Monday, December 13

A Christmas Carol and Christmas Cupid

Christmas-carol,
A Christmas Carol as Christmas Cupid with Chad Michael Murray

Chad Michael Murray, Ashley Benson, Christina Milian, and Jackée Harry star in Christmas Cupid on ABC Family.

On Sunday December 12, 2010, ABC Family broadcast the premier of its new take on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Christmas Cupid.

Christmas Cupid put a lot of different twists on the Charles Dickens’ tale, but with even the characters consistently comparing the storyline events to the plot and characters of A Christmas Carol, the made for television movie is a retelling with the addition of romance.

Christmas Cupid Plot Summary

Sloane Spencer (Christina Milian) is a rising Los Angeles publicist, who is shocked to discover that one of her top clients, Caitlin Quinn (Ashley Benson) has just died.

The ghost of Caitlin appears to the workaholic Sloane, and tells her that she must change her commitment-phobic ways and start being more considerate towards the people who love her, or she will end selfish and alone.

As Sloane plans Caitlin’s joint memorial service and movie premier, Sloane must periodically content with the ghosts of “Xmas Past,” present, and future because mischievous Caitlin has arranged for the spirits of Sloan’s ex-boyfriends to guide her towards reliving that her values are superficial.

Sloane finally realizes that she must put things right in her relationships with her assistant (Cara Mantella), her mother (Jackée Harry), and her best friend, Jenny (Ashley Johnson), and she also hopes to regain her lost love, Patrick (Chad Michael Murray).


Comparing Christmas Cupid and A Christmas Carol

Several characters of Christmas Cupid are varied incarnations of the characters from A Christmas Carol. Of course, Sloane represents Scrooge, but Sloane is a young and less embittered counterpart.

Jenny, who continues to believe in Sloane, can be compared to Scrooge’s goodhearted and happy nephew, Fred, and Sloane’s put upon co-worker, Ella, is a noticeable nod to Bob Cratchit.

Caitlin fills the role of Marley’s Ghost, but unlike in A Christmas Carol, Caitlin remains with Sloane throughout. Also unlike in A Christmas Carol, the Christmas spirits are the spirits of living people, and although in Dickens story, Marley claims that the visits will take place over the course of three nights, Scrooge magically completes his journey in one night, while Sloane is visited in the course of three nights. Unlike Scrooge, Sloane continues to live her daily existence between the visits.

In A Christmas Carol, Scrooge’s ways are somewhat credited to his father, and in Christmas Cupid, Sloane’s ways are somewhat credited to her mother, who unlike Scrooge’s father, is herself salvaged.

Finally, while Scrooge does not have romance restored to him, but his lost love is noted. In Christmas Cupid, Chad Michael Murray fills the role of Sloane’s lost love.

Christmas Cupid Review

Chad Michael Murray fans will have been disappointed by his comparably limited screen time, but he gave a strong and endearing performance as Patrick.

Christina Milian and Ashley Benson as Sloane and Caitlin, respectively, gave average performances, which were neither ineffective nor impressive. However, several of the supporting cast members contributed positive performances, including Jackée Harry and Ashley Johnson.

Overall, the program was enjoyable, and it was of a better quality than most shows made for ABC Family.






(source:suite101.com)
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