Christmas Eve in New York, and the lonely divorced publisher, Rose Collins (Susan Sarandon), needs a miracle to improve the health of her mother, interned in a hospital with Alzheimers. She feels sorry for another patient and meets his visitor. Meanwhile, Nina Vasquez (Penélope Cruz) breaks her engagement with her beloved fiancé Mike (Paul Walker) due to his suffocating jealousy, but misses him. Mike is stalked by a stranger, bartender Artie Venzuela. The poor Jules arranges to spend Christmas Eve in the hospital, where he spent the best Christmas of his life when he was a teenager. The lives of some of these characters cross with others along the night.

Rose Collins' Workplace, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, Manhattan.

Montréal, Québec, Canada.   Canada Stands in for New York City Most of Noel was filmed in Montréal, Canada with the exception of the exterior shots of the Rockfeller Plaza. Hollywood has moved north, outsourcing to Canada no fewer than 1,500 film productions. Producers found that Vancouver could double for middle America, Toronto could stand in for New York City and Calgary can pass for the American West. Even though Canada has spectacular views, it's not the production values that film producers go there to find. The lure is, in a single word, money. Additionally, the Canadian government subsidizes costs and offers a rebate on digital effects. Other discounts, rebates, and tax breaks apply.

Nina's Parent's Home, 3426 Rue Sainte Famille, Montréal, Québec, Canada.