Product Description

Studio: Lions Gate Home Ent. Release Date: 09/09/2008 Run time: 102 minutes Rating: Nr

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16832 in DVD
• Brand: Lions Gate
• Released on: 2007-12-04
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 102 minutes

Customer Reviews

Random Acts of Kindness: A Little Christmas Story
MIDNIGHT CLEAR is an easily overlooked film: the cover of the DVD is bleak, the description of the story sounds a bit corny, and the promotion of the film has been scant. But what is not expected for those viewers able to overcome the above negative aspects is a well-made little series of interlocking vignettes that poignantly address the impact of random acts of kindness in a world grown calloused. It is touching in the best sense of the word and well worth watching even beyond the Christmas season.

The unnamed town gradually opens windows to some fairly sad people: an elderly woman Eva (K Callan) talks with her doctor on the telephone about her meds and we note that she may be facing the thought of suicide in her desolate life; a sweet woman Mary (Mary Thornton) and her young son Jacob (Dominic Scott Kay) visit their brain damaged husband/father in a rest home (the man was critically injured in an auto accident one year ago); a lonely many Kirk (Kirk B.R. Woller) stands in his isolated convenience store without patrons; a longtime drunk and lonely ex-husband Lefty (Stephen Baldwin) is fired from his menial job, despite a recent promotion, because of his consistent tardiness; Mitch (Mitchell Jarvis) works with kids for a church to assuage his guilt for having survived the auto accident that devastated Mar's husband's life, reluctantly agreeing to his pastor (Richard Fancy) to take his youth group caroling to the shut-ins on Christmas Eve.

Each of these characters influences the others by a seeming random act of kindness: Kirk helps Mary and Jacob with their broken car, Eva is given a meals on wheels by a church lady (Victoria Jackson), Mitch and his carolers provide some needed money by means of a token gift that will allow Lefty and Eva to attend Christmas Eve Service, and Eva's 'meals on wheels' ends up providing midnight food for Kirk and Mary and Jacob. Writer Wes Halula and director Dallas Jenkins carve a story that, though at times suggests it may become cloying, is genuinely touching. The cast, especially Baldwin and Callan, is excellent, and each of the characters is well developed, leaving the viewer with a sense of a morality tale we sorely need. Instead of a big booming Hollywood finish, the film simply tapers off with suggestions of the importance of selfless acts that can make a difference. It is well worth watching, especially now, and especially during the Christmas season. Grady Harp, December 07

Bleak Christmas
Midnight Clear is truly a bleak Christmas that parrellels what is happening in today's society

A recently homeless and jobless loser named lefty, an ill senior citizen estranged from her family, a mother of one son dealing with her husband's brain damage from an accident, a gas station owner stuck in a job and location he hates, and a youth pastor feeling irrelevant face depression and loneliness on Christmas Eve. As they cross paths and experience random and minor acts of kindness, their lives are changed forever

This film, based on a story by Jerry (Left Behind books) Jenkins
is not a happy Disney-like motion picture. So if you want that, this film isnt for you. I know this is a small film. The DVD has heart and pulls on your heartstrings, but it is bleak and very depressing for a Christmas movie

However this is a great showcase for actor Stephen Baldwin. His character range goes from simple depression to rage to fear.

The ending of this DVD is weak at best, because there is little resolved at the end of this film. I felt empty with little cinematic payoff

Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD

Midnight Clear
"Midnight Clear" was directed by Dallas Jenkins, son of Jerry B Jenkins, who also produced and wrote the story the film is based on. I'm not a fan of Jenkins Sr and expected a rather preachy Christian film. I was wrong, almost.

Stephen Baldwin gives a suprisingly good performance as divorced, unemployed and homless Lefty, and K Callan is even better as the lonely widow Eve. The rest of the cast is a mixed bunch. The story is about loneliness and kindness and some scenes are very good, others weaker. The ending, while optimistic, is especially weak. It didn't feel true to the rest of the movie and this keeps me from giving it a higher rating. Not all problems are solved by going to church.

Overall, this is a pretty good movie, certainly much better than I expected. It's a rare example of a Christian themed movie that is not preachy and can be enjoyed by both Christian and non-Christians.