MovieChat Forums > While You Were Sleeping (1995) Discussion > Christmas movie? Not a Christmas movie?

Christmas movie? Not a Christmas movie?

posted 7 years ago by artguylarry (498)
3 replies | jump to latest

So many people save this great movie for Christmas. Admittedly, there is a lot of Christmas in it. It's everywhere in the background, because that is when this movie takes place.

But While You Were Sleeping was released on April 21, 1995. Far from the holiday releases. And honestly, I fell in love with it when I saw it in the theater. When it was released (at that time, on VHS), I wore it out, watching it many times. I never got the same "Christmasy" feeling that you get from watching, more typical Christmas movies. The music is not Christmas, except maybe for two songs. One no one has heard of ever, and a brief scene where you hear Ella Fitzgerald singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." Other than the one really Christmasy scene, the central plot wasn't Christmasy.

But don't get me wrong. I'm certainly not knocking the film. Sure it's great for watching at Christmas, but for me, it's just as great to watch it anytime. I do, and always will. This is a genuinely great film.

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8859) 6 years ago

Nah, not a Christmas movie. There's a difference between a film that is merely set during Christmas and an actual Christmas movie, and this one is the former. I think that Christmas needs to be a more integral part of the plot for a film to really qualify as a "Christmas movie," though with that said, kind of like with Die Hard, it would still make sense to watch this one during the Christmas season.

I'm surprised to hear that it was released during the spring though, because according to the IMDB trivia the story was not originally set during Christmas, but the studio requested that it be because they thought the film would sell better if it was set during the holidays. Since that was their thinking, it seems they also would've released it during the holidays.

[–] snepts (11123) 6 years ago

I notice the ranking for this is 6.7. Not quite great movie status.
Don't get me wrong, the IMDb ranks don't make or break a movie for me. I was just genuinely curious what the consensus might be.
I do have a sentimental fondness for WYWS. A favorite GF of mine shared it with me quite a while ago. It was sweet, although you gotta feel a little bad for Peter Gallagher.

[–] GirlNamedSue (284) 4 years ago

I don't consider it a Christmas movie exactly despite some of it taking place over Christmas time. I'll watch it any time of year where I won't watch a real Christmas movie out of season.