I can only echo what several others have said: this is my favorite Xmas movie of all time. Then again, Local Hero is one of my desert island flicks, so maybe my fondness for the gentle, quirky humor of this film is no accident. I MUST HAVE THIS ON DVD!! Can anyone help? (Region 1)
Bill Forsythe must make more movies, and soon!!!
December 5, 2008 |  | A VERY FUNNY AND TRAGIC FILM |  |
Why is this movie not on DVD? The saga of Dickie Bird the heart-broken DJ and the warring Italian ice cream vendors is one of my all-time favorite films. Never was comedy and tragedy so well married. There is so much crap out there that's on DVD and this great film stays an obscure classic? I wish someone would release all of Forsyth's films. What about "That Sinking Feeling" or "Being Human"? Or "Housekeeping"? But not to have "Comfort And Joy" on DVD is truly a crime.
July 18, 2008Comfort and Joy is an underrated gem of a Christmas movie. Bill Paterson plays Alan "Dickie" Bird, a popular radio personality experiencing a mid-life crisis sparked by his girlfriend's unexpected departure (a marvelously written and realized scene). Feeling rather superficial, underused and overqualified professionally, Alan embarks on a journey of self-realization, culminating in his brokering a deal between two bickering ice cream truck families embroiled in a turf-war (what?). This gentle and charming film demonstrates writer/director Forsyth's penchant for quirky, subtle humour and for stories possessing much more meaning than one would realize upon first glance. Some favorite scenes (besides the aforementioned "break-up")include Alan's numerous tapings of radio commercials, the "Godfatheresque" meeting between Alan and the patriarch (and sons) of one of the feuding ice cream families, and an appointment with a therapist in dire need of therapy himself. A wonderful film, rivaling many of Forsyth's more well-known efforts, including Local Hero and Gregory's Girl. Purchase Comfort and Joy (hopefully released on DVD soon) for your Christmas film library. You won't be sorry.
February 25, 2008| | | Christmas Isn't Christmas Without Ice Cream | |
Yes, an Ice Cream Mafia War. This is the high art that Bill Forsyth was so well-known for in the 1980s. Fabulous performances by all, as a DJ gets drawn into an ice cream war, helping him to get over heartache at the holidays. I don't believe CP Grogan as an Italian girl (nightmare accent when speaking Italian!), but she's gorgeous and they're all funny and it's worth it just to hear the partriarch say, "Mr. Bunny."
September 13, 2005This brilliant film is now available from amazon.co.uk in region 2 encoding for less than seven pounds plus shipping, and includes a director's commentary track!
October 10, 2004More reviews at Amazon.com ...
Daily Birthdays
(14 reviews)