For a Christmas movie and a comedy the film is pretty depressing. It's also surprisingly sad considering it stars Paul Giamatti and Paul Rudd. Giamatti does a lot of serious dramas as well as comedies but it's definitely not Rudd's usual thing (it does mark his second quirky indie film this year though, after 'PRINCE AVALANCHE' from a few moths ago). He is his usual dimwitted and easygoing self in it though and you can't help but love him (and root for him) despite his flaws. Giamatti is definitely less likable in the movie and is pretty hard to like but both of their characters have their hearts in the right place. If you're expecting big laughs this isn't the movie for you but it is a decent emotional buddy film.

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Having never heard of this film but stumbling upon it and decided it looked interesting enough to warrant a view. The plot is relatively simple yet somewhat engaging- we seem to be interested in both lead characters actions from the start.

However this film is not such a covert as people may be expecting. It is not another "Bad Santa" type. It is more so depressing and at times dull. The chemistry is decent as are the acting but the film doesn't seem to go anywhere within its climax. Ultimately what we get is a depressing and disappointing ending.

Phil Morrison blazed onto the scene with Junebug (2005) and managed to introduce the cinematic world to the blissful abilities with Oscar- nominated actress Amy Adams. With a near eight year stretch, he has finally taken his directorial chair yet again to bring the whimsical and fascinating Almost Christmas with Paul Giamatti and Paul Rudd.

The film opens up with Dennis (Giamatti), a recently released ex-convict that learns that his now ex-wife has told their daughter that he died in prison. To make matters worse, his partner-in-crime Rene is now dating her with intentions of marriage. With no job, home, or any real place to go, Rene's guilt partners with Dennis' opportunities and the two French Canadians embark on a trip to New York City to sell Christmas trees just before the holidays. During the daily antics and struggle to sell, eat, and sleep out of a wooden trailer, a dentist's wife (Sally Hawkins) presents a possible opportunity for them to learn more than just the meaning of the holidays.

Paul Giamatti continues to elevate himself to one of the greatest working actors today. As Dennis, he's utterly believable and encounters a new side of himself as an actor that is both funny and completely genuine. Giamatti's dedication to the craft allows him to continue to do what he normally achieves with all of his off-beat characters that are dreadful on the inside with a kind core that the audience can easily access.

As Rene, Paul Rudd continues his attempt at off-beat comedies on the independent circuit and presents himself as a very capable and gifted actor. His performance, which naturally brings many of the film's biggest laughs, is one of the Rudd's most surprising portrayals to date. Rudd shows vulnerability, skill, and a promise of a very endearing and powerful performance somewhere in his future. While the role is not a full-out home-run for the actor, he is more than average and presents some of the film's beautiful highlights.

Written by Melissa James Gibson, Almost Christmas is an incredibly original concept with a slight twist on a genre you may feel like you've seen before. The actions and story temperature are unhurried and at times cold, but ultimately is what makes the film succeed. There are some off-beat choices in character behaviors and an unrelated qualm about how someone should act in firm situations, but for a first-time screenwriter, it's a great plateau for her to step off. Gibson has only been credited as a writer on the show, "The Americans." She constructs authentic characterizations and gives them all an identity for the actor's to latch onto.

Golden Globe Winner Sally Hawkins is amazingly charming and wondrous in her role. With her delightful and appealing accent partnered with her cutely delivered monologue about "Fortune of Wheel," it's another strong turn from the gifted actress that has yet to take off in the big Hollywood manner as of yet. Hawkins is absolutely hilarious.

Phil Morrison's direction and choices aren't as bold or as inventive as his styles in Junebug. The story doesn't lend itself to those traits that made him a quiet sensation in the mid-2000s. He lends himself to a more defined genre of filmmaking that doesn't go for the big moments or audience reactions. It's a undemanding yet solid directorial work. The film's narrative is paced at a leisured speed, which may take some out of the story. It does take a minute to lift off but when it gets going, Almost Christmas has you hooked. It's a fine film event for movie-goers and a possible contender for year-end citations by independent groups.

Oscar CHANCES: Lead Actor for Paul Giamatti, Supporting Actress for Sally Hawkins, Original Screenplay for Melissa James Gibson

Read More @ The Awards Circuit (http://www.awardscircuit.com

I turned this on due to the actors and the description of comedy. There were zero funny moments in the movie. Very confused about what I just saw.

I'm a huge Christmas movie buff and I don't normally do dark Christmas movies (like Bad Santa), so I was prepared to hate this movie, especially after seeing the low scores on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes, but I'm a huge fan of both Pauls, so I decided to see for myself. I didn't hate it, and in fact, I actually enjoyed it - although I'm not sure WHY. Heheh. Paul Giamatti's character is a no-good thief, but that's what was interesting too me - he can't change and doesn't REALLY try to, even though he keeps saying he has (to his estranged wife), but he truly loves his daughter, so he's not ALL bad. In the end, the screenplay isn't very good, the joyful Christmas soundtrack often doesn't fit the dreary scenes, but the three main actors, Paul, Paul and Sally Hawkins are all very good. Paul Rudd still struggles in the drama department, but this MIGHT be the best I've seen him with it. Recommended for fans of the actors and/or dark Christmas movies.

