A Christmas Cookie Catastrophe

A Christmas Cookie Catastrophe (2022) -

Was it a lame comedy or a poor romance with too many jokes and stupid actors, because it was really daft for the usual style.

These films are always obvious as to what will happen, but this one was ridiculously obvious and a bit pushy with it, like it was trying to force me to appreciate their romance, whether I wanted to or not.

There was none of the usual nuance or even an attempt to hide how things were going to turn out.

It was interesting to see Rachel Boston in the different role of executive high flyer instead of the Miss Nice she had played before, but you could at least see that her character, Anne, wanted things to work out for everyone. She wasn't the dogged financial wiz that only goes by the numbers that I've seen so many times before.

Victor Webster as Sam, was a roguish nice, but maybe a tad old for her and for his daughter, but he was a nice character after a while, when he mellowed.

However, the idiot twins that sprung up every now and then, were not needed and should have been the first to be let go in the cost cutting lay offs at the cookie factory. There was no way that their productivity would have met the company standard.

The basic plot was that Anne needed to work out her Granny's famous recipe, after it was stolen, but instead of going to the police or the people that work in the factory, she went to Sam's nearby bakery and together they tried to work out the correct balance of ingredients and preparation methods.

Honestly, they must all have the most refined palates of anyone ever? The concept was a little far fetched to say the least. Even comedies have to be based in some sort of reality.

It definitely wasn't one of Rachel or Victor's best films and I'd probably struggle to sit all the way through it again, but by the end I did like the connection that they had made.

5/10.

Does that sound familiar? Actually, it is not the most common premise, but it seems like a lot of them lately. There is a theft mystery thrown in. There is a cute kid who is slightly precocious. And lots of baking cookies.

Anne starts out as a Scrooge like executive who has taken over from grandma and made lots of cuts. Rachel Boston is one of my favorites, but I just can't picture her as a scrooge. I have always seen her as extremely outgoing and positive. I'm not saying she didn't play the part well. I'm saying that if she did, I couldn't have seen it. As the movie goes on, the real Rachel comes out which is a good thing.

There is a bit of Keystone Cops with the gang chasing suspects and Boston looking so inconspicuous with her sunglasses on. Not quite a trench coat. There are some funny lines and moments. Boston and Webster have chemistry. The movie sets up an excellent trail for a false identity of the thief. I followed it. The truth is a real surprise and maybe a bit of a stretch. The dance recital is also very cute.

Even though this movie had the common trope of "big city exec threatens small town company", the film overcame that cliche with a nice story about the awakening of the big city exec, who happens to be the small-town company's founder's granddaughter.

When her grandmother's secret recipe is stolen, she convinces a local baker to help recreate it from the list of ingredients. Just forget that any employee who'd actually been baking the cookies for YEARS in her own company would have known anyway. LOL

Still, the movie has charm, even if very few amusing moments, and we enjoyed it. By the way, I guessed immediately who the thief was. Can you?

"A Christmas Cookie Catastrophe" took me by surprise. As a frequent viewer of Hallmark movies, I expected the typical holiday romance storyline: the Big City CEO meets the Local Hero in a small town, and there's always something significant at stake that involves the entire tight knit town. This movie had ALL of the tropes, but thankfully managed to inject witty humor into the mix, making it an enjoyable watch.

What I appreciated most about this movie was the realistic conflict between the hero--local guy and the heroine CEO. Their disagreements felt genuine, and their encounters were filled with humorous tension and undeniable chemistry. One memorable scene involves the heroine accusing the hero of the cookie theft without revealing the specifics, leading to a humorous and heated exchange. It was a delight to watch their interactions and see their relationship develop when they decide to work together.

As someone who often uses Hallmark movies as background noise while multitasking, "A Christmas Cookie Catastrophe" grabbed my attention (tho I have to admit I was ambivalent until the recipe was stolen). The jokes were surprisingly witty, and the well-executed comedic scenes had me genuinely laughing out loud.

"A Christmas Cookie Catastrophe" offers the expected Hallmark movie formula but surpasses expectations with its comedic charm. From the hilarious sting operation when they were trying to catch the cookie recipe thief (which was soooo hilarious!) to the protagonist's transformation from a driven CEO to someone who learns the meaning of life and joy (this is a must with all of these movies, can't get around it) this movie actually delivers a delightful and heartwarming experience.

Hallmark is definitely trying new things this year. They won't all work, but after so many years of running basically a one-play offense, any attempts at branching out are appreciated.

This film is a comedy whodunnit, starring Rachel Boston and Victor Webster. Both are familiar Hallmark faces, and both have done the lighter side before.

Boston is hit or miss for me. Sometimes she's too sugary, other times she's tolerable. Here she's in between somewhere.

Webster is always pretty much the same, but he can deliver a punchline when the situation calls for it.

I'm delighted to see Stephanie Sy in a role beyond Caroler #1, or Receptionist. She was great as the quirky assistant, and even when not speaking all the little faces she makes are hilarious.

The daughter was great too.

I can see watching this again next year.

Seven.