As the previous reviewer noted, this is actually pretty good on the scale of Hallmark Christmas movies. Pretty people, cute plot that was slightly more substantial than the average Christmas movie. The leads were good enough, and he was charming and unlike most of the leads in most of these Hallmark romantic comedies, didn't come across as an asexual non-suitor. The leads here actually had a little chemistry, and my cringe moments in the first hour and forty five minutes were few and far between. Then the last 15 minutes came, and ouch. They threw everything together on the backdrop of this manic, low-budget movie Christmas party, which completely distracted from the sweet plot that had otherwise been developing. And managed to put together a get-together final scene that was entirely devoid of chemistry. It felt like the end of Wayne's World where every character popped out in the last thirty seconds and awkwardly and quickly tied up their lose ends.
As an aside, the obsessive emphasis on the value of party planning was a little over the top in this movie. All the poor kids telling the party planner that her previous charitable Christmas parties changed their lives -- all while ignoring the toy store that paid for and provided the gifts for said parties? Really? Of those two people, the party planner was the one responsible for changing your life?
As an aside, the obsessive emphasis on the value of party planning was a little over the top in this movie. All the poor kids telling the party planner that her previous charitable Christmas parties changed their lives -- all while ignoring the toy store that paid for and provided the gifts for said parties? Really? Of those two people, the party planner was the one responsible for changing your life?