Culture
Review

Christmas in the Clouds

Christianity Today November 18, 2005

I love movies with big ensemble casts—my favorite being The Royal Tenenbaums. Wes Anderson’s wonderfully weird Tenenbaum family is equal parts J.D. Salinger and Addams Family: funny, broken, human, and so idiosyncratic that you just know they’re all based on people Anderson knows in real life. They’re a pretty pitiful lot, really, but, because each of them is so uniquely characterized and so believable in their frailty, we love them anyway, in all their dysfunctional glory.

Graham Greene (right) and a host of other Native American characters carry the film
Graham Greene (right) and a host of other Native American characters carry the film

Christmas in the Clouds, the debut feature from director Kate Montgomery, is also about a dysfunctional family. These folks aren’t related by blood, though; rather, they’re a family of co-workers, each of them serving in a different capacity at a struggling ski resort. Oh, and they all happen to be Native American—an astonishingly rare moviegoing sight.

Unlike the Tenenbaums, though, many of these hotel workers come up a bit short in the personality department; in fact, for some, their ethnicity is the most interesting thing about them. Not all of them are blasĂ© —Graham Greene, for example, is a hoot as Earl, the resort’s animal-loving, vegetarian chef whose job requires him to cook and serve meat. Likewise, old chief Joe (Sam Vlahos) is an adequately mysterious, compelling figure whose voice-over narration introduces and concludes the film. Others, though, aren’t so lucky, sometimes too deeply rooted in clichĂ© s—like the bookish, romance-novel-reading clerk Mary (Sheila Tousey) and the no-nonsense, workaholic manager Ray (Tim Vahle), both of whom seem to have stepped out of made-for-TV land and onto the Big Screen.

Mariana Tosca as Tina Littlehawk&mdash
Mariana Tosca as Tina Littlehawk&mdash

This ragtag family has their world shaken up when they hear that a popular travelers’ guide is sending a critic to review their resort. Thus, Ray and his staff do everything in their power to ensure that the writer’s stay goes as smoothly as possible. Only, the person they think is the critic actually isn’t the critic at all. Mary immediately pegs Tina (Mariana Tosco), a tourist from New York, as the undercover reviewer, when in reality the writer is the cranky old curmudgeon Stu O’Malley (M. Emmet Walsh)—who, needless to say, has just about the worst hotel experience imaginable.

And the complications continue. See, Tina is actually in town to secretly scout out her pen pal, with whom she has been exchanging flirtatious letters but has never actually met. When she arrives at the hotel she assumes that the handsome Ray is her long-distance lover. In actuality, the man she’s been exchanging letters with is Joe—Ray’s father. (Hmmm … maybe these folks are as dysfunctional as the Tenenbaums.)

The requisite hijinks ensue, and to that end the film has plenty of warmth and a few big belly laughs—there’s no denying that it’s pleasant to watch. Alas, its craftsmanship leaves something to be desired. What could be a charming, offbeat ensemble comedy instead sticks to clichĂ© s and predictability, right down to the typical rom-com love story, the sometimes-ridiculous cases of mistaken identity, uninspired plot contrivances (A snowstorm? In the Rocky Mountains? No way!), and yes, even a few moments of Home Alone-style slapstick mayhem.

M. Emmet Walsh plays the travel writer Stu, a cranky old curmudgeon
M. Emmet Walsh plays the travel writer Stu, a cranky old curmudgeon

It’s bad writing, but the casting is a bit better. Though Ray and Tina—the two central characters—are both rather bland, the supporting cast hams it up, creating some guiltless humor out of the awkward script. Greene is especially funny as Earl, and Tousey does an admirable job of making a cookie-cutter character memorably goofy. Meanwhile, Vlahos is warm and friendly as Joe; we fully believe him as an old, sagely Chief who flirts with young women—thinking they’re much older, of course—and enjoys nothing more than a good game of bingo.

The most commendable thing about the film is its portrayal of Native American culture. Montgomery and her cast never go out of their way to be politically correct, to shame us into celebrating diversity, or to portray Native Americans as anything that they’re not. Rather, the film depicts regular folks leading regular lives—folks who just happen to belong to a culture that we’re not used to seeing on the silver screen. It doesn’t fall into unnecessary clichĂ© s—there’s no mention, for example, of a casino, and no characters who wear feathers or headdresses—but it also doesn’t skimp on showing us some interesting scenes of Native American life. American Indians are what they are, and this movie is honest and unbiased in its portrayal.

