There’s several holiday films to pick from, nowadays, and they’re not all on the big screen. Some are worser than a series of Sharknado films. Some are really, really good. One holiday film on the radar of good is the well-rounded Christmas Déjà Vu, written and directed by Christel Gibson (Double Cross).
Starring Amber Riley, the story follows Kandi (Riley) who has hit rock bottom on the 10th anniversary of her father’s death, which just so happens to be on Christmas Eve. Once passionate about singing, the death of her father at one of her childhood performances has stunted her desire to sing. Now a waitress with an alcohol problem, Kandi is contemplating suicide until a disguised angel intervenes.
A charmer of a film, Christmas Déjà Vu is a polarizing example of how our choices of yesterday can curate our experience in current time. As the angel Gabriel (Reitz) puts it, “You’re the same person with the spotlight that you are without it. Your choices create your circumstances, your reality. If you want to change things, change your mind.”
Check out the trailer below:
It’s a much-needed tale that has been told over and over through Christmas protagonists, such as Ebenezer Scrooge and the Grinch. As is driven by the message in the film, happiness is a choice. Ironically, Kandi was thinking that the universe was against her, but the entire time she was the one creating her own roadblocks. Masking her pain with substance abuse was her choice.
Luckily, the intervention of the angel, her mother (Devine), and the spirit of her father reminded her that despite her mistakes she still had a chance to redeem herself and use her gift and life as a way to honor her ancestors, rather than tarnish their legacy. For starters, she needed to forgive herself…
The cast includes actors that can actually act (TV holiday films have a reputation), such as Loretta Devine, Blue Kimble, Ric Reitz, and Jessica Nicole Brown. And we must not forget the actor who played Matthew, who apparently isn’t credited on cast listing sites — a crying shame. With that said, Christmas Déjà Vu deserves an entry into the list of must-watch holiday films.
Originally released on Thanksgiving day on BET+, the pic has now made it’s way to Hulu, becoming available to a wider audience. The BET+ Original is co-produced by John Baldasare and Gary Woods.
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