Rudy Duncan (Ben Affleck) is looking forward to returning to his family and having a fresh cup of hot chocolate. A simple goal. But complicated by the fact that he is serving time for auto theft.
While in prison, Rudy has listened to many intriguing romantic letters from the girl friend (Charlize Theron) of his roommate, Nick (James Frain). Thoughts of Ashley and her letters play on Rudy's mind.
	Now after six years, he and his cellmate are finally going to be paroled. When Nick is killed during a prison riot, Rudy decides to assume Nick's identity upon release from prison and to meet up with the unknown woman.
	He unwisely puts his 'hot chocolate with the family' dreams on hold. Rudy soon finds himself on a fling with Ashley and subsequently in too deep with Ashley's brother Gabriel (Gary Sinise).
	Rudy is violently forced to cooperate with a casino robbery that Gabriel and his gang have been planning with Nick in mind.
	So what does the Santa have to do with the movie? Well, the movie ends with the idea that it is more blessed to give than to steal.

Rudy Duncan (Ben Affleck) is looking forward to returning to his family and having a fresh cup of hot chocolate. A simple goal. But complicated by the fact that he is serving time for auto thief. While in prison, Rudy has listened to many intriguing romantic letters from the girl friend (Charlize Theron) of his roommate, Nick (James Frain). Thoughts of Ashley and her letters play on Rudy's mind. Now after six years, he and his cellmate are finally going to be paroled. When Nick is killed during a prison riot, Rudy decides to assume Nick's identity upon release from prison and meet up with the unknown woman. He unwisely puts his 'hot chocolate with the family' dreams on hold. Rudy soon finds himself on a fling with Ashley and subsequently in too deep with Ashley's brother Gabriel (Gary Sinise). Rudy is violently forced to cooperate with a casino robbery that Gabriel and his gang have been planning with Nick in mind.

I went to see this film with some friends of mine, Carman Leal and her husband, David. He happens to be severely disabled with Huntington's disease. He cannot walk or talk and he lives in a care facility. About the only thing that Carmen and her husband can do together is watch a movie. He seems to enjoy them. Reading and playing checkers are no longer options. The sadness of the situation is offset by the loving devotion that Carman has for her husband.

Going to the movie was an ordeal. We left her house in a van for the care facility. It took a couple of nurses to get him ready -bathed, diapered, and dressed. We took him to the van in a wheel chair. Helped him in. Secured him in his seat belt and headed off for the theater. We went in and sat in the back where the handicapped section was. He seemed to enjoy the movie and, of course, the chocolate candy, cola, and popcorn. Carmen did not have the privilege of dialoguing with him about the film, or anything else for that matter. She just talks to him. He cannot reply.

Sometimes things happen to us. And certain dreams and goals must go unreached. I wondered what David's life plans were before they got tragically interrupted?

I connected this situation with the movie, in which Rudy Duncan made bad choices and ended up in prison. His life got interrupted too! But not through things he could not control. He did it to himself.

In prison Rudy dreamed of returning to his family and having a fresh cup of hot chocolate. Simple goal. But then what does he do? As soon as he is released, he yields to temptation. He is sidetracked by a beautiful young woman who quickly involves him in illegal activity (there are lots of interesting surprises and plot twists).

So what is the connection between disabled David and car-thief Rudy? The lesson they teach us is: Life has enough problems without adding to them. The irony of life is that we are our own worst enemy. The tragedy in Rudy's life was himself. Life is too precious and short for stupid choices. I can hear David in his silence yell "AMEN!"