Synopsis/Details
All Accolades & Coverage
TITLE: The Christmas Con GENRE: Action Comedy WRITER: Madeline Hombert
The Christmas Con is a great crime comedy, in the vein of The Sopranos and Get Shorty. It tells the story of Big Bobby, a highly successful big city restaurant owner, who's also a crime boss struggling to keep his family and business together. The story begins in the 90's and then it jumps forward when it comes to showing the grown-up boss, just like Martin Scorsese did in GoodFellas.
The first twenty pages of this intense read are fairly calibrated as early as the powerful opening image in which a young Bobby is standing beside a flashy 1987 model Cougar. A good way to establish the origins of our protagonist's interests and goals. In this regard, the script manages to capture the most dense and meaningful moments that mark our protagonist's upbringing up until he is able to hold a gun.
What follows is centered around the protagonist's friendship with Angelo, his Pygmalion, and his relationship with a bunch of struggling kids who are in need for a place to stay. In this context, the sense of uncertainty and fear of the hero is palpable, and his awareness about the class differences between him and other people shows his intellectual maturity.
Nonetheless, the relationship between him and Angelo feels slightly rushed. The moment we see the latter coming across young Bobby as he sleeps in his restaurant and then opening his house to all his friends is a little bit fast. The kids, of course, take advantage of it, and that's probably where the script get a grasp of its own consistency and truthfulness. However, it would be better to set-up Angelo and Bobby separately, and then bring them together in order to see their differences and what they should endure to find a deal.
Based on the first twenty pages, the script demonstrated a great command of the screenwriting form and the ability of the writer to build a set-up. The script is in fact structurally strong at first and shows a protagonist that has nothing to lose. This is already a good origin point to shape his own path towards some sort of great opportunity that will be handed to him.
With that being said, this script presents good dialogues, and the ability of the writer in making the scenes unurgent is undeniable. As early as on page 18 we read, "Please God don't let him kick us out. Not a day before my final exam," and these kinds of scenarios are what's needed to keep the rhythm frantic. It is evident that who writes is in love with their own story and character, and keep them in motion all the way to the end.
From ISA-first 20
Overall, the first twenty pages of this script are clearly presented, well-structured, and engaging. Nonetheless, a little bit more power dynamics could really punch up a nearly flawless first act. What is Angelo capable of if the kids do not respect his rules? Also, what we really want to see more in here is a defining moment that's meant to establish the protagonist's friendship with each and every one of these supporting characters.
