Making Spirits Bright

'Making Spirits Bright' is a decent Christmas movie, not one of Hallmark's best nor one of their worst this season. Though a sweet romance with a noble underlining message, the story, at times, is slow, even tiresome, I'm afraid. This mildly entertaining Romeo and Juliet tale meets the art/business of Christmas decoration revolves around Grace (played by Taylor Cole) and Tony (played by Carlo Marks) whose fathers are former business partners/friends turned feuding adversaries. The old rivalry is stirred up again this Christmas as the two families enter the Bright Nights competition (with its $50,000 grand prize). As Grace and Tony work behind the scenes to help each other and their fathers, they begin to realize that they must find a way to work together to win the competition. They also begin to discover their feelings for each other along the way. One of the strengths of the story, I thought, was the dialogue and interaction between Tony and Grace. The writers do a good job of developing and capturing a romantic connection between the two that is believable and engaging. Moreover, the underlining message about the value of friendship and forgiveness resonates well on-screen with, for example, a heartfelt and touching scene towards the end between the two fathers, Bill (played by Garry Chalk) and Frank (played by John Cassini). However, the story is slow at times, boring even. Simply put: it lacked that X factor, something to make it stand out in a crowd. The acting, overall, is strong. I was impressed with Cole's performance in particular. She had a warm and gentle vibe to her performance that was lovely to watch on-screen. A very convincing performance, I felt. The two have good chemistry as well, which is a plus for a romance film. As I alluded to above, this storyline is what makes this movie appealing. Chalk and Cassini both had solid performances, which climaxed in a touching scene at the end (as noted above). Given the story is about a Christmas decoration competition, it has plenty of Christmas spirit and festive cheer. Thou a bit slow at times, all in all, it is a sweet romance with a good message and some strong performances by the leads. Worth checking out if you are a fan of Hallmark Christmas movies.

I enjoyed watching this movie, a real romantic comedy. Also, I really like Carlo Marks even if he's seldom paired with a leadind actress with whom he has no chemistry.

It's a nice entertaining movie.

"Anybody can string a bunch of lights and enter a computer code. Where is the soul in that?"-Frank I feel exactly the same way about those computerized light displays with their mega trees and pixels...boring! Give me displays with meaning, interest, history, personality any day.

"That spark of joy in their eyes. All because of something we've created."-Frank

"They were a great partnership."-Arlene "We brought out the best in each other."-Bill

Two families are brought together to compete in a town Christmas light competition and this year the stakes are higher, a $50,000 cash prize. The patriarchs, Bill and Frank, of two families used to run a business together until Frank accused Bill of putting quantity over quality. Bill was so offended he dissolved the partnership immediately and the two started their own businesses. Their kids, including Grace and Tony, used to be friends but have become strangers. With there families pitted against each other, their initial amicable reunion turns contentious.

Bill expanded his business and may have bitten off more than he can chew, making this year's competition monetary reward even more important. The competition is important for Frank as he hasn't competed for the last seven years and feels like he has a lot to prove.

Meanwhile, Grace and Tony keep being drawn together...and discover their moms have secretly maintained their friendship this whole time...meeting clandestinely and taking an annual trip together. Inspired by their moms' secret relationship, Tony volunteers to put his MBA to work reviewing Bill's financials secretly.

Frank confesses to Tony how much he gets into his head and how that prevents him from being able to execute his plans.

"A real partner will value all of your opinions. Even if sometimes it may be wrong."-Bill

"Mutual embarrassment kind of tears down the walls."-Tony.

I almost didn't watch this based on the negative reviews but it was pleasant enough to watch. I liked the seemingly easy compatibility of the leads and the other family members seems genuine, The tech lighting guy was annoying as he was meant to be - I'm glad I don't have lights like that in my neighborhood. I don't really pay any attention to the snow situation that seems to bother others. I would agree that the subplot with the business partner seemed unnecessary.

OK, there are no real sparks in this movie. The family feud and the lights competition ring recent and distant bells. Which should be discounted, as expected. Considering the myriad of Christmas and romantic movies continuously produced, fresh, new ideas are near-impossible, especially when one refuses to resort to sensationalism, depravity, vulgarity or violence. Thanks Heaven Hallmark has resisted temptation to walk that path. Within the self-imposed constraints, Hallmark comfortably presents us with light fare entertainment that ranges from boring to heartwarming, never objectionable. Sometimes we get the little magic that we would always want to find. Given the other alternatives available on the market, this is an accomplishment that should be recognized. Here we are with this film, which, still, delivers some kind or moving moments and, though formulaic, conform to Christmas spirit in reminding us of the values of family and friendship.