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Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage Our rating: Rate this movie   MPAA rating: PG (for language, some suggestive content and smoking) Genre: Comedy, Drama by Lionsgate Entertainment Directed by: Michael Campus Runtime: 1 hour 43 minutes Cast: Jared Padalecki (Thomas Kinkade), Marcia Gay Harden (Maryann Kinkade), Peter O'Toole (Glen Wessler), Aaron Ashmore (Pat Kinkade), Geoffrey Lewis (Butch), Chris Elliot (Ernie Trevor), Charlotte Rae (Vesta), Ed Asner (Sidney Marvin), Richard Burgi (Bill Kinkade), Kiersten Warren (Tanya Kapinski), Richard Moll (Big Jim) Related: Talk About It/Family Corner

Thomas Kinkade has become a very rich man selling his paintings, many of them to Christians. But many believers also dismiss the work of the "Painter of Light" as commercial kitsch, and anything but real art. So when I was assigned Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage, a straight-to-DVD film releasing today, some of my friends and co-workers reacted as if I was reviewing the bottom of the film barrel.

Throw out your preconceptions, because the movie's actually not bad. Christmas Cottage has its charm, and certainly isn't the mess many would expect.

Jared Padalecki as Thomas Kinkade

Produced by Kinkade and his wife Nanette, the film is "inspired by true events," depicting a pivotal story from the painter's college years. It's Christmas break at Berkley in 1977, and a young Thom (Jared Padalecki of TV's Supernatural and Gilmore Girls) heads home to Placerville with younger brother Pat (Aaron Ashmore of TV's Smallville) to visit their mother, Maryann (Marcia Gay Harden).

Unfortunately, times have been hard on the small town's tourist industry, and Maryann faces potential foreclosure on her home. So the Kinkade brothers decide to help out by getting jobs for the season, in hopes of raising enough to save the family cottage. Pat finds work stringing up Christmas lights with Big Jim (Richard Moll of TV's Night Court), while Thom accepts a job from smarmy town mayor Ernie Trevor (Chris Elliot) to paint a mural of Placerville.

It's the sort of story that we already know the ending to (or at least we think we do). Maryann must come to terms with her pride and feelings of helplessness, even though she's clearly beloved by the town as the volunteer church choir director, responsible for staging the annual Christmas pageant. Bickering neighbors who seem intent on ruining Christmas over their petty disagreements will somehow rediscover the spirit of Christmas. Even Thom will discover his calling and inspiration as an artist, thanks to the tutelage and support of his neighbor Glen Wessler (Peter O'Toole in a role inspired by real-life artist and mentor Glen Wessels).

Richard Burgi as Bill Kinkade, Aaron Ashmore as Pat Kinkade

Whether or not you're a fan of Kinkade's work is really beside the point. This is more a story about the artist's youth and the people in his life than the details of his career or his specific paintings. His mural says more about the town than it does his skills as an artist. The only significant nod to Kinkade's destiny as the Painter of Light comes through an inspirational explanation from Glen, focusing on the beauty and light of life instead of the sorrow and darkness of death.

As a Christmas story, yes, it's a bit hokey and predictable. But it's also funny, oftentimes surprisingly so since the humor is so hit and miss. One scene may feel forced, but then the next can be laugh-out-loud. For example, Big Jim is regularly shown squabbling with his neighbors, trying to outdo their front lawn Christmas decorations—just when you think their competition is too goofy or over the top, the film manages a funny reaction or aside that makes it work.

You could say the tone of this movie is a direct reflection of writer Ken LaZebnik's résumé—he's best known as a regular writer for Touched by an Angel and developing the story to A Prairie Home Companion. Similarly, Christmas Cottage juggles between inspirational schmaltz and small town humor not unlike Garrison Keillor. (Director Michael Campus' career is spotty at best.)

Thom meets with Glen Wessler (Peter O'Toole)

Despite Kinkade's faith background and his marketability to Christians, this is not a "Christian" movie. The film was made by secular studio Lionsgate, with a bigger production budget than most Christian films. It's on par with the average made-for-TV movie. Plus, there's something to be said for the fun cast of classic character actors from film and television, including Geoffrey Lewis, Richard Burgi, and Ed Asner, in addition to those already mentioned.

There's also the issue of the content—lots of PG-grade profanity, though not nearly as bad as your average PG-13 film. The film also contains some sensuality and light innuendo, most of it by two other key characters: Mayor Trevor's bombshell girlfriend Tanya (Kiersten Warren) and Thom's deadbeat dad Bill (Burgi).

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