Metascore
56 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 15 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 15
  2. Negative: 1 out of 15
  1. 75
    There will be holiday pictures that are more high-tech than this one, more sensational, with bigger stars and higher budgets and indeed greater artistry. But there may not be many with such good cheer.
  2. It's a comedy that knows that no matter one's ethnicity, human foibles, follies and hopes are universal.
  3. "Clouds" fills its exteriors with the glory of the Utah mountains and its interiors with the work of the late Hopi artist, Dan Lomahaftewa -- a pleasing combination that gives the film its own special visual style and magic.
  4. A sweet-natured holiday comedy that derives no small amount of specialness and energy from the fact that the movie offers a glimpse of contemporary American Indian life.
  5. Reviewed by: Jeannette Catsoulis
    70
    A wisp of a movie so bursting with good cheer that even its sole meanie is given a personality makeover before the end credits.
  6. Reviewed by: Ken Eisner
    70
    Combo of gorgeously shot Western settings (mostly in snowbound Idaho), memorably mismatched characters, and light-touch social commentary.
  7. 70
    Reminiscent of the TV series "Northern Exposure," this 2001 indie comedy by writer-director Kate Montgomery smoothly transplants 30s-style screwball comedy to an Apache-run ski resort.
  8. 63
    The fact that it was shot at the picturesque Utah resort is a huge plus and the film is so unabashedly eager to please.
  9. 60
    The kind of film in which you pretty much know that everything is going to turn out all right in the end. That doesn't mean, however, that one won't enjoy watching this warm and fuzzy exercise in escapism in the process.
  10. An old-fashioned and family-friendly comedy.
  11. This Native American romantic comedy, which won the Audience Award at the 2001 Austin Film Festival, arrives in theatres four years late but seasonally right on time.
  12. Reviewed by: Tim Grierson
    50
    More of a Lifetime holiday special than a theatrical feature, writer-director Kate Montgomery's tale of love and mistaken identity at a Native American ski resort is too sticky-sweet to be memorable.
  13. 50
    Few clichés go unexercised, but there's also something quietly amazing going on here: For once, American Indians are portrayed not as spiritually attuned mystics or powerless patsies but as ordinary working stiffs, or at least the cinematic equivalent thereof.
  14. The title pretty much says it all: syrupy romantic comedy dripping with unearned sentiment.
  15. I won't pretend there aren't moments of sweetness here--there are, aplenty. But the promise of true emotion goes bust with bad acting, cheap writing and false sentiment.
User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 12 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 10
  2. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. LaurentC.
    10
    Congrat! Finally a MOVIE from a yank that ain't afraid to show genuine beauty - Y'all rock Montgomery! To the rat complaining about 05 release ... it's called B.U.S.I.N.E.S.S. darling, but don't tell Hollywood... Thanks, and bonjour from Beijing China! (ps) I am still waiting for the 20c copywrited street sell DVD in the PRC. Full Review »
  2. JennieM.
    10
    Sweet and delightful! I wish there were more films like this one!
  3. JackR.
    10
    This is one of the most heartwarming, genuinely funny films I've seen in years. Forget about any less-than-stellar reviews from jaded, bitter-filmmaker-wannabes-turned-critics. "Christmas in the Clouds" is a movie that will make you laugh out loud and leave feeling glad that you invested 90 minutes of your life. In an age of bloated-budget Hollywood tripe, "Christmas in the Clouds" is a very refreshing change of pace. I can recommend it without hesitation. You owe it to yourself to check it out. Full Review »