I generally tend to resist Christmas movies and did not exactly leap at the opportunity to spend another hour and a half simmering in Hollywood-fabricated pseudo-cheer. However, I was pleasantly surprised right from the outset by many of the striking images and east-coast winter locations. As the film developed I found myself genuinely interested in the story and when it was all over, I was shocked to find that not only had I enjoyed a "Christmas movie", but would certainly watch it again if given the chance, even if it wasn't Christmas time.
While some overly "zealous" types may be offended by the use of a priest as one of the main characters, I felt the entire story came across tastefully while still maintaining enough of an edge to make for an interesting story. As for the rest of the characters, they come off as a combination of well acted professional productions coupled with charming "man-on-the-street" types for the supporting roles.
Compared to the amount of high-dollar "all-flash, no-substance" productions being cranked out of late, I found what was simply an interesting story about interesting characters to be genuinely refreshing.