'Christmas Trade'
(William Baldwin, Tom Arnold, Denise Richards, et al / DVD / NR / 2015 / Cinedigm Entertainment)
Overview: Never judge a man until you've walked a mile in his snowshoes! This is the lesson learned by overworked attorney Mitch Taylor 9William Baldwin) and his 12 year-old son after a mysterious package from Santa causes them to switch bodies and experience the holiday season from the perspective of the other!
DVD Verdict: Hmmmm, well, I think you already know from that description what now-classic movie that 'Christmas Trade' has "borrowed" (I'll be kind and use that word!) from, but yet, weirdly, it still works - in a freshening it up kinda way!
As noted, Mitch is a workaholic attorney, and also a widowed dad to a 12 year-old son, Robbie. Lately, Mitch is in way over his head, trying to be a dad, please his hard edged boss and make partner, while juggling an impatient girlfriend.
His son Robbie has problems of his own. The school bully has made Robbie his latest target, he is trying not to be a total nerd in front of the girl he likes, and to make things worse, he was cast as lead role in the Christmas Pageant unwillingly. Robbie really want his dad to go out of his way this year to make Christmas all it s cracked up to be.
Mitch and Robbie definitely think the other has it pretty easy until a mysterious toy causes them to switch bodies. They are forced to find out what it's like to spend the holidays in each others shoes. And boy, do they! Again, based off the classic Tom Hanks tale, 'Christmas Trade' still manages to make it it's own Christmas fable, and, for the most part, succeeds. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1:85.1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.
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