"Season's Greetings from Canada." After being released from prison Dennis (Giamatti) returns home to see his kid he is surprised when he finds out his wife told the daughter he was dead. Things get worse when he finds out his ex crime partner Rene (Rudd) is now dating his wife. Looking for work Dennis joins Rene on a trip to New York City to sell Christmas trees. The trip not only forces them to deal with the present circumstances but winds up affecting the lives of everyone involved. First of all even though this is about selling trees I would not call this a Christmas movie. Going into this I was excited because I love Paul Giamatti and think Paul Rudd is underrated. While the movie is good and the acting is great as expected it is very depressing. This is a movie that I can't really talk about what is going on too much because it will give something away but just know that you see the full arc of Dennis from happiness of being released to happiness with himself. If you are a Giamatti fan you will like this but don't expect a happy Christmas movie at all. Overall, great acting and worth seeing but don't be shocked if you are sad when its over. I give it a B.

Paul Giamatti and Paul Rudd in a film also known as Almost Christmas and you expect a festive comedy and instead you get this dreary downer.

Giamatti is Dennis, a small time crook in Canada just out of prison who had found his best friend has shacked up with his wife and his daughter was told that her father had died.

Paul Rudd plays the buddy Rene and in order to survive Christmas and buy Dennis's daughter a piano they go to New York to sell Christmas trees and it seems they are not good at that. Dennis befriends a Russian lady who helps him out by giving him selling tips. Dennis and Rene who do not sound like Canadians especially French-Canadians bicker and argue and get into scrapes.

The film meanders, is very dull without an ounce of comedy. It really is a feel bad festive film.

All is Bright (2013) doesn't really appear to stand out as a great movie in any sense. It has a simple storyline, that is more obscure, but, still has a lot of randomness and boring conclusions.

The acting, especially the main characters (Rudd and Giamatti) were decent. They play ex-thieves who go to New York to sell Christmas trees. The supporting cast (Hawkins and Landecker) were good, and their characters play symbolic roles, and this can be seen in the different ways they behave toward Dennis (Giamatti).

The audio was rather apt, with a variety of piano solo's to indicate the mood, with overlaying images to reinforce said mood. The overall imagery was a bit lacking, but did it's part in trying to arouse sympathy for the main characters.

So far, these were the enjoyable parts of the film. The downside for me was... the plot, the weak connections drawn, the lack of explanation for certain tasks throughout the film, and the simple conclusion at the end. The symbolism of the various characters and of the objects (piano, ringtone) show an attempt at trying to build a deeper film, but sadly did not achieve what I was hoping it would. I wouldn't say the film is disappointing, but it doesn't have anything to make it stand out, very similar to Prince Avalanche (starring Rudd). 6/10, as it could've been something much better, had there been a deeper storyline developed, as well as adequate attention paid to detail.

Review: I was wondering why this film took so long to get released but now that I've seen it, I can understand why. Watching 2 down and outs, selling Christmas trees for nearly 2 hours, became pretty boring after a while and the other added elements to the storyline wasn't that great. Its about 2 small time thieves who are separated when a job goes wrong and one of them end up in jail for 4 years. While Dennis (Paul Giamatti) is in jail, his partner in crime, Rene (Paul Rudd), falls in love with Dennis's girlfriend and they plan to marry behind his back. When Dennis is finally released from jail, he hopes to get back with his girlfriend and promises to be a better father to there little daughter but she is fed up with his antics and she comes clean about her relationship with his friend. He then confronts Rene and they end up in a little punch up but he still needs a job because he has become homeless so he joins Rene in the Christmas tree selling business. Although he is unhappy about his relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Dennis is determined to get enough money to buy a piano for his daughter, so they sell as much trees that they can while Rene is waiting for his divorce to come through, so he can marry Therese (Amy Landecker). After a slow start, there Christmas tree business goes down a storm but there earnings are stolen from them so there plans for the money goes totally out of the window. They then join forces to steal a piano from one of there wealthy customers. I really struggled to stay awake through this film because the tone was quite glum and it took ages to get going. There are a couple of amusing moments, like when Dennis confronted Rene about his relationship with his girlfriend but it started to drag after a while. I'm usually a fan of Paul Giamatti's work but this film has to go down as a bad day at the office, which might explain why it took nearly 3 years to get released. Anyway, I'm sure that this film will pop up around the Christmas period because of its theme but I personally didn't think it was that great. Disappointing!

