This Yuletide comedy drama isn't drastically different from the multitudes of other Christmas TV movies out there, but this one is just a little different and special somewhere to me. It's grown on me over the years and I've strangely found myself watching it every year around December, it gives me the kind of strong, wholesome old-fashioned warm genuine Christmas feeling that really seems to be one of the things that are harder to grasp the older one gets, it certainly isn't something I get very often from movies like this. When I was a little boy, I used to think that Christmas was so super-magical, the tree, putting up the tinsel, participating in the school festivities and making silly colourful cards, the snow when there used to actually be real snow in England, and hoping for certain gifts when the big day came... It all made me feel so happy and just seemed like proof that the world could be a bright happy place, when I'd feel sad as a kid I could just talk about what Christmas to cheer myself up! So, this film isn't what I'd call overly sappy and it doesn't have the kind of TV drama that's eye-rollingly melodramatic, and while it's nothing amazing, it just didn't feel so formulaic and worked for me and I loved it, it was heartwarming. I liked the woman and her kid and their relationship together, they seemed like a real mother and little son. I also liked how effectively it establishes how they're going to have to make do with a threadbare Christmas because they didn't have much, it made them more relatable. I thought Howard Hesseman was brilliant and a real hoot as the eccentric rich old man with the answer to her prayers as he hires her as a chauffeur to drive him around New York on Christmas Eve while causing a media sensation with the random drive by acts of wild generosity by throwing wads of money to all around him for no other reason than sheer manic kindness and to spread the joy! All of the scenes where he does that really tickled me and made me smile because if there was ever one thing to really get any ground going anywhere, ever, it would be the prospect of free money! He is for all intents and purposes this movie's Santa Claus, and while he does have an ulterior motive in helping her it's nothing sinister or too heavy.. The story does indeed get kind of crazy a bit at the end and I don't care for the trite romance subplot that's thrown in, but it's all harmless sweet fun and it projects a good image and theme of Christmas joy and family togetherness and of things turning out all right in the end, and it has an endearing tone that I can only describe as cosy, it's just a very nice uplifting picture to lighten the mood around the icy year's end. Thanks everyone, happy happy holidays! X

This movie is definitely worth watching, once anyways. Andrea Roth has a great presence and really makes it worthwhile. Howard Hesseman is great and lively as one reviewer described as a kind "kook". Remembered Yannick Bisson from Sue Thomas FBI (His mannerisms so remind me of James Elliot from JAG). Absolutely love the boys part- he plays a disappointed kid.Hesseman is actually Roth's biological father and she doesn't know it. He hires her as a chauffeur and distributes 100 dollar bills throughout New York City. This is kind of strange, but Hesseman is so good at it. Yannick is a reporter and gets involved in broadcasting the events.Not sure if the chauffeur thing really worked (the silly uniform anyways). The writers/directors could have done a much better job of revealing the relationship between Roth and Hesseman in a more effective way. It was just kind of thrown out there.

It seems that Christmas films are on every Cable Channel from November -December. Many film titles "Sound alike". Many films share the same type of story lines. I think I have seen 3 Rip-Off version of "Groundhog Day" last year alone. Also I notice is many "Class Reunion" films take place around the Holidays. (Who would really plan a class reunion at Christmas time?) I have seen many version of "A Christmas Carol" and Frankly the best version of that story was the 1938 MGM VERSION. Today film studios no longer make films about real people. It seems that only films they make are about "Vampires" "Hobbits" "Wizards" "Superheroes" or "Tarzan". Well anyway my review: On Christmas Eve, A struggling single parent Shannon McManus (Andrea Roth) is stuck driving around a wealthy and eccentric millionaire client (Howard Hesseman) who is giving away large sums of money. Why? Who is he? One hungry reporter sets out to find who is this "Secret Santa"? I need to add that this film has very plausible dialog. The story is a little far-fetched but it is really well done. By only complaint is the ending felt a little flat. Had this been a theatrical film that ending would most likely re-worked! Howard Hessman carries the film and Andrea Roth more than holds her own. The film is family safe and the story is about family and the hard choices we have to make throughout life. Kids might get bored but if you find this film popping up on TV watch it! If you love Christmas Time you will love this film!

This is a cute, mostly lighthearted Christmas movie that premiered on Lifetime last night.Andrea Roth stars as Shannon, a chauffeur and single mother, who has to leave her son with a babysitter on Christmas Eve, because she has to drive an older rich man around in a limo. Fred, the rich man (played by Howard Hesseman), is an eccentric who gives away money (literally throwing dollars in the air) wherever he goes. As the movie proceeds, conflict ensues after a reporter (played by Yannick Bisson) interviews Fred and we learn a secret he has kept for a long time.I enjoyed this movie on the whole. It reminds me of so many other made-for-TV Christmas movies out there. It is a tale of forgiveness around the holidays, and also sort of a love story. I recommend it (if you like made-for-TV Christmas movies).