When I reviewed Richard Paul Evans’ book “A Perfect Day,” I didn’t realize that book had been filmed as a made-for-TV movie, nor did I know that movie would be released on DVD this very week. Life is just cool that way sometimes.
What if you knew you were going to die on Christmas Day, and that’s only a few weeks off? Would you try to make amends for past wrongs, spend a little more time with loved ones? This is the question Robert Harlan must face.
Suddenly famous with the sale of his first novel, Robert (Rob Lowe) goes out on the road for a long book tour. It seems he’s wanted everywhere, from bookstores to speaking engagements, and his agent, Camille (Frances Conroy) has become a good friend to his wife, Allyson (Paget Brewster). But the more wanted he is in the outside world, the more wanted he is at home, too, as he misses school programs and special events for his family, including the funeral of his wife’s dear aunt. Soon she’s wondering what became of the man she married, and he wonders why she can’t just be happy for him.
The appearance of a mysterious stranger (Christopher Lloyd) throws Robert for a loop. Seeming to know everything about him, Michael, as he calls himself, tells Robert that he only has until Christmas Day to live, and that he’d better put his life back in order. Robert has been separated from his wife for a couple of weeks at this point and decides to go back home to set everything straight, but he doesn’t want to tell her he’s dying and ruin the holiday for her and their daughter.
Amazingly enough, the movie followed the book pretty closely. I did wish that Robert and Allyson had seemed a little more emotionally connected at the start. The book really emphasizes the fact that they were deeply in love, and I didn’t feel that we saw that in the movie. There were a few other small changes, none of which contradicted the book in a major way. I enjoyed the film and now that it’s on DVD, you can enjoy it whenever you like, as well.
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