Tim Vahle plays Ray Clouds-on-Fire, who falls for the visiting Tina
Tim Vahle plays Ray Clouds-on-Fire, who falls for the visiting Tina

It’s worth mentioning that, while the film might sound like a good choice for family viewing, there are a few moments that might make some parents hesitant. There are a couple of rather bawdy jokes, and premarital sex between two characters is implied—perhaps even condoned. These things are not really inappropriate to the story itself—and indeed, Christmas in the Clouds is still far tamer than any comedy Hollywood has put out recently—but it seems like a shame that a movie could come so close to being family-friendly and be marred by just a few moments of mature content.

Not that it’s really that big of a loss. The film is being billed as a classic screwball romantic-comedy a la Howard Hawks and Frank Capra, but, truth be told, it’s just not nearly as interesting as the films by those two great filmmakers. The plot is just too pedestrian, the writing just too limp, and most of the characters just too boring for this to be anything more than a modestly entertaining diversion, and a noble attempt at bringing Native American culture to the Cineplex.

Talk About It

Discussion starters

  1. In what kind of light does the film portray Native American culture? Has it affected your understanding of Native Americans?
  2. Discuss Ray’s attitudes toward the restaurant critic and toward his affair with Tina. Is his perspective right or wrong?
  3. Do you think it’s possible to fall in love with someone via written correspondence, without meeting them? Why or why not?
  4. Do you think Ray’s character changes by the end of the film? How about Joe’s character? Stu O’Malley’s? In what ways have any of these characters changed?

The Family Corner

For parents to consider

Rated PG for mild sexual content and some language, the film is mostly family-friendly. The language is mild, and there’s a little Home Alone-style slapstick violence. There is a rather bawdy joke in which a mouse gets into a man’s clothing and makes it look like he has an erection. We also see Ray and Tina in bed together after having premarital sex, though no nudity is seen.

Photos © Copyright Majestic Films

Copyright © 2005 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

What Other Critics Are Saying

compiled by Jeffrey Overstreet

from Film Forum, 11/23/05

With a reputation that could earn it the nickname “My Big Fat Native American Christmas,” a 2001 film festival crowdpleaser is finally making its way to a wider release.

In Christmas in the Clouds, a college graduate takes charge of a Native American ski lodge and tries to turn it into a professional operation before a travel critic shows up to check it out. Family dynamics, offbeat employees, and a case of mistaken identity … it all sounds suspiciously like an episode of the old “Newhart” television series. But the fact that the cast is made up of Native Americans, and that the film presents a refreshingly contemporary view of Native American culture, makes this title stand out as a unique, memorable production.

Harry Forbes (Catholic News Service) says, “A largely Native American cast notwithstanding, this is basically an old-fashioned romantic comedy which, in its modest way, should help dispel misguided notions of that often stereotyped ethnic group. … With its quirky, gentle humor, this low-key story of love and forgiveness will make respectable holiday viewing.”

Mainstream critics are pleased with this mild-mannered holiday comedy.

Our Latest

Wire Story

SBC to Sell Nashville Headquarters to Cover Cost of Abuse Cases

Southern Baptists have spent down reserves with over $12 million in legal fees over the past three years.

News

Seminary Professor Accused of Secret Second Marriage

Accountability group says Vince Bantu, an expert in ancient African Christianity, is justifying adultery with an argument for polygamy. Bantu denies their claims.

These Christians Have Not Given Up on North Korea

Experts and practitioners discuss their top challenges and encouragements in serving the reclusive country.

Mobilizers See Millions of Future Missionaries in Overseas Filipino Workers

While Filipino Christians are reaching the diaspora, cross-cultural evangelism efforts face challenges.

Sports Betting Has Become Too Prevalent for Christians to Ignore

Online gambling isn’t necessarily sinful, but it’s certainly not a careful use of the wealth God has given us.

News

You Can Turn Off the News and Still Be a Good Citizen

Five experts share advice for Christians overwhelmed by the headlines

Excerpt

God at the Bottom of the Glass

An excerpt from “The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust” on discovering the hand of God in the science of his creation.

Shielded from Truth at Our Own Expense

The Bible consistently tells us we must examine ourselves and accept correction, but our culture is forgetting the art of fair critique.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube