NOEL
Year: 2004
USA: Red Rose Productions
UK: Redbus Film Distribution
Cast: Penelope Cruz, Susan Sarandon, Paul Walker, Alan Arkin, Marcus Thomas, Sonny Marinelli, Daniel Sunjata, Chazz Palminteri, Rob Daly, John Doman, Billy Porter, Carmen Ejogo, Donna Hanover , Merwin Mondesir, Una Kay, Sonia Benezra, Marcia Bennett, Howard Rosenstein, Jane Wheeler, David Hirsh, Marguerite Kinh, Arthur Holden, Maurizio Terrazzano, Rachelle Lefevre, Erika Rosenbaum, Charles Rosenblum, Victoria Sanchez, Scott Faulconbridge, Budd Mishkin, Carmen Echeverria, Gianpaolo Venuta, Nicholas Haze, Ruth Chiang, Kevin Ryder, Andy Bradshaw, Robert Newton Brown, Bill Corday, Jennifer Seguin, Lindsay Owen Pierre, David Schaap, Lynne Adams, Kathleen Mackey, Sr. Donna Giaimo, Sr. Fay Josephine Pele, Sr. Bridget Charles Ellis, Sr. Mary R. G. Grissom, Sr. Kathryn J. Hermes, Sr. Bernadette M. Reis, Sr. Margaret Timothy Sato, Sr. Patricia C. Shaules, Sr. Nancy M. Usselmann, Sr. Christina M. Wegendt
Director: Chazz Palminteri
Country: USA
USA & UK: 93 mins
USA Rated: PG for sensuality, thematic material and some language
UK Certificate: PG contains mild language and sex references
USA Release Date: 12 November 2004 (Limited Release)
UK Release Date: 25 November 2005 (Limited Release - London)
Synopsis
Christmas Eve in New York can be a magical time. Streets blanketed with snow, shoppers desperately searching for that last minute gift, carol singers providing a sweet soundtrack through the city and a general feeling of holiday cheer pervades the air.
Rose (Susan Sarandon) could use some of that cheer. A successful book editor, Rose's personal life has gradually deteriorated over time. Her divorce has left her wary of the attentions of other men. Her sister has been unable to cope with the death of their father, and Rose is charged with the sole care of her mother in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's. For all intents and purposes, Rose is alone for Christmas.
New York City police officer Mike Riley (Paul Walker) had planned to spend the holiday with his fiancee, Nina (Penelope Cruz). Unfortunately, Mike's paranoiac, unyielding and misplaced jealousy of any male who even looks at her, has driven Nina to take solace with relatives and re-evaluate her future with him. Mike has even more problems to contend with, as an older man (Alan Arkin) appears who takes an intense interest in him.
Jules Calvert (Marcus Thomas) is a young street hustler with no family and friends to speak of. He has one happy memory of a Christmas when he was 14. Today, he plans to recapture that happiness, even if he has to resort to some extreme and questionable measures to attain it.
The lives of these disparate souls will intertwine on this Christmas Eve in New York City, and with some help from each other, or more importantly help from within themselves, they may get more than just holiday cheer. They may find their own personal miracles.
NOEL stars Penelope Cruz, Susan Sarandon, Paul Walker, Alan Arkin and Marcus Thomas. The drama is directed by Chazz Palminteri from a screenplay by David Hubbard.