The Christmas Ball

Every Christmas film i watch , you see them cutting down a big tree at least 7 feet and above and then when they get it home , it is 5 feet or less , i love these films , i am a sap for them ,

Great to have a British movie for a change, although it's a bit weird when they use American phrases etc. Midsomer Murder fans will recognise three of the four lead actors, which is fun. I wish there were more all-age-friendly UK movies like this and not just for Christmas.

It's the usual Christmas fee and the characters are as likeable as can be. It's not a great performance by any of the actors and if you watched hoping for a bit of a British flavour to these films then you'll be very disappointed - from the stock cottage of London bearing no resemblance to current London, the house at the heart of the plot clearly being American - and new and not pre-Georgian and all references to the "preservation committee" instead of asking it to be listed by English Heritage makes it about as English as 4th July.

If you like a film with a dance theme, particularly, Tchaikovsky's 'Nutcracker', you'll be charmed by this festive romantic Anglo/American drama.

Normally this genre is invariably made in the USA/Canada but this one is mainly set in England with some scenes set in a dance studio in Boston, Mass - the unfamiliar setting for this story adding further to its charm.

I found the story, characters and dialogue intriguing ie not clichéd or run-of-the-mill - and The Ball itself is a visual/audio delight.

A bigger budget (to give the story premise more credence ie Aunt Bridget's house is being assessed for National Trust status as the Ball is taking place) and perhaps better casting of the leads may have given this a superior finish, but it is what it is; and given the Christmas Romance genre attracts a lot of mediocrity this feature is certainly not in that category.

Which is why I score it a 7. The dance scenes really pull this one up above average fare.

The performances are perfectly fine, but Caroline Langrishe as Aunt Bridget is delightful, and of course being a former ballerina she is a dream on the dancefloor as are the other three leads.

If you love the 'Waltz of the Flowers' from the The Nutcracker it's a MUST SEE!

Predictable Hallmark style Christmas romp but no chemistry between Deirdre Mullins and Nick Hendrix, he's a charisma vacuum, she's great. Nice to see Richard Lintern getting off with the still foxy Caroline Langrishe.