Jane H
I watch a lot of Hallmark movies and enjoy them, but it's always a great pleasure when one rises above the fold and turns out to be much better than expected. That's the case with this one.The lead actors are appealing, the romantic chemistry is good, and the premise of the little girl writing to Santa, who writes back and then falls for the mom--that's all good. But what makes it so much better than average is the humor in the script. I *loved* the various side characters like the hero's best friend, who is always making sarcastic quips about marriage and kids (but really loves his own family). The heroine's sister's husband and his buddy, Randy, are obsessed with a potato shooting contest. Randy is such a crazy guy, he practically deserves a series of his own. Brilliant! Then there's the heroine's Hemingway-themed cafe, called The Bun Also Rises, with menu items like To Ham and Ham Not and The Old Man and the Tea. The ending with the magical Christmas barn and sleigh was tongue-in-cheek about all the Hallmark Christmas smaltz, yet in a fond way. It worked.There are a few Hallmarks that stand out due to really good scripts -- I love Seven Year Hitch (2012) and Naughty Or Nice (2012). This movie goes to the top of the heap for me. In fact, I even looked up the writers and am seeking out more of their movies. I've never done that.Watch it!
Christmas-Reviewer
BEWARE OF FALSE REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW TO THEIR NAME. NOW WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE MOVIE. IF ITS A NEGATIVE REVIEW THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST THE FILM . I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 200 HOLIDAY FILMS. I HAVE NO AGENDA.First of all the woman in the cover photo does not look like (Marguerite Moreau) the woman who stars in this film!In this Hallmark film A widow's daughter writes to Santa Claus, asking for her mother to find love again. When a struggling writer receives the letter, he finds new inspiration and the beginnings of a romance.The film starts off great. It had lots of promise but slowly goes off the rails. That is too bad. The cast was very capable of delivering great and believable performances. The first hour the film is great then it becomes "okay" during the 2nd hour. The actors save this film from failing. That is why I am giving this film a 7.
Sail_a_man
OK, I'm an old guy who loves Christmas movies I admit it. When I saw this was coming on I expected the usual formula of a kid helping Santa Clause out of a fix but to my surprise although frequently mentioned the old guy didn't appear in it, basically it was a love story, with likable characters. I thought it was well acted and was particularly impressed with the acting talents of little Isadora Swann, this appears to be her only acting role to date but hopefully not her last. If you see it coming on watch it, I'm sure you'll enjoy.
Dark_Lord_Mark
Okay, I am a chauvinist pig and proud of it. I was having a moment of weakness and watched this movie. Fearing the worst, my heart instantly melted watching the plot unfold.It is about a divorced man who receives a letter from a girl and her mother. And one thing leads to another and they want to know if it is meant to be. All the characters are very likable and if you want to watch a family movie, with romance and good natured fun, give this a look. The acting was pretty good and the plot is something that everyone can enjoy.I give it a 9 out of 10 and it will make you happy.
AD
