Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane

A woman (Alicia Witt) returns home after her parents died to celebrate with her sister (Laura Leighton) and brother. She meets an antiques store owner (Colin Ferguson) who helps her settle and value the contents of the house. At least it's a different story than the typical Christmas movie.

Alicia Witt was spot-on perfect a few years back in "Merry Mix Up." She can act, as was particularly evidenced by the scene in which she was alone in a bathroom and had an emotional breakdown - it was subtle and very moving. Since then, her Christmas movies have gone downhill, mostly because she acts so goofy. What's with the overbaked facial expressions, weird voice inflections, and klutzy looking body movements ? This new movie is a good, solid, well-written story that keeps your interest. But, there are only three reasons to watch it :

1. Colin Ferguson (as Morgan) and the great Jill Larson (Opal of "All My Children") are very good, particularly Larson in a supporting role that is pivotal to the plot.

2. Witt's hair. In the first hour there is a scene where she stoops over to talk to some kids and her long hair completely covers her face. It's like the kids are talking to Cousin Itt from the Addams Family ! Then, in a longer scene, as she is performing, her hair hangs straight down, then its back behind her ears, then its behind her left ear only, no wait - now its straight down, nope - it's back behind both ears, yikes - now only the right side of her hair is behind an ear, now it's straight down again, etc.,etc. Does that hair move by itself you wonder ! This serious lack of continuity is hilarious - you got to see it to believe it. Plus, you can't understand how the director let this happen in the finished product ! The most blatant and continual lack of continuity I have ever seen in a film.

3. Witt's performance. During the first hour, she overacts beyond belief. At times, she gives these looks of horror or shock that are laughably inappropriate to what is going on in the scene. And her body movements are childlike or just plain clumsy. At the end of the hour, my wife said, "I think we are going to find out that her character has a mental problem - something disturbing happened to her." Seriously?! Ya think ?! But, Witt almost redeems herself in the second hour. She settles down, removes the distracting aqua blue nail polish that her character (an attorney) would never wear, pulls her hair back out of her face (per the frustrated make-up staff probably), and she seems to concentrate on what she is doing. She is actually quite good and heartfelt.

All in all, pretty entertaining and unintentionally hilarious. Can't wait until Witt's funny fiasco next Christmas. Who was it that said, "Always keep 'em laughing!".

The story is average, but the two leads have an on-screen spark which makes this flick engaging.

What most impressed me was the beautiful house (where the story is mainly staged); and the overall Christmas decor/snow-laden setting (beautiful interiors with many trees & lights) which is sophisticated and understated - without an inflatable Snowman/Santa-Claus in sight.

Very pretty to look at - I've scored 7/10 for festive charm alone.

The last few years Hallmark has wasted Alicia Witt in some pretty poorly done Christmas movies. Luckily this year, they've put her in a more emotional and satisfying movie. Laura Leighton is an always welcome surprise in these movies too. If only someone had taken the time to brush Alicia's hair. She's too pretty to have a rat's nest on her head.

Well, I have to say that the title of this 2018 Christmas movie and the cover wasn't exactly great selling points, and I was having some doubts about the movie. But still, with it being the holiday season and all, and me not having already seen "Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane", of course I opted to sit down to watch what writer Caitlin D. Fryers managed to concoct.

Needless to say that I was expecting this to be another over-the-top sappy cheesy romantic Christmas movie, you know, the ones that come a dime a dozen. But writer Caitlin D. Fryers and director Maggie Greenwald actually managed to surprise me with what they delivered here. Why? Well, simply because the storyline told in "Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane" was actually one that transcended the usual Christmas romantic cheese. And I found the storyline to be every bit as entertaining as it was well-written.

So if you enjoy Christmas movies and want to watch something that is more than the usual girl hates boy but is forced to work together and falls in love type of Christmas movie, then by all means give "Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane" a chance.

I wasn't familiar with the majority of the cast in this 2018 Christmas movie. I only recognized Laura Leighton actually, and she wasn't the lead actress. But I will say that the actors and actresses in the movie put on good performances in bringing the movie to life on the screen. Lead actress Alicia Witt (playing Emma) and lead actor Colin Ferguson (playing Morgan) really carried the movie quite well and had a good on-screen chemistry.

"Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane" is the type of Christmas movie that definitely has a feel-good atmosphere to it, and it definitely put me in a good mood. So this is certainly a Christmas movie that I can and will warmly recommend you sit down to watch if you like Christmas movies and if you have the chance.

Actually, "Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane" is one of the better Christmas movies that I have sat down to watch thus far in 2021. And I've seen more than twenty so far, only ten days into December.

My rating of "Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane" lands on a most well-deserved seven out of ten stars. It is a good movie, though it is not going to become a Christmas classic for me. Nor do I think I will actually ever sit down to watch it a second time.