Review by Aaron Haughton

Charles Dickens is one of the worlds most renowned authors of all time. We're reminded of this every few years with another depiction of his classic tale A Christmas Carol. That time is now again upon us with Bleecker Street's The Man Who Invented Christmas. Thankfully, this film is not a shameless retelling of the classic story we're all likely familiar with, but is instead a look from the other side of the glass into the creation of the famed novel. Based off Les Staniford's historical non-fiction novel of the same name, The Man Who Invented Christmas is a fizzling tale of triumph over writer's block and dark memories that is sure to deliver the proverbial dose of holiday cheer.

Following his trip to America in 1843, Charles Dickens (played by Dan Stevens) is suffering from the failure of his last three books, economic struggle, and writer's block. Rejected by his publishers, he sets out to self-publish his next book, a story he hoped would keep his family afloat and revive his career. Mixed with real life inspirations and his vivid imagination, the film depicts how Dickens conjured up the unforgettable characters and timeless tale, forever changing the holiday season into the celebration we know today.