Typically missing about ten minutes of the beginning of a movie does not make for a complete movie review, but since this film does not seem widely available except when it is streamed, to seize the opportunity to make some comments here seems appropriate. The name of this romantic comedy drama can be a little off-putting and confusing as it does not refer to the act of Santa committing a con game but refers to a recently paroled con playing Santa and who initially regrets promising a little boy of getting his separated parents back together before Christmas. Maybe it is because the director is the actress Melissa Joan Hart that this movie has some deeper, dramatic elements than typical of a Christmas movie and who has 16 directorial credits to her name. The fascinating balance of comedy, drama as well as the unsettled romantic relational question that develops, and even the mysterious lighthearted but poignant religious element makes for a memorable movie experience if one can even find the opportunity to watch.

The light-hearted touch of "The Santa Con" is established from the get-go when we meet a hardened criminal in a country-club style prison worthy of a visit from Felicity Huffman. At the Danfield Correction Center, the inmates are playing cards with their jovial warden, and Nick DeMarco, the grifter who faked his way to a professorship at Yale, holds the winning hand, yet lets the warden win.

Nick is released from prison early, due to the warden's hyperbolic letter of recommendation, and it appears as though Nick will return to his life as a sponger, gambler, and con artist. But along the way, he meets Pastor Ruth, the most interesting character in the film, who gives him some tough love during the holidays.

While working at a mall as a Santa Claus, Nick made a promise to little Billy that his separated parents will be united by Christmas Day. Pastor Ruth sets Nick straight in allowing him to see that it is important to keep his promises. Nick then ingeniously takes over a construction job at the home of Carol Guthrie, while trying to get the alcoholic husband John into a twelve-step program.

While drawing witty allusions from movies, Pastor Ruth as other aphorisms that she has learned from "The Big Guy." She teaches Nick that he has to give it his all and "return the car with an empty tank." She also emphasizes that it is what we DO that matters, and "the rest is decoration."

The screenwriting was superb with nuggets from the poems of Robert Frost integrated into the film. In "The Death of the Hired Man," Frost wrote that "Home is the place where, when you have to go there,/They have to take you in." Nick learns much about the concept of home in the advise from Pastor Ruth and the ability to finally listen to his heart, rather than his head.

This is a bit of an unusual story for Christmas. It's not about snowmen and trees and skating. It is about two men who try to straighten out their lives as they help each other, one more than the other.

The con man is slick, but he comes to realize that his lies hurt people, especially the one he told a little boy.

It's not a typical romance story and in addition to that it takes a few turns along the way. The acting is OK. There's a few good humorous moments but also some drama.

Try this movie for something different in the way of a Christmas story.