GOOD MOVIE!

Rating: Null/10 (16 December 2003)

A true Christmas classic, `It's A Wonderful Life' is a poignant, heart-warming story. Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed have great on-screen chemistry, which helps the audience to get involved. Not that it's a hard story to get involved in, it's written well and has a really well thought out plot. There are a few rough spots in editing and one scene that could use a little improvement, but the positives outweigh the negatives and leave the audience mesmerized.
Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed play George Bailey and Mary Hatch the lovers of the story. They have such strong chemistry it's almost hard to remember that it's a movie not real life. To watch the pair grow-up together and to see him reunite with her at a party and suddenly see `Little Mary' in a new light, builds up the romantics and tension until the fateful long awaited kiss.	Ah yes, the kiss, which is supposed to be one of the most romantic and emotionally involved moments in a movie turned out to be a dud. Being of the female mind and body, this reviewer was starting to really feel the anticipation of the kiss. There they are, George and Mary, huddling close to the phone, both trying to listen to what the man on the line is saying to them. George smells her hair discreetly, Mary looks longingly at George and they both grow ever closer, closer, closer WHAM, a hard kiss on the cheek/lips and a strong hug, talk about the perfect example of anti-climax. Yes, kisses at that time were the strong kiss, sway your head side to side and hug, but this was a little ridiculous for words, this reviewer was truly disappointed.
The only other part of this movie that got this reviewer down was the bank scene in which Uncle Billy and Mr. Potter run into each other and have a brief conversation. The problem in this scene was simply editing; it was choppy they would change the camera angle for unnecessary reasons or just cut to the same angle which served no purpose. It was a bit distracting, a little annoying, and gave the impression that the actors may just have had a hard time delivering the lines in this scene so the director had to `cut and paste' to make it work.
But that's where it ends; those are really the only things that would be irritating to the audience if they were picked up. The story is wonderful, no pun intended, and tells more of than just Christmas spirit but of appreciating what you've got and who you are because you do make a difference and matter in this world. This reviewer gives this movie top honors and believes that every person needs to watch this movie, especially if they're having a downer day and just need to take a step back and look at the whole picture. As dumb as this may sound `It's A Wonderful Life' really does help you to appreciate that it truly is a wonderful life.