A slick but superficial antiwar crowd-pleaser, writer-director Christian Carion's Oscar-nominated Joyeux Noël (inspired by a real event) tells the story of troops from three combatant nations—France, Germany, and England—who take it upon themselves to declare a Christmas Eve truce in the trenches during the first winter of World War I. The film begins with soldiers being called off to war, including two Scottish brothers enthusiastic about the adventure (and their priest who weeps over the prospect), as well as a German operatic tenor whisked away from both the stage and his Danish soprano lover. By December the men are facing one another in the trenches, and the plot kicks in when the tenor's love-struck fiancée surreptitiously joins him to serenade the soldiers, which leads to an informal ceasefire, during which the men bury their dead, share drinks, enjoy a game of soccer, and even warn one another of upcoming artillery assaults. Needless to say, the unauthorized fraternization does not sit well with their commanders, and the outcome is dire. While you can't fault the director for wanting to make a statement about the futility of war and the beauty of turning swords into plowshares, so to speak, the well-meaning and well-mannered Joyeux Noël feels like a glossy but bland holiday greeting card. Not recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by writer-director Christian Carion, a 17-minute interview with Carion, and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a disappointing film.] (F. Swietek)
Joyeux Noël
Sony, 116 min., in French w/English subtitles, PG-13, DVD: $26.99, Nov. 14 Volume 21, Issue 6
Joyeux Noël
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