I think on some level I actually believe it just might come out differently next time. Like a puzzle in an enigma in a conundrum.That ending is like a Mobius strip -- once you get on, you might never be able to get off again. Like a grand Escher drawing, irresistible, yet baffling.The little girl is a genuine gift all in herself, along with the Gloria Swanson viewing party. I guess that it's just that -- that there are enough pluses (the Chinese food lunch, the dad's shop) that take this movie beyond the expected Christmas fare. And I expect it will go there again this year.

Another comment said that Family Man was a better version of this film, but I disagree.Now, don't get me wrong, Family Man is a wonderful film - well acted, written, cast - BUT it is not what I consider a Christmas movie. For one thing, in that film, the children's' existence is predicated on events in the past. When the main character's "glimpse" into an alternate reality is over, there's no way it can ever, ever happen. When this movie was over, I felt depressed, sad that the kids would never get to be, and NOT in a Christmas mood.So, this movie - Comfort and Joy - fixes that problem. This is a fantastic, happy, truly Christmas movie. All the events in the "glimpse" that the main character in this film experiences happen in the future - so, when the glimpse is over, it's all still possible. When this movie was over, I felt happy and optimistic.I love this movie. I just wish they would play it more often so that I wouldn't have to keep ordering it from Netflix.

Jane (Nancy McKeon) has it all or so she thinks. She is a high-powered executive who drives a jag, has an equally well-connected boyfriend, and a wardrobe to die for. Her best friend is a working mother and they meet at the gym to discuss life's issues. Her friend advises her to consider the "whole package" of career and family and to try to find more suitable husband material than her present boyfriend. Jane laughs. However, on the way to a party on Christmas Eve, her car spins out of control and, when the 360 revolutions stop, she finds herself in a new life. She has a handsome and caring husband, two beautiful children, a station wagon and a closet-full of reasonably-priced clothing. Aghast, Jane runs to her old apartment, only to find it occupied by someone else. Having nowhere to go, she reluctantly goes back to her new family's home and tries to sort things out. Her acquired relatives go to church, help out at homeless shelters, and go ice skating. Can Jane learn to appreciate her new roles? This is a lovely movie for families to watch on any given evening, not just at holiday time. It has some good performances, good production values and great messages. How many of us get to "try out" a new path in life and discover the possibilities we may have missed? None of us do, except in a fine movie such as this one. Do you love movies that foster family values in a clean, fun way? Get yourself a copy of this one without delay.

I really liked the movie ,it is perhaps a note for people who are too much in the world and have no pity to help the old and homeless. It makes it possible for a person like Jane to change in to a good person like Sam.I think the acting in the movie is flawless and Steven Eckholdt is a very complete actor. It is certainly a thought provoking movie.Even the minute character of Sam's mother in law is full of life representing a women who thinks not beyond her materialistic world and is unhappy to see her successful daughter ending up in a life she would never choose for her.I think the understanding of the couple in the movie is serene and yes it is a movie worth watching.