When a man battles the inner conflict between chasing his dreams and following his destiny, an abrasive expat angel helps show him that his life had meaning even when it did not turn out as planned in this faith-based holiday movie paying homage to It’s a Wonderful Life.

SYNOPSIS:

Harry Thompson has big plans, and that does not include living his small town. His family owns a small newspaper in a small town in a place called Potter County. The town specifically isn’t given a name because it is supposed to represent any small town in America. He ignores everything that is meaningful in his life to fulfill his selfish pursuit of his dreams that will only benefit himself but finds that his destiny keeps calling him to be big in heart in a small town.

The movie opens with an expat angel named Bruce that has given up being an angel to pursue a love that did not work out between a human. Bruce is waiting in a diner to speak to an angel named Michael to negotiate a way to become an angel again. Michael agrees to talk to Bruce but quickly informs him that once the wings are given up there is no going back. Michael has his agenda. He mentions to Bruce that there is a human in trouble. Michael cannot help him because he will not pray and ask for it. Bruce agrees to listen to Harry’s story.

Harry is introduced saving his brother’s life after he falls onto subway tracks in New York City. Bruce likes Harry’s sacrifice to save his brother and continues to hear the rest of the story. The main characters become established at a town fair where Harry is a school-aged child. Harry notices that his friend Jake is being hustled and losing all of his money at a carnival game and tricks the attendant to get Jake’s money back. This incident foreshadows the type of trouble that Jake gets into later in the story with money. Diane is introduced. She will eventually become Harry’s wife as she whispers in his ear in pig Latin that he doesn’t understand, “Harry Thompson, I’m going to love you until the day you die.” Harry walks up to his father, and that is when Charles Bronn is introduced. He is a powerful head of programming for one of the biggest news channels on cable television called Deer News. He has just moved into the neighborhood. He has an interest in taking over the local news in their small town. Charles Bronn flexes his muscles to intimidate Ray Thompson/Harry Thompson’s father, who owns The Potter Post with his brother Robert. He is not afraid, and this begins Charles’ effort to take control of The Potter Post.

Harry is now a senior in High School, and he is working at his family’s newspaper. This work consumes him to the point that he forgets about prom. He ends up going alone standing up his date by accident. Harry is standing by his friends, and Diane gets his attention. They flirt with each other and eventually ask each other to dance to a swing song. They are both good dancers and the crowd circles to watch them. Both of Harry and Diane’s dates decide to sabotage their dance and turn on the sprinkler system. The crowd disperses, and they continue to dance and get soaked. Later that night they are walking alone talking about their future. It is clear that Diane wants to stay in their small town and Harry wants to move away to become this world renown journalist in New York City. Diane convinces Harry to skinny dip in a local lake. Sheriff Brent Hassleburger is called to the scene of the teenagers skinny dipping in the lake. Brent Hassleburger realizes that it is Harry and he informs him that his father has just had a heart attack. Harry’s future has officially changed outside of his control.

A few years later after Harry’s father died, Harry is running the newspaper. He runs it with his uncle, Robert. The Potter Post is not doing well in revenue, and Robert has gotten an offer to sell to Charles Bronn. Harry is conflicted because it is an easy and profitable way out but that would mean selling his family’s legacy to a man that Harry believes may have caused the stress that killed his father. Harry decides to blow off some steam and goes to a local dive bar called The Laughing Maiden Pub. He meets Jake and Tim that are on break from school during the Thanksgiving holiday. They catch up. Jake states that he is interning for a hedge fund and Tim is developing a social networking site called Ourbook, which is like Friendster, Myspace and Facebook. Diane is back in town too. Harry and Diane share a look. The bartender, who is Harry’s friend, notices Harry’s interest in Diane and decides to buy her a drink for Harry. Diane comes over to talk to Harry and they start to talk, and the spark is ignited. Harry explains to Diane his plan to move to New York after his brother Will graduates. His brother will move back to help run The Potter Post while Harry goes to Columbia to study journalism. Diane and Harry leave the bar, and go for a walk. They break into a church. Diane asks, “Are you sure you want to break into a church?” Harry responds, “I’m not sure that God would mind. Breaking and entering isn’t a deadly sin, it’s a sin but not deadly; at least according to the bible I read, and that’s the King James version, so I’m pretty sure it’s legit.” Diane asks Harry if he feels as though he has control over his life and Harry responds that he does. Diane is not so sure. Diane looks up into the sky and looks at the star. She says, “I used to believe that the stars are the flashlights angels use to look after people at night. Every time you see a star twinkle, an angel has been sent down to Earth. It flickers because the time that passed is so small that it’s barely noticeable to the human eye.” Harry and Diane hug each other and kiss up in the bell tower looking out over Potter County. This is the start of Harry and Diane’s relationship.

