“Christmas Crime Story” (*** out of four) was a cleverly done melodrama about a botched robbery on Christmas Eve told from the vantage points of several different characters: a troubled cop (Scott Bailey) trying to reconnect with his mother, a photographer (Adrian Paul) with escalating mental health problems, his vindictive fiancee (Neraida Bega), and a drunken and desperate Santa (Eric Close). Story is a little hard to believe and goes a little too far by the end but is well-acted and well-told and holds your attention with its pungent story involving its plethora of characters. An impressive showing for director Richard Friedman.