‘1000 Miles from Christmas’ Summary & Review – The Grinch Could Be Archangel Gabriel Too
Christmas traditions have us believing that Santa rides a sleigh with Rudolf, the red-nosed reindeer, through time immemorial. We sing carols, hoping Christmas floats our hopes and dreams to reality, like a cloud bursting with gifts to offer. For some, Christmas is the best time of the year, while for others, the loneliest. But here, 1000 Miles from Christmas heralds that some see the latter, not the former.
Director Álvaro Fernández Armero takes us through the story of an Auditor named Raul in modern-day Madrid, situated in Spain, who direly wishes to holiday in Cuba but gets assigned to a job in Valverde. His journey takes us through scenic mountains, creating the warmest Christmas tidings one could ask for and a cup or more of giggles and charm. While the village is this heavenly abode for Yule tidings, the people are about to be surprised at how one man can change everything with the sway of one woman’s heart.
‘1000 Miles from Christmas’ Plot Summary
It is Christmas in Madrid, and we trot into the world of our protagonist Raul (portrayed by Tomas Novar), who has the strongest disposition with Christmas as a phenomenon. He is sarcastic and annoyingly pessimistic about it. But he loves himself, and that’s all that matters. His boss, fully aware of this disposition, sends him on an audit, to the most pleasant village of Valverde to check accounts of a Chocolate fudge factory.
Silently having regrets, he goes along with it and drives to the location to start his journey with a bumpy run-in with the Manger of the Nativity scene and a girl, who we come to know as Paula (portrayed by Andrea Ros). When Raul meets the hotel owner, Christmas takes a whole new turn for him. Raul then begins to understand his assignment and purpose in the village, quickly discovering that certain accounts do not add up for the chocolate fudge factory. While Paula and Raul form a strong bond, the son of the factory owner, Mateo, a passive Antagonist, comes forward to influence Paula, misleading Rauls intentions towards her, thereby creating immense conflict between Paula and Raul.
Meanwhile, Paula, the hotel owner Blanca’s daughter, has the purest intentions for the whole village at heart, dreaming to bring the village together to enter into the Guinness World Book of Records for The Largest Live Nativity Scene. Donned as the Christmas Grinch, Raul begins a new journey of his own to battle his conviction of love for Paula and tell her the truth about the factory and its future. The story goes through mounds of snow, delivering a heartwarming story of love during Christmas.
The Review
Director Álvaro Fernández Armero takes you through a beautiful village in Spain named Valverde, harping through Christmas colours and tones with love and human connection by candlelight. Through Tomas Novar’s Raul, we see a conflicted boy’s memories of Christmas transform as he experiences true love for the first time in his life as a full-grown man.
1000 Miles from Christmas is a Spanish film by Director Alvaro Fernandez Armero. It is based on an auditor that travels to understand that Christmas can gift him true love, hope and joy all at the same time. It is currently streaming on Netflix.
