Christmas In Canaan

Christmas In Canaan

This film was a Hallmark Channel original movie. I admit to liking sappy stuff. I'm sure it ruins my credibility, but I don't really care.

This made for tv movie was based on the book by Kenny Rogers tells the story of two boys growing up in the south. So yeah, its about interracial relations, but its a story that should give each and every one of us hope. Yes, we have our first Afro-American/Man of Color/Black (pick the most politically correct term) president, but that doesn't mean that bigotry is dead.

When the two boys, DJ and Rodney get into a fight over the capital of NY, DJ's dad (Billy Ray Cyrus) comes up with a plan. The two boys should spend equal time living with the other boy's family. As a result a deep and abiding friendship grows and when Rodney's grandmother dies, DJ's family takes him in as one of their own.

In the 1960's and in Texas, this is something that likely would have had more repercussions than the movie portrays, but this is a holiday film and its about feeling good, even when bad things happen and yes, bad things do happen. Crops are bad and one Christmas is very bleak and as the boys are reaching the end of their school years, DJ's young brother is struck by a car and crippled trying to warn Rodney of a hate crime about to happen.

Sure some of the things that happen seem far fetched. Can that much bad stuff befall one set of people? (probably..I know my life)

But that doesn't matter. This story paints a beautiful picture of racial harmony in a time when there wasn't a whole of it. Billy Ray Cyrus proves he's the talent in the family (as most of us already knew). The rest of the cast shines too. If you want to watch a good, heartwarming and tearjerking movie on TV this holiday, check your listings for this one. Its worth the 2 hours spent in front of the TV.