Trouble in a Small Town Parish
Noelle is a movie about a catholic priest named Jonathan Keene who arrives in a very small and dying town a week before Christmas to evaluate and probably close their local parish due to poor tithing and attendance.
The parish is run by a very atypical priest, Simeon Joyce, whom is introduced mingling with the locals in the area pub over some less than holy spirits. Which brings up the first of many controversial topics in this film. Some have found it offensive to see a priest drinking alcohol. While I won’t use this review as a forum for personal theologies, I will say that while the humanity of Simeon Joyce is very apparent in this film, you also see the love of Christ in his actions in a much louder way than you do in the actions and interactions of the more conservative father Jonathan Keene.
Simeon and Jonathan aren’t strangers to each other, having attended seminary together Jonathan decides to give Simeon one last chance to prove his worth as a priest and the towns commitment to their church. Jonathan charges Simeon with putting together a living nativity scene in hopes that they can rally the congregation around the idea and boost attendance during one of the most important of Christian holidays.
Small Town People Are Crazy
What ensues as casting and practices are arranged is akin to the comedic elements of a Shakespearian play mixed in with the heavier tones as the story progresses. The small town characters are quirky and funny not because they are over the top, but because I found myself picking out stereotypes I knew from each of the eccentric people whom I fell in love with on screen.
Jonathan gets off the bus in this town full of crazy people to coldly shut down the local parish, but as he gets entangled in the lives of the people of this small town he is the one who is forced to change. What we end up with is a struggle that anyone exploring faith faces, the struggle between the cold dogma of religion and the warm love of relationships and God. What we see is something often talked about but rarely actually practiced in Church today, grace… as Jonathan is given a second chance.
I’d love to outline each of the characters and write out all the plot points, but in the review industry that would be known as a “spoiler”… and nobody likes that guy that tells you the end of a movie. So I have to insist at this point, if you are tired of the typical stupid Christmas movies that get churned out each year and want something that will invoke some good emotions and touch some real issues, then I would highly recommend checking out Noelle!
Wait, This is an Independent Film?
I couldn’t believe it, but apparently that’s true. You really couldn’t guess from the fantastic cinematography or the stellar acting. You wouldn’t guess by the haunting score, or the incredibly challenging script… but this film is in fact an independent production, and one with accolade.
In 2006 Noelle won Best Director at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival. It also won the Best American Indie 1st Runner up at the same festival. Add to this the accolade from the Dove Foundation, Tribe Hollywood, and a cavalcade of other reviews and you have a film that is backed by a lot of people.
But don’t take their word for it, take mine (this is my review after all). Noelle is a heart warming tale sure to shake up your view on what a Christmas movie should be, and definitely one for the whole family.
