Ein Weihnachtswunder als Zugabe

I'll start with the pluses: lead Maggie Lawson, anywhere. She's charming, energetic-even a bit inspiring-here. All around, the acting is a high point and a cut above for this genre.

Unfortunately, that's about where the positive runs out.

Male lead Brennan Elliot is also good, but he comes off as old for Lawson's perky Charlotte, which is emphasized by their more-work-than-spark vibe through most of the movie.

So, it's thin on the vital romance angle.

The worse sin, maybe, for the holiday romance crowd: there's very little hint of Christmas except as a calendar date.

The movie was shot almost entirely in dark interiors, so for all of Charlotte's infectious optimism, there's also a visual heaviness that, combined with the lack of Christmas zing and tepid romance, kind of sank the whole enterprise.

'Christmas Encore' was one of those films that was part of my Christmas film completest quest that has been happening on and off over-time after it appeared as a recommendation here earlier this year. Absolutely love Christmas, have said this quite a number of times in my reviews in the past but am trying actually to not make it as obvious now unless when challenged if a review for any Christmas film is negative. Did sort of like the idea.

Saw 'Christmas Encore' actually with relatively mixed expectations, excepting at least some degree of heart and charm while not expecting a particularly great story or dialogue. Watching it, 'Christmas Encore' had its moments. But it was a film that pretty much delivered on not having a great story or dialogue (neither were even good) and didn't have enough heart or charm. Not unwatchable but quite bland with a number of things working against it.

There are good things here. The always watchable Brennan Elliot was an amiable male lead and has the one character to have any form of likeability or development (while being generally thin on both). The music is pleasant and nostalgic.

Furthermore, the scenery is suitably picturesque and beautifully photographed. Some parts are cute.

Unfortunately, the bad things outweigh. Have seen much better performances from Maggie Lawson. She is dull later on and comes over as too neurotic early on from trying too hard with the negative character traits. Really did not find her character appealing at all for most of the time, too self-absorbed and narcissistic. The rest of the cast try but are undistinguished in typical Hallmark cliche roles.

Chemistry between Lawson and Elliot is none. Quite cold, takes too long to get anywhere and then rushes through when it finally shows some sign of developing and too much of a mismatch. 'Christmas Encore' is very cheesy in writing to the extent that the pong that exudes from it leaves a bad taste in the mouth. The sentimental sugar is also too much. The story is a major failing, it's paper thin and beyond bland that is excessively predictable from being too faithful to the typical Hallmark Christmas film formula and moves very slowly early on. This could easily have been 45 minutes at the maximum.

Concluding, watchable for one time only but mostly a failure. 4/10.

Review Date 7/1/2018

I Have Reviewed OVER 500 Christmas MOVIES. On all Christmas movies BEWARE OF FAKE REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. Many reviewers have only have ONE REVIEW. When it's a POSITIVE REVIEW chances are that the reviewer was involved with the production. If its a negative review then they may have a huge grudge against the film for whatever reason. I am fare about these films.

In this film A struggling actress cast in an off-Broadway show contemplates quitting the business and moving home. However, she has second thoughts after discovering a renewed passion for her craft. But when the historic theater where they perform loses its lease and the show is set to fold, she and her castmates need a Christmas miracle.

This film is almost a chore to finish. It has some attractive leads but no great story to make this film worth remembering.

It's a family movie which is supposed to be romantic and dramatic but unfortunately misses in both aspects. Its plot seems interesting but it also fails to deliver something good, as it is very linear, predictable and thus very unsatisfying. It has such a slow pace that it's easier to fall asleep than pay attention to it, especially as it also doesn't bring anything that might surprise you in any way. Its characters are also not very well developed, not managing to be likeable or to direct any sympathy towards them. To make matters worse, the finale is as predictable as It gets, not to mention the overall sensation that the movie leaves, that everything will be sorted very easily without breaking a sweat.

There aren't many things to mention on the plus side unfortunately, besides the core idea of the plot which was interesting (before actually seeing its implementation) and a couple of actors which are quite ok in their interpretation. It's a shame that they weren't able to do more with this movie, the final result being mediocre at best.

I had my doubts when I started watching it, but it turned out to be a sweet romantic movie. Easy to watch. Good acting. With all the clichés, but you know what you are getting.