I do like dark/bleak comedies, but this just takes too long and does not have enough to tell. Don't get it twisted, this is not a family picture nor your typical Christmas movie, which I all knew going in and you should too. The story does not just happen to be around Christmas time though, it's supposed to be that way, to show us what happens behind close doors and the other side of Christmas (see also Neighbors and their "way" of celebrating).The humor is not lost to me, but the message is not sufficient enough to warrant the running time. There are a lot of long pauses that are supposed to enhance the "message", but only succeed in stopping the movie in its tracks. The performances are good enough, but the characters do not have much to say other than the central message. A few nice set pieces (see Neighbors) are not enough to help elevate this. There are worse movies, but this misses out on a couple of things too

This story just happens to take place during the Christmas season ! ! It is not a Christmas story for family viewing during the holidays - and thank 'Gawd' for that. Forget the reviews that can't seem to grasp this important element of the plot.This is a story that makes a wonderful statement about how Christmas is seen as all happiness and bright lights and celebration. Christmas is something we do - nobody lives the message. People still live their public and private life. People are seldom what they seem to be and that is the story of this film. It is all about Suzanne Barrington's journey in learning this lesson.Suzanne is innocent. She thinks all is well with her marriage and her husband is the wonderful man he is when with her. After the "tragedy" Suzanne discovers all is not happiness and bright lights with her husband. And since she loved him she goes on a journey into his secret life to try to understand the man she was married to. How could he be all sweetness and surprises when with her yet at the same time have a stripper pole dancer drug user as his mistress. The only way Suzanne can gain insight into her husband's mind is to go live his secret life. This she cannot do because she is not him!Suzanne also learns another truth about her sweet as sugar neighbors, and tries to fit in but she cannot! This story is all Suzanne's journey into trying to find her place in life after too many ugly truths fall upon her at a time of year when beauty and hope and false illusion surround all of us.This is fine cinema and fine acting by all ! !

Jeff and Suzanne seem to be happy living in Virginia near Christmas time. Jeff has a new job starting in January, and they enjoy each other's company deeply. Suzanne comes home one day before Christmas to find Jeff on the floor with his head bashed in.The police investigation seems rather light and inept at the beginning. Things pick up a bit after Suzanne starts combing through the files and web addresses on Jeff's computer.Suzanne decides to meet some of the girls that Jeff knew. Fantasia is one of the dancers. Suzanne starts into shoplifting, as well as cocaine use. Neither of these serves her well. Her old set of friends prove to be less normal afterward. Eventually, though, she starts to get information about Jeff's secret life: lap dances, cocaine use, and his other love interests.Her excursion into getting to know the neighbors is not too damaging. Then again, it was not beneficial for Suzanne.Does Suzanne connect the dots? Does she seek help with the police? Will she survive the neighbors, or her Internet Christmas-sadness buying spree? -----Scores-----Cinematography: 5/10 From overexposure to underexposure to faux blondes to terrible makeup, the sets and lighting were poor.Sound: 7/10 The actors were miked OK. The incidental music was crappy, but then again, that's pretty much what the story was about: crappy situations.Acting: 4/10 I almost liked the performance of Anna Margaret Hollyman, but not any of the many others.Screenplay: 4/10 There was nothing funny about this film. It should not be billed as a comedy.

What you need to know ahead of any spoilers, you can pretty much surmise the "adult nature" of some scenes from the cover of a Christmas tree made out of lines of cocaine. The plot will still surprise you, but you'll have a warning. Also, do not watch this movie with your in-laws and probably not your parents either. It's an independent movie and while the lead actress is great and the camera is close on her face for what seems like most of the movie; she carries it off. Some scenes start with that awkward pause that happens in low budget movies, like the actors are still waiting for their cue. Sets are sparsely decorated and all shot on location in small homes, etc. The pacing and transition could have been better. It seemed to jump from scene to scene and many scenes suffer from a lack of a second camera angle. If all that puts you off, then don't watch this one. If you are looking for some originality in storytelling do watch. Another strong point is the sense of place. I've lived in Northern Virginia and even Crystal City briefly and the movie captures not just the suburban nature, but the specific Southern, East Coast conservative style of the area.**SPOILERS** The lead character prefers dressing in beige, loves to shop, sells real estate, takes comfort in decorating for the holidays, and it would have been so easy to create a stereotype of a naive and uptight person. The shock value of the sex and drugs would have been even greater, but I think that would have been a much more simplistic movie. Instead we don't think of her wild behavior as a reaction to some repressed urges, but as part of whatever her grief process is. Maybe her actions are hard to understand, but not impossible. Also, I wanted more scenes with the news anchor and her husband. They were out way too soon. Overall, the originality of the lead character and the fact that the emotional focus of the story did not get lost in the craziness of the scenes overcomes its lack of production values.