The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The actors really seemed to be working hard at maintaining their characters. Sadly enough, the only one who did a good job in filling his role was the master thief.I for one just love it when scripts call for little children to climb up into Santa's lap and spout propaganda, and who wouldn't love their four-year-old to go to a mall where they can find out if Santa wears boxers... shorts... what else might be there? Just some things everybody wants in their Christmas story and at their mall, right? The end came soon enough and the writers did their best to smooth everything over. I am glad to have watched in the sense that I have no desire to watch it again.

It's a strange movie in the sense that it could make me suspend disbelief and hold my attention but afterwards I felt annoyed.Pros: Female leads are fairly strong, for Hollywood standard.There's a kid who had integrity and is heeded as an individual not by standard age and gender. It gave lots of things to talk about afterwards. It keep dramatic tension. It has a classic story arc of hero's journey and redemption. Elements feed back through to make sense such as the lead two being described as always having had a fight and make up fiery relationship. People are self-accepting and the community is affirming of one another.Cons: Holy Gender Norms, Batman. Boys must be horrified and disgusted that he has received a female toy. And let's denigrate housewife clothes; women to be sexy must have long hair down and show cleavage for basic self-image maintenance.A role for an overweight man? Comic foils only need apply. And no queer couples, even in the background. Race. Lordie. Who did the casting choices? The career criminal is black and is the only one who goes into a squad car in handcuffs. He can steal without remorse, reflexively even without noticing. The white middle class America girl does same crime and yet no time because she has a cop friend willing to work the system for her, even erasing a past record. Somehow even being a skilled acrobat and long time criminal, she is the victim of life and herself. And gets her butt saved by a man, with her cooperation.Good girls who do everything "right" in life are two blondes. Both arguably ditzy.

This movie is yet another in the ever proliferating series of Christmas stories where a jaded cynic (a la Scrooge or the Grinch) is dumping on other people in some way, and with the predictable change near the end.Shannon Doherty is as obnoxious as ever, but actually plays pretty well in this film, as a professional larcenist who recently committed a major jewel theft with a cohort. She hides out in her home town, and gets involved with everyone she used to know, yet, in the midst of her reunions (including a rekindled romance), she plots to steal stuff from folks in the town on Christmas Eve. Contrived? Of course it is, and it's certainly not funny as it aspires to be. The other thief shows up, her boyfriend is a cop, and you can see where all this is going. Although it's predictable, the cast seem to be putting their hearts into the effort.The obvious ending rolls by after a series of implausible events, and irrationally weird outcomes. Some sentiment, and some humor, but many other Christmas movies have already done all this, and much better.

Shannen Doherty stars in this made for TV caper, she plays Cate, a savvy thief who get betrayed by her partner and must run from the law. With her Sister and Brother-in-law stranded in the Bahamas, she hides out by baby-sitting her niece and nephew in Comfort, USA. Cate being Cate, she's less than thrilled. Cate grew up in comfort and her ex-boyfriend is now the sheriff! Uh-oh! Her Nephew, Parker, takes after her, and Cate's not so sure thats a good thing. Can the holiday spirit melt her heart?Shannen is well cast here and she does great with the role. She looks fantastic too I might add. I didn't know the supporting cast but they were all good, especially the kids, who manage to be cute without being annoying. "Christmas Caper" doesn't have the sweetness of the Kathy Ireland movies, or the panache of the Mimi Rogers "Christmas List" but its a nice holiday movie for the whole family.The scene that really got me is at the Christmas party, somewhat grudgingly Cate decorates the house with Hank and her kin, then her little niece Annie gives her a heart, because her Mom, Cate's sis, said she didn't have one, the look on Shannen's face broke my heart. Its very touching and you pretty much figure that she'll have a change of heart.Even so , I was surprised by Cate's decision, I won't spoil it in case you haven't seen this, This is a good Christmas movie in an age when they don't do very many. The big movies that get released in the theaters tend to be awful, so stay home and enjoy this on with a glass of eggnog!