I’ve witnessed this kind of story countless times. It's the familiar setup: a curmudgeonly older gentleman and a quick-witted young person help one another grow during a holiday season. Perhaps my reaction would be different if I hadn’t encountered so many similar narratives, but there’s simply too much of this type of movie already out there to generate any enthusiasm for what's happening on screen. It doesn't quite live up to its own perception of charm, and Giamatti is off-putting. I understand the intention; he has an unusual appearance, so they portray him as unpleasant and generally repulsive. Now, it’s best just to put this behind us and move forward.

Source on TMDB