Silver Bells
By Brian Costello,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Trite, predictable faith-based Christmas story.
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Silver Bells
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What's the Story?
Bruce Dalt (Bruce Boxleitner) is a famous local sportscaster. He also is overly competitive and goes through life believing that winning is the only thing that matters. That changes after an altercation with the referee of his son's high school basketball team leaves the referee with a bloody nose. The incident goes viral on YouTube, Dalt is suspended from the TV news desk, and a judge sentences Dalt to community service as a Salvation Army bell ringer. As he spends more time learning about the Salvation Army and the good work they do, Dalt begins to learn virtues such as giving and charity and learns to appreciate his son's decision to quit his team so he can volunteer as a coach for underprivileged youth. Dalt learns to care about his community and help others, realizing that by doing so, he actually helps himself and, as a result, might just get his job back.
Is It Any Good?
SILVER BELLS is full of clichéd Christmas verities such as "it's better to give than to receive" and "don't forget those less fortunate." The messages aren't exactly presented in a subtle manner, and variations of this story go back to at least A Christmas Carol, which makes it easy to predict what happens from beginning to end. For those looking for faith-based entertainment, this wholesome story should prove entertaining, but for everyone else, the movie's slow pace and trite story line make it difficult to sit through.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the movie's message. What does the film say about faith and charity?
How is this movie similar to other stories in which self-centered characters learn "the true meaning of Christmas"?
Have you ever volunteered? How did it make you feel? What are some volunteer opportunities in your community?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: October 29, 2013
- Cast: Bruce Boxleitner, Kenton Duty, Kevin Downes
- Director: Billy Damota
- Studio: Pure Flix Entertainment
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Sports and Martial Arts, Brothers and Sisters, High School, Holidays
- Run time: 105 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: November 20, 2022
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