Harry is in Charles Bronn’s office and has to decide whether he is going to sell the paper. Charles has also offered him a good job in New York at Deer News. Harry does not believe in the type of news that Charles Bronn is selling. Harry does not want to report about people’s opinions and gossip. He wants to report about facts that affect the common man. After careful consideration, he turns Charles’ offer down. This infuriates Charles. Charles states, “this is going to be personal Harry, not just business.” Harry’s decision does not solve the financial problem affecting the paper. He turns to Jake that is working for a man named Barry Scallion that has a wealth management business. Barry Scallion’s clients include other hedge funds, country clubs, hospitals and some of the most powerful men in New York. Harry decides to take Jake’s advice and invests The Potter Post’s and his personal savings with Jake through Barry Scallions investment firm.

William comes home from college ready to take care over the family business for Harry. Harry finds out from one of William’s friends that a major new organization wants him to be a correspondent in Afghanistan, which would be a dream come true. Harry knows what he has to do. He lets William follow his dream, and he stays at the Potter Post and marries the love of his life. After the wedding reception, Diane gives Harry a present referencing the conversation they had at the church. It is a picture of an angel holding a flashlight making his way through an alleyway. The angel is shining his flashlight on a couple holding hands. The face of the angel is indistinguishable.

It is now 2008 and Harry has two children, and the bills are piling up. He finds out from Robert that the paper has lost the official newspaper status of Potter County. Harry knows that losing official newspaper status will also lose the legal notices that are worth $30,000. The mayor is giving the designation to Bronn. Harry’s downward spiral begins. Harry realizes that his paper is failing. Harry also comes to find that the money manager Barry Scallion is going to jail for running a Ponzi scheme. Harry has no place to turn. Harry has lost everything outside of his family. Harry meets with Charles Bronn in a moment of desperation in New York City. Charles knows that Harry is desperate and takes advantage of Harry and delivers a verbal knockout punch. Harry ends up by the subway tracks about to throw himself in front of the train. Bruce beats him to it, and Harry ends up saving him. Bruce and Harry share a train ride back to Potter County. Bruce says to Harry, “no man is an island. We are all drawn together: connected. Don’t throw it away. Harry says, “I don’t want to throw anything away. I just wish I wasn’t here. I wish I wasn’t with the living. I just wish I was never born.” Bruce contacts Michael and gives Harry his wish.

Harry comes back to Potter County and regrets his decision because he immediately recognizes that his family is the most important thing in his life. He collapses in front of his life and prays for the first time. Harry opens his eyes to his family recognizing him and his wife standing at the door. Diane explains to Harry what she has done and what she knows regarding their finances and the paper. She had reached out to all of Harry’s friends including Tim, whose social networking site is successful. She also started a fundraising website. Jake also came through for Harry after getting arrested breaking into the Mayor’s office and finding out that the official news status should never have gone to Charles Bronn because Bronn’s paper was not leading in newspaper sales. Harry reaches for a letter that has been left by the door. Harry moves to the right exposing the framed angel picture with the flashlight that Diane gave him on their wedding night. The angel in the painting is Bruce. Harry opens the letter and it reads. “No Man is an Island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. Any man’s death diminishes me because I am involved in Mankind; and therefore, never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee” - John Donne. “Enjoy the night amongst family and friends” – Bruce. Harry looks at his family feeling truly blessed and happy for the first time.

Bruce is walking alone along a street with the snow coming down on his trench coat. Bruce looks up at the stars, and they are twinkling. Bruce turns on his flashlight, smiles, and keeps walking.