Round-Up: After loads of comedic roles, Paul Rudd, 46, has finally made a name for himself with the movie Ant-Man. He's played many cameo roles in movies like the Anchorman I & II, the 40 Year Old Virgin, This Is The End, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Knocked Up and he's played major roles in films like Prince Avalanche, Wanderlust, This Is 40, Our Idiot Brother and Dinner For Schmucks but I still think that he was a weird choice for Ant-Man. I'll have to see the movie before I comment on his performance! Anyway, the chemistry between Rudd and Giamatti was OK but they just kept on bickering with each other, which became a bit tedious after a while. The movie was directed by Phil Morrison who brought you Junebug in 2005. Apart from that, he hasn't got that much experience behind the camera so I wasn't that surprised with the outcome. As this movie didn't get a major release, I doubt that it will damage Giamatti or Rudd's careers and I can't see myself watching again, anytime soon.

I recommend this movie to people who are into their drama/comedies starring Paul Giamatti, Paul Rudd, Sally Hawkins and Amy Landecker. 3/10

The acting in this is A+...but i Watched it thinking it was a comedy, there are no more funny scenes than you'd see in any serious film. Maybe the studio felt they couldn't market it as just a drama due to Paul Rudd?? I don't know, but there's nothing funny about any of the themes of this (family, loss, poverty.) and they don't really try to make it funny either.

I stuck around through it all because it was a very well acted film. I will also say the script is very weak. There is nothing that you'll much remember ...which sucks to say because Paul and Paul both were wonderful in it. The script seems to be all over the place though.

8/10 as a drama 0/10 as a comedy

So I feel 6 is more than fair.

A rare movie that doesn't portray struggling poor people as linguistically-challenged, trash-dressing, immoral gun-wielding drunk meth-heads. And as no-nonsense sensitive as you might expect from Phil Morrison, the director of 'Junebug', and Melissa James Gibson, the writer of many 'House of Cards' episodes. So refreshingly real, and so much talent on all sides, actors included. Of course, Paul Giamatti and Paul Rudd are great as always, as is British Sally Hawkins (see Mike Leigh's 'Happy-Go-Lucky', Woody Allen's 'Blue Jasmine', etc.), playing a Polish immigrant with a heart as big as her accent. The final scenes may seem a bit of a positive stretch, but you're sure ready for one by then, and movies do need to provide us a little fantasy, or else, what's the point?

watched ALL IS BRIGHT ...a light but touching Drama with occasional ting of digestible Comedy...thanks to its clear plot the film doesn't get tangled within...also its talented cast executed their job perfectly...the story is a little slow in the start but it gets its pace after 20mins(it didn't suck though) its a good film it entertains you but nothing more...I guess its one of the best Christmas themed movie(although that wasn't the intent of the makers_ I guess)....as a Family Film its a MUST WATCH ....if you are forever alone(/watcher)its still WORTH A WATCH ....but again All IS BRIGHT for the family cause this kind of films come occasionally(or rarely nowadays)

Paul Giamatti plays the lead role in this dark comedy as Dennis, a small time crook which comes out of Canadian prison after four years, just to find his best friend having moved in with his woman and daughter, and above that; they've told the daughter that he has died of some horrible kind if cancer. With no home and no family he is to survive Christmas. To finance he goes together with his best friend go to New York to sell, Christmas trees.

Giamatti is great as a criminal. He looks like he is gonna snap every second, and is not very far from doing some criminal stunt. He's one the verge, you could say. Every time his friend gets a phone call...

But there's obvious problems too. The music score is awful! Played in live somewhere, and should be acting as a good back ground, but it's annoyingly bad, and tedious, as well as misfired. Sad and tragic, and adds to the despair.

It's a good plot, but the film is quite too slow for it's own good. This kind of comedies I've seen so much better from the Coen-brothers, or by Norwegian directors like Hans Petter Moland, Pål Sletaune, Rune Denstad Langlo or Jens Lien. The timing in this is not the same, but still there's some entertainment to find here.

It's a rather pitiful Christmas story, and I had to stop watching three times because it was so boring, and annoyingly unhappy. I wouldn't recommend this, if your not a fan of Giamatti.

Don't watch this if you're out for a Happy Christmas story, because it's a bleak one, both film and Christmas that is.

I hate that the protagonist is a macho bad character who thinks he's a smartass, even when he has the lovely charisma of Paul Giamatti, like a "thief who steals a thief", but without 100 years of forgiveness. I loved the outcome, I really couldn't cheer for them, but I managed to feel sorry, despite the trickery, he really tried, but the deplorable behavior didn't help...

Not exactly filled with Xmas spirit and hardly a positive message to send, though 'All Is Bright' - or 'Almost Christmas', as it is known in my neck of the woods - is still somehow worth a watch I'd say.

Paul Giamatti puts in a good performance, he is certainly the film's standout in my opinion. Paul Rudd is there alongside him, though, and is also a plus point. I also like Sally Hawkins in this, even though her questionable accent takes a little while to get used to. Elsewhere, it's neat seeing Colman Domingo involved - albeit in a minor role.

It's an odd one, at least for the genre it is attached to. It's moreso a tale at Christmas, rather than a Christmas tale. One I did just narrowly enjoy.