Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

Afouotos Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Doomtomylo a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

Voxitype Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

leonblackwood Review: I was wondering why this film took so long to get released but now that I've seen it, I can understand why. Watching 2 down and outs, selling Christmas trees for nearly 2 hours, became pretty boring after a while and the other added elements to the storyline wasn't that great. Its about 2 small time thieves who are separated when a job goes wrong and one of them end up in jail for 4 years. While Dennis (Paul Giamatti) is in jail, his partner in crime, Rene (Paul Rudd), falls in love with Dennis's girlfriend and they plan to marry behind his back. When Dennis is finally released from jail, he hopes to get back with his girlfriend and promises to be a better father to there little daughter but she is fed up with his antics and she comes clean about her relationship with his friend. He then confronts Rene and they end up in a little punch up but he still needs a job because he has become homeless so he joins Rene in the Christmas tree selling business. Although he is unhappy about his relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Dennis is determined to get enough money to buy a piano for his daughter, so they sell as much trees that they can while Rene is waiting for his divorce to come through, so he can marry Therese (Amy Landecker). After a slow start, there Christmas tree business goes down a storm but there earnings are stolen from them so there plans for the money goes totally out of the window. They then join forces to steal a piano from one of there wealthy customers. I really struggled to stay awake through this film because the tone was quite glum and it took ages to get going. There are a couple of amusing moments, like when Dennis confronted Rene about his relationship with his girlfriend but it started to drag after a while. I'm usually a fan of Paul Giamatti's work but this film has to go down as a bad day at the office, which might explain why it took nearly 3 years to get released. Anyway, I'm sure that this film will pop up around the Christmas period because of its theme but I personally didn't think it was that great. Disappointing!Round-Up: After loads of comedic roles, Paul Rudd, 46, has finally made a name for himself with the movie Ant-Man. He's played many cameo roles in movies like the Anchorman I & II, the 40 Year Old Virgin, This Is The End, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Knocked Up and he's played major roles in films like Prince Avalanche, Wanderlust, This Is 40, Our Idiot Brother and Dinner For Schmucks but I still think that he was a weird choice for Ant-Man. I'll have to see the movie before I comment on his performance! Anyway, the chemistry between Rudd and Giamatti was OK but they just kept on bickering with each other, which became a bit tedious after a while. The movie was directed by Phil Morrison who brought you Junebug in 2005. Apart from that, he hasn't got that much experience behind the camera so I wasn't that surprised with the outcome. As this movie didn't get a major release, I doubt that it will damage Giamatti or Rudd's careers and I can't see myself watching again, anytime soon.I recommend this movie to people who are into their drama/comedies starring Paul Giamatti, Paul Rudd, Sally Hawkins and Amy Landecker. 3/10

jac-berry A rare movie that doesn't portray struggling poor people as linguistically-challenged, trash-dressing, immoral gun-wielding drunk meth-heads. And as no-nonsense sensitive as you might expect from Phil Morrison, the director of 'Junebug', and Melissa James Gibson, the writer of many 'House of Cards' episodes. So refreshingly real, and so much talent on all sides, actors included. Of course, Paul Giamatti and Paul Rudd are great as always, as is British Sally Hawkins (see Mike Leigh's 'Happy-Go-Lucky', Woody Allen's 'Blue Jasmine', etc.), playing a Polish immigrant with a heart as big as her accent. The final scenes may seem a bit of a positive stretch, but you're sure ready for one by then, and movies do need to provide us a little fantasy, or else, what's the point?

Prismark10 Paul Giamatti and Paul Rudd in a film also known as Almost Christmas and you expect a festive comedy and instead you get this dreary downer.Giamatti is Dennis, a small time crook in Canada just out of prison who had found his best friend has shacked up with his wife and his daughter was told that her father had died.Paul Rudd plays the buddy Rene and in order to survive Christmas and buy Dennis's daughter a piano they go to New York to sell Christmas trees and it seems they are not good at that. Dennis befriends a Russian lady who helps him out by giving him selling tips. Dennis and Rene who do not sound like Canadians especially French-Canadians bicker and argue and get into scrapes.The film meanders, is very dull without an ounce of comedy. It really is a feel bad festive film.

Jimmy P A few great actors in one deadpan script -- morality play does not a great film make. Not so cheery and eerily reminiscent of Antonioni's Il Grido in many ways. If you're not used to the accents you could use subtitles for some of the dialog. So, the main character is so sad that you don't laugh, there is that Indie no music and dull- - mundane camera work, but you want to laugh. Giamatti's character is not quite an idiot or a genius, not rehabilitated or remorseful, but he has hope -- kind of. Then there's his ex-wife who's indifferent to him, as he is or was, and over what they were at one-time. Then there is the friend Rene played by Paul Rudd. Rene has a moral high-ground, he's not a thief, but he's an optimistic liar and he has good-looks working for him. Ironically Rene takes his old friend with him to NY out of guilt and need for a friend. So you find out a little bit about the two characters, and they work there magic -- sort of. I lost interest in the film a few days in NY bleak days until Olga comes around. Sally Hawkins character has a hard shell on the outside and a good heart on the inside. She speaks for people and about people. And all good holiday movies have a happy--sad climax and an anti-climax, this film is much sadder than most. (: