The Christmas Trap (2018) User Reviews

Like the Titanic. Smoothing sailing. Then iceberg.

[Fuggit1 · 5/10 · 30 November 2017]

The first 95% of the film was cute and decently acted. Then the climactic fight scene happened. It was horrendous. Excruciating. In terms of quality, I feel like I read "Fifty Shades of Grey" again. That's not a compliment. It was cheap and came off as contrived by a high schooler.

Like seriously, who signed off on this scene? It actually kind of pisses me off, that such amazing actors would be budgeted and then there is a speedy stumble through such a crucial scene. It was a huge disappointment that comes across as a wasteful antithesis of the holiday spirit.

Prior to the fight scene, I would have given it a 6 out of 10. The scene itself was a 1 out of 10 (as in I'd readily go out and purchase the movie "Glitter", than watch this scene again).

Likable enough

[cathlin-07754 · 6/10 · 14 December 2017]

While I agree with some that the ending was way too contrived ("the fight scene"), the clever premise was a nice change from the typical made-for-TV Christmas movie of man/woman enemies or strangers who find love, which has become painfully predictable. Kane's role is nice, and I can actually buy into two teenagers doing what teenagers might do. Bo Derek was surprisingly good in her role as a shallow snob. The ending? Ugggh. But since I got 98% pleasant out of it, and I got to seem some actors get roles again (often stereotypical) as they've aged, I can't knock it too much. A great classic it will never be, but not a bad way to spend a couple hours before Christmas.

I used up ALL my WTFs in the last 15 minutes of this film.

[Poppycorn144 · 7/10 · 23 July 2020]

This is called The Christmas Trap (no doubt a lazy reference to The Parent Trap) so I thought I knew the level of cheese I was in for.

I was wrong

The plot holes are canyonesque in size and the multiple revelations made to the audience and onscreen characters in the final scene are just too much.

So why have I given it an above average score?

The first 80% is exactly what I expected and satisfied my cheese quota, and the final denouement was just insane and made me laugh so hard I cried, so I had to give it extra stars for that.

I'm conflicted.

[rehana-s-kazi · 7/10 · 20 December 2022]

I can't decide how I feel about this movie. It auto-played after another Christmas movie so I went in completely blind. The streaming service had it under the "Christmas in the Heartland" title.

I forgave the handing over an airplane ticket being just handed over and all. Everything lining up for the girls to meet and get along while going to the same town (is it really a direct flight from Vermont?) was understandable in a Christmas movie. Then when they decided to switch places like the Parent Trap, even though they never met their grandparents in person, I wasn't sure if I could handle that premise. They have smart phones and therefore the internet so I don't understand how the grandparents didn't know what the kids looked like. I'm not sure why Jessie wasn't in contact with her grandmother or if it was because of the aunt.

Aside from that, the movie was completely predictable except for one detail that I had backwards (I thought Jessie's dad would be the son of Kara's grandfather). But I did enjoy the cast and the little ways they made it clear that Kara's dad couldn't hear Kara going under Jessie's name. I don't watch Christmas movies for unpredictable plot nuances so that was fine. I'm pretty sure people from Oklahoma might find some things offensive.

I still can't get over how or why switching places made sense or worked but I did enjoy the movie and get the warm fuzzies I so craved. I just had to verbalize my confusion several times to get through the movie. But I did get through the movie and was able to turn off my brain and enjoy it in the end.

One of the most uncomfortable endings EVER!

[jhammond007 · 3/10 · 23 November 2017]

SPOILER!!! I cannot believe this movie scored so high! It was fairly decent through most of the movie although I did not care for the deception. However, the ending was one of the most bizarre and uncomfortable scenes I have ever seen. There were so many devastating, life altering bombs dropped and no one seemed too bothered by all the revelations. I know Mrs. Gentry was an unbearable, uptight woman but to treat her like that in front of everyone was heartless and ruthless... and downright bizarre! I only gave it a 3 because some of the acting was commendable. Two hours that we will never get back....

Please Don't.

[Kale1111 · 19 November 2019]

I get cheesy Christmas movies, predictable story lines, poor acting, cringe worthy lines and a feel good ending. These things make Christmas movies wonderful! But this one doesn't. Its genuinely awful. My wife, who hasn't found a Christmas movie she doesn't love, hated it. It's uncomfortable and there's a big song at the end that you just want to be over. Thankfully once this terrible song ends, so does this travesty of a movie.

Holiday Hijinks

[deedee_2000-985-341635 · 6/10 · 21 December 2020]

The best i can tell a whole lot of people have reviewed this movie that hate Christmas movies. Why watch them if you don't like them? I've been on a month-long Christmas binge of holiday movies so i feel like i can truly say i have seen some of the worst of the worst and The Christmas Trap isn't one of the worst. What The Christmas Trap is is a fun little holiday romp a la The Parent Trap style. Yes, there are plot holes. Yes, there is cheese. But hey, it's Christmas. Doesn't the holiday season require a certain level of suspension of disbelief? So, kick back. Turn your brain off and enjoy. Merry Christmas :)

What Did I Just Watch?!

[mrafferty-89111 · 2/10 · 16 November 2019]

This movie was insane! I can get down with a cheesy Christmas movie. I'm cool with the predictable ending and forced acting but this was on a whole other level. These two girls completely deceive their families and everyone is totally cool with it. They almost seem happy about it. At least have someone be a little upset. The storyline was just ridiculous and not even slightly believable. The ending was weird and the characters were uncomfortable to watch. I don't know who's idea it was to put a song at the end but it was not a good one. At least make sure the actors know the words that they are lip syncing. There were a couple of funny bloopers at the end. I'd say that was the best part.

Farfetched Christmas

[GMGoodwrenchGirl · 8/10 · 15 December 2019]

Clearly there is a great divide between people regarding this film. I was torn by the reviews, which I looked at before I watched, but gave it a shot because of Shelley Long and Christopher Rich.

Glad I didn't discount it...I really, really liked it. The plotline is incredibly farfetched, but the story is sweet and full of twists and pleasant surprises. Set in Oklahoma with a southern/country feel...the "yee-haw"s were a bit much but I found the settings reminded me very much of home in the south-central states.

All you can do is decide if it's worth your time to give it a shot. As for myself, I will watch it again next Christmas.

Sweet movie

[mrsnradley · 7/10 · 5 November 2018]

This was a sweet movie and I enjoyed it. The ending was a little unrealistic, but cute. It put a smile on my face. 😊

For anyone that actually lives in Oklahoma- you'll cringe at this!

[GraySkies85 · 1/10 · 16 November 2019]

I have lived here all my life and have to say this had to be made by people in California who've never set foot in Oklahoma because they think we have black servants answering doors in maid outfits calling people "Miss" like we're in the old south or something! And the people in it are so over the top country/ hillbilly it's obnoxious!

I just have to say I watched a few minutes in and just couldn't keep going because of the horribleness of this all. Skip it and find another holiday movie!

Well Done.

[ynelson65-1 · 10/10 · 5 January 2020]

Honestly I thought it was a cute movie for Christmas . I fell in love with it the first time I saw it. Being a country girl myself. I love the song Southern Christmas . Cute movie. 10\10

Really nice TV movie

[lisafordeay · 7/10 · 23 October 2019]

The Christmas Trap(aka Southern Christmas and Christmas In The Heartland) is a 2017 TV movie produced by Lionsgate and tells the tale of 2 teenage girls who swap places after meeting at an airport to meet their grandparents whom they have never met. Will they keep the charade up for long and get reunited again.

The story is nice,the cast was good and it even had a good twist with the two girls being related in the end. Bo Derek also produces and stars in this film along with The Boyfriend School's Shelley Long and Just Married's Christian Kane. The lead singer from Rascal Flatts also stars as Jessica's father.

Let me save you an hour

[donnapartow · 1/10 · 27 November 2019]

One of the worst movies ever. Terrible script. Even worse acting by everyone except the two young leads, who are both solid. Shelley Long couldn't learn to do anything with hair, for her role as a hairstylist? Nothing?

The whole thing was a mess.

Classic example of deus ex machina

[w4jle · 7/10 · 8 November 2019]

Cute story but relies on deus ex machina to resolve the ending.

Not Recommended -- many better choices available this time of year

[johne-55952 · 4/10 · 4 November 2019]

It's the time to binge on Christmas / fluffy movies and we watched this film in the middle of such a binge-fest. It's pretty bad. There are probably worse films but this couldn't even make the hurdle to carry the Hallmark or Lifetime brand which own the category.

Its not a bad idea for a plot--just very very poorly executed. Not even clear they really had a director or writer. Its like they grabbed a bunch of inexpensive actors and told them to "talk like you're from Oklahoma." The thing is a mess from bad accents to nonsensical dialog, cartoonish sterotypes... Even the scenery is boring.

Ironically the "last scene" that people complained about was the most interesting. It's the cast (and occasionally the crew) running around in circles, bumping into each other, completely out of sync. An appropriate summation of the entire movie. They do seem to be having fun (or maybe they're just happy that its over(?)).

90 minutes of your life is best spent elsewhere. Pretty much anywhere

Could have been a good one . . .

[joem-988-700185 · 6/10 · 4 December 2021]

Having lived in Oklahoma for over three decades i know a bit about those folks and the writers had no idea about them, they just wanted a middle heartland bunch of folk to set their story.

Lots of talent here and the need for a good editor to trim the story down a bit and let the various families live in regular high end and working class homes instead of pushing each family out of reality. The young ladies were great yet had they cast two actors who were similar in height and hair coloring with a few distinguishing features it would have worked better.

There were too many story lines that were confusing and unrealistic coming together all at once and Shelly Long could have been much less frumpy and Bo Derick less over the top rich bitch to move the story along.

I had to fast forward a few times and then my wife and I loved the ending, I have know folks who had families that were that intertwined and screwy. The ending was the fun part that made it worth watching with fast forward.

Cute - But A Big Mess

[francesfarmersrevengeonseattle · 3/10 · 15 January 2018]

The young actresses, Sierra McCormick and Brighton Sharbino, are adorable and do their best with what they're given in this production. The film's premise is not original, and there are far too many holes and continuity issues, but was never meant to be nominated for any prestigious awards. It's just one of dozens of schmaltzy Christmas movies for 2017, for entertainment purposes only.

Two young girls meet for the first time, and hatch an idea during a flight to Oklahoma to switch places to visit families they have never met. Jesse (Sharbino) and Cara (Mccormick) couldn't be more different in appearance, upbringing, style, everything. The film was released in 2017 so everyone has smart phones, including Jesse and Cara; yet the families had no idea what these kids looked like beforehand?

Jesse lives the highlife with Cara"s family, while Cara slums it with Jesse's "kin'. Jesse is nearly a full head taller than Cara, yet Caras clothes fit Jesse perfectly. No one ever calls to check on either of these kids. The deception is never questioned by either family.

Bo Derek, an executive producer of the film, stars as Elsa, Caras stiff, snobbish grandmother. Thanks to the miracle of plastic surgery, she looks incredibly young, but her acting leaves a lot to be desired after decades of experience. Shelley Long, as Jesse's grandmother, hasn't fared so well in appearance after all these years. The long, stringy hair is just awful. She was a hit on "Cheers" in the 70s, but this film was anything but for her career. The remainder of the cast fit well, with nothing exceptional or critically awful.

The entire film falls apart, literally, at the end. Worst finale of any of the Christmas offerings for 2017. Whomever approved script must have been on too many meds because it was beyond ridiculous. Uncomfortable, badly acted, unrealistic from any point of view. The deception is revealed with no one really concerned that the families have been duped all along. The conclusion was a silly country-style song lip synced by the cast.

Enjoy it as just a partially cute Christmas tale.

Very enjoyable

[Jackbv123 · 10/10 · 4 January 2019]

The story of The Prince and the Pauper is a century and half old. But this movie stands on its own, not a cheap copy.

It helps that both the girls have sweet dispositions and can think on their feet. Jeff has some good traits also. The real Kara is better off with Judy while Jessie has to suffer Elsa who is a mean snob.

It's a nice story of people getting to know one another but then it gets messy and the situation goes down hill fast. It's obvious from early on that there's going to be a reckoning. There was some clever maneuvering to avoid blowing things up too early.

There's some messages in the story, rich-vs-poor snobbery being a big one, and Christmas generosity being another.

It was pleasant to hear the girls sing, but neither is beauty pageant winning material, but maybe in a small enough town.

Is the ending predictable? I sure didn't see it coming. I liked it. Like the premise, it may have stretched credulity a bit, but there are literally hundreds of movies in this genre that are as bad or worse. when compared with reality or real life logic.

Overall the movie is just fun. Brighton Sharbino, a true high-school age actress, is OK as Jessie, but more than the acting, you can just feel the good time she is having. Sierra McCormick is even more so. She radiates everything that should be good in a movie like this. And the closing scene with singing, dancing and outtakes was fantastic. (Christian Kane can sing?)

Christmas Country Music Video

[Grumblereviewer · 6/10 · 24 December 2021]

This movie is like a country music video with some unpredictable moments. This movie does tug at the heart strings with a moment or two, but I found myself picking up my phone often.

The acting was by far better then most Christmas movies that I have watched. And boy, have I watched my share of Christmas movies. There was also another story that emerged right at the end that I didn't see coming. This one doesn't quite feel believable but it has a few moments that made you feel like it was worth watching.

What a train wreck

[redwolf28386-893-90262 · 2/10 · 7 December 2019]

The two girls are good, as is Shelly Long, but therest of the actors and the script is horrible!.People in Oklahoma don't speak that way, no one calls their family "kin" and when the long lost daddy introduced his brother as "this here's my cousin brother", my wife and I did a spit take!!

highly underrated

[the_doofy · 10/10 · 12 November 2022]

Acting is B+ or better across the board

A lot of thought was put into the movie script. If you go back and watch it a second time you can see how things at the front end tie in with the things at the end.

The singing was wonderful, probably the best singing I have ever experienced from a hallmark style movie. It was not over done or puffed up

No drugs, alcohol, cussing, very nice for a change

The confrontations were not over the top,

Old theme done very well, any guy would like this movie

Also the antagonist is not a caucasian male for a change, nice

Watch it, and then after awhile watch it again with ure besties is my advice.

Christmas in the Heartland

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 18 October 2020]

I saw this film under the title "Christmas in the Heartland" on Netflix where it's currently playing as I write this. It's a nice, feel good film involving a pair of young teenage girls who meet on a plane flight and figure it would be a good idea to switch destinations with family members they never met before. It's a recipe for trouble if there ever was one, since you can imagine that the deceived parties will come to regard their visitor as one of their own. That's what you'd imagine, but in it's own way, when the girls finally confess, it's accepted as par for the course and everything is hunky dory on both sides. Except of course, for the wife who gets ditched by the wealthy industrialist who somehow got duped into marrying her instead of his true love, the grandmother from the other side! One of the things I couldn't understand in the story was how these two teens run into each other in downtown Guthrie, Oklahoma, presumably seeing each other for the first time with their respective 'families', and greet each other as long lost friends. Not one of the involved parties questioned how that circumstance could be possible. There's other unexplainable stuff as well, but for the magic to work, I guess one isn't supposed to question the obvious and just go along with the flow. Which is what my twelve year old granddaughter did, who thought it was a pretty good movie. How am I going to argue with that?

Has its Moments, But...

[LPMovieLover · 5/10 · 10 November 2020]

I am a Hallmark-style, Christmas movie geek. Of course, you know from early on that something WILL go wrong, you just don't know when. It's the parent trap meets ugly stepmother meets poor little rich girl gone awry. And the whole dead mother concept is so over used.

Lord, they make the poor folk out to be a little too hickish and stereotypical. In addition, you can just figure out who is related to whom and the whole "Cousin Brother" thing was ridiculous.

There were sweet moments and a good message about why money isn't a guarantee of happiness- often the opposite. But the formulaic plot with a ridiculous fight scene ruined it. And everyone standing on the porch singing in the end... what was that?

It's cute, but it's not something I would watch again or recommend to family or friends. If you have nothing else to watch, maybe. Otherwise, go watch a movie you liked again. It will be time better spent.

December 26th mood

[allisonjoys · 1/10 · 20 November 2019]

There were several touching moments but overall a rather strange holiday movie. Cringe worthy. I noticed a number of rave reviews here I can't help but read as sarcasm. But if they were paid, I'd be happy to give this a 10 once I've received and cashed the check.