This is another one of the Docs we watched in the second CMPP (creative media practice production).
http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/films/p004r1f8
Christmas with dad started with idyllic warm Christmas lights and bells and ambiguous music that is a common melody throughout. The film then cuts to its prime content who first appears making excuses for not putting Christmas lights up in front of a dirty written on front door. This sets the tone for the first minute which fools the viewer into "pigeon holing" the father by showing him as TV watching, sport clothes wearing, emotionally stunted and grammatically incorrect. However that is quickly replaced by the image of a truly caring father. His honest answers throughout his interview show the father in an honourable light and you feel despite the fact you only get his single point of view he still seems completely genuine and seems to represent a loving family, however the one sided interview could be criticized as bias. The clips of the family life seem completely genuine and show a naturalistic view of the families life without anything necessary being hidden or anything unnecessary being kept out. After hearing the £2,000 spent simply on Christmas presents you have no doubt about the love the family shares despite bad and good. .The tone of the film goes somewhat downbeat after the father begins to talk about his struggling childhood and his impending hereditary blindness. Do we see anger, blame or any typical male ego cover up? No we simply see a slight jump cut to an upset father just wishing his sight holds out until he sees his child born exclaiming "that's just the way life is". I think the overall message of the film is not to judge people or families on face values and that is a message I think should be heard. The Doc on a whole is an emotional view of a relatively normal family portrayed sympathetically without stripping them of pride and if anything teaching us to respect people not just before we hear their stories.
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