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Prancer Returns

2001, Movie, NR, 90 mins

Prancer Returns: Review

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Though not as special as the sleeper hit that spawned it, this made-for-TV sequel is heartwarming without being excessively treacly. Frazzled divorcee Denise Holton (Stacy Edwards) returns to her hometown of Three Oaks, Michigan, where she plans to celebrate a typical family Christmas. But her teenaged son, Ryan (Robert Clark), decides to live with his dad in Chicago and his younger brother, Charlie (Gavin Fink), is too busy dodging school bullies to think about Santa. The wistful Charlie finds a friend in the town’s handyman, Tom Sullivan (John Corbett), and comfort in the local legend of Prancer. Ten years ago, the story goes, a Three Oaks child rescued the wounded Prancer, nursed him back to health and then handed the reindeer over to St. Nick. To his amazement, Charlie finds an orphaned reindeer alongside its dead parent in the forest, and names the creature Prancer Jr. Charlie keeps his discovery a secret, hiding the animal in his house. Moved by Charlie’s innocence, a curmudgeonly neighbor, Old Man Richards (Jack Palance), offers to shelter Prancer Jr. But in a tiny town, secrets don’t stay secret for long: Charlie's pet follows him to school and nips the Principal, Mr. Klock (Michael O’Keefe), who exaggerates his injury and demands that Prancer Jr. be put down. With help from his classmates, Charlie kidnaps the reindeer from the Animal Control shelter and hides in the woods; authorities soon find them. Sullivan goes to the sympathetic press and starts a campaign to spare Prancer Jr.’s life. So predictable that it feels like a remake rather than a sequel, this holly-jolly adventure is nonetheless no lump of coal, thanks to the fine actors who use their skills to add richness this slim tale of solidarity and faith in a small town. leave a comment --Robert Pardi
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