Three Wise Women (2010)

Crappy film

I saw this movie before reading any reviews, and I thought it was very funny. I was very surprised to see the overwhelmingly negative reviews this film received from critics.

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

I wondered when someone would think of a movie plot that brought people out of the past and future together with the present. Well, "Three Wise Women" is such a film. That it's the same person at three different periods in Liz/Ellie/Beth's life only adds to the bizarre aspects of this sci-fi fantasy. By its title and time of the year this is supposed to be a Christmas movie. But in reality, it's a far-fetched fantasy plot that is more sci-fi than Christmas (think of "Back to the Future," "Doctor Who," etc.). The film starts out with the date 2040 and all kinds of traffic in the sky. This is the old Hollywood approach to showing futuristic developments. Then it bounces back to 1989 - before the Internet. Then forward another 16 years. All of this time travel is allowed - outside of the screenplay calling for it of course, by the power of a guardian angel. Naturally, as with other modern renditions of angels, this one has to be funny and frustrated. It's hard to judge the acting in this TV movie because of the far-out plot and all the bouncing around. The screenplay is terrible. One thing that stands out as not being very accurate is the make-up for Dr. Liz (played by Amy Huberman). The film repeatedly shows her not sleeping at night. Yet she looks to be a beauty queen each day. Anyone who misses that much sleep is going to show big shadows under the eyes and have a lack of energy -- no matter how much coffee they drink. The idea that this film is a modern rendition of Charles Dickens's "Christmas Carol" is laughable. This isn't an old-fashioned type of Christmas film by any stretch of the imagination. It fits in that category of romance films released during the holiday season. It's not a very good movie - I watched it only because it came in a multi-film DVD purchase.

I really enjoyed this movie, perfect to watch with the family when I was home for the holidays. I thought a great cast, the always fantastic Fionnula Flanagan, Johnathan Rhyes Davies, Hugh O'Conor, Brendan Patricks and the young lead who plays Liz, Amy Huberman.What more would you want than guardian angels helping out at Christmas? Especially when the lead character, Liz, has a wedding set for around the holidays to the wrong guy. Everyone else can see it but her. Lots of textures to this film, we see the lead in the past as Ellie,Lauren Coe, as she is in the present Liz, played by Amy Huberman and then in the future as Beth, played by Fionnula Flanagan. I loved the romantic element of this movie, will Liz marry the wrong guy or Mr. Right? Then there is her family situation. Liz has never forgiven her father for having an affair, causing her parents to break up.I thought a great Christmas movie and one I'd like to see next year!

This reworking of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" is pleasant, even interesting, but nothing most viewers would want to see more than once.The "ghosts" in this incarnation of the tale are the main character's past and future selves, and her elfin guardian angel, Tom (Hugh O'Conor).At this writing, there are some confusions in the public knowledge regarding this film.1. Why does the IMDb data base list the USA as the film's country of origin, when all the actors are Irish? 2. Why does the IMDb one-line plot summary say, "A woman set to get married on Christmas Eve...," when the bride to be says in the movie's dialog that her wedding date will be December 26? Confusions aside, the best way to understand this film is to watch it.On the other hand, in an attempt maintain clarity, the principal character's three incarnations are given different nicknames for the three times in her life that appear in the film (and for the three actors that play her): Ellie (Lauren Coe), Ellen/Liz (Amy Huberman), and Beth (Fionnula Flanagan).One thing that's not confusing, at least to this viewer, is the career potential for Lauren Coe, who plays young Ellie, and Ellen's ersatz assistant. Methinks that as she becomes more well-known, comparisons to Ellen Page will be inevitable.

I know that Hallmark have a very specific audience they are trying to reach, so please forgive me if I am biased by not being in their target demographic.Basically, the movie is a retelling of A Christmas Carol (you know, Scrooge visited by 3 ghosts to help change his ways - Charles Dickens), only it's three Irish women (supposedly) and it's a Guardian Angel instead of a Ghost. I'm not really sure, but anyway.Did it work? No it did not. The script was laughable, and aside from Fionnula Flanagan (this movie was far beneath her) the acting was awful. It was a good plot idea, but it fell flat. Dickens must be turning in his grave. We switched over to "Scrooged" half way, a much better reworking of Dicken's classic novel.Hallmark have made it their business to do heartfelt uplifting movies every Christmas, what they lack is the ability. I think reruns of other classic movies in this genre would make much more sense at this time of year. There's many, many to choose from.