Love at the Christmas Contest

After a good start, we've been disappointed in the last couple of GAF releases. This one simply had no fire at all. The story lacked originality, and the only tension was the 'same old' one of the leads has to leave town for their career.

When the acting wasn't flat, they leaned HARD on dripping sentimentality, and they couldn't be satisfied with just one dead mother to make the Christmas season melancholy, they doubled down with TWO!

Thankfully, you won't have to pull out the hankies, because none of the actors could put forth enough genuine emotion to transfer their supposed grief to a viewer.

This won't be on our rewatch list, obviously, and I can only recommend it to a Christmas list completist. There are MUCH more interesting, entertaining, and moving films available from both this year's releases and reliable "rewatches" from the past.

GAC Family is committed to family friendly entertainment. Often, they are doing this, in my opinion, at the expense of the story. For example, so many of the movies they have premiered lack any real villain, large or small to create tension. This movie is an example of what I am saying.

For starters, the story looks on paper like a grab-bag of many of the usual Christmas formulas. Angie lost her mother last year and everything this year is to honor her, especially her goal to win the tree decorating contest. Meanwhile, David is in town only for a short while and has to get back to Florida for his job. David has an absolutely adorable 10 year old girl, Gabby. There is the usual meddling bff. The word play around "it's a date" was way overused. There are snowmen and tree decorating.

Beyond all that, the story is very simple with no real highs or lows. One might call it a twist when Angie does something special almost at the end, but then that was closely tied to a problem that has been running through most of the movie which all the viewers knew would somehow be solved. And as I alluded to, there is almost no tension. The conflict gets blown up around another thing even the characters knew through the whole movie.

So what about Abby and David's relationship which I often say is what I really watch for? Yawn! Any chemistry between Samantha Cope and Ross Jirgl was extremely quiet at best. I think much of the responsibility for that is with Jirgl because he played David so laid back and reserved. I liked Cope's Angie, but she isn't in a class with some of the more perky actresses. There was definite chemistry between Cope and Eliza Donaghy's Gabby.

The background music was often distracting. Not because it was loud, but because it was noticeable. I have found that to be the case in other GACF movies. In this case, it might have been because that background was Christmas Carols in such a way that the melody stood out and competed with the dialogue.

This movie will be enjoyable in that there is no reason to expect things that aren't for the whole family. The story, the acting, and the dialogue are all acceptable, just not sparkling.

First - the BEST part of Christmas movies is that they end well. I don't care about predictability when watching them - it's t he predictability that is comforting. No gore, no profanity, no nudity, wholesome stories with happy endings. That being said - I personally loved this one because I love Christmas, especially decorating the tree. So tree decorating is close to my heart. That's not the only "personal" part of this movie, my oldest daughter is named Samantha (lead actress' name), and I love sunflowers. I am a movie freak and tend to watch favorites over and over - and there are many! However, I don't feel that makes me a movie critic on any level, other than personal preference. So the snarky comments made by others about low budget, bad plots or acting should be ignored - for all reviews. So you didn't care for it - big deal. I think it's crazy how many ways all the Christmas movies can present the same basic story line! All actors, new and seasoned, need a place to present their art. Some have a lot of experience and a better screen presence, others are new to it. Kudos to them all for surviving the cattle call, the screen tests and getting the role!

Watch the movies for the FUN of it and ENJOY!

One of my favorites in this type of genre. The writing and story is thoughtful and clever about a drama based around a Christmas tree decorating contest for the town. I wish my town had something like that as it is such a cool idea. A perfect family and love story for the holidays. The acting from the leads was great and the directing and production all first rate. Really impressed with this flick overall and I highly recommend! The colors really pop on the screen, and just beautiful sets and backdrops of Christmas decor and cozy homes. I found the story to be very touching on how new beginnings can occur despite going through great losses of losing loved ones, especially your mother as what is the case in the story. I have seen other Mar Vista movies, and ones written by John Burd and I was very impressed. This is the first film I have seen that he directed as well and I look forward to seeing more from him like this! It's nice to see Hollywood put out good-natured films again like this.

The locations were ok, but not many of them. I assume this was a small budget movie and they couldn't afford a better known lead actress and actor. The pair have no chemistry and that makes this production look like an amateur stage play, directed by someone with no directing experience. The best actors were the supporting ones, stand outs Triana Browne and Colleen Elizabeth Miller.

The script - plot and dialog are bad, snooze material starting with the tree decorating contest which was boring. If the script and direction were better it could have helped this movie and the actors. I wasn't looking for an award winning production, just something that doesn't look like a B/C level movie.