There's the backbone of a better film here, it just needs some ornaments.

You might think you can see where Almost Christmas is heading but it never quite loses its acerbic edge or goes emotionally blooey.

This engaging if somewhat underwhelming tale of unlikely redemption builds a funny-sad web of intersecting interactions around its strong central perfs.

The Two Pauls -- Giamatti and Rudd -- shine in another downbeat ode to humanity from director Phil Morrison ("Junebug").