Ace and the Christmas Miracle Review : This snooze fest ticks all the boxes of a ‘terribly made film’

 Story: It’s Christmas time in California Valley, and Amanda must come up with a plan to secure the future of her son, Daniel, following her divorce from her spouse. The legal fight has left her with nothing except the custody of her son. When she meets Tony and Dougie, two down-on-their-luck misfits, she hatches a plan with them during the annual Christmas Derby, keeping her horse, Ace, at the center of the action.

Review: ‘Ace & the Christmas Miracle’ is one of those films that’s packed with all the elements that can dampen your Christmas. It’s a film that deserves poor grades in all departments, right from direction to performance to editing to art direction. What could have been a feel-good Christmas special film turns out to be an extremely dull affair, enough to make you sleep. It checks all the boxes for films that typically go straight to DVD. This family comedy is amateurish, and one really wonders how such films pass the muster of actually being called a ‘film.’ It’s a film that will make you cringe at a few sequences with ice-cold performances by its characters.

The events in this film happen a week before Christmas. Tony is an out-of-luck guy and makes a living as a pest control technician. He has a gambling addiction and is now deeply in debt. When Amanda, a barmaid, makes a suggestion that may help him pay off his debt, he seizes the chance with both hands. The assignment entails keeping her horse, Ace, away from the Derby for a few days so that his brother, who has pitted Ace against Renzoni’s horse, is not able to compete in the race. Amanda is convinced that Ace will lose the derby. When Tony meets Ace, he instantly connects with him and is able to converse with him and hear his voice. Lady luck ultimately shines on Tony when Ace communicates with other horses and is able to pass on information to him.

This comedy is exceedingly slow in its pace and, combined with a mediocre production value, becomes a total snooze fest. Though this is a Christmas film, it has a few elements that are associated with Christmas or the holiday season in general. This film has absolutely nothing going for it. Aside from the bad acting and directing, the comedy suffers as well. For the film's creators, humour means showing an obese police officer trying to eat gluten-free doughnuts and panting and puffing after a chase. Brande Roderick is the only recognizable name in the picture, although she isn't exactly known for her performances. Don’t waste time pressing the skip button. There are films and then there are terrible films like 'Ace & the Christmas Miracle.'