Christmas in Notting Hill

I enjoyed the opening parallel between a group of small kids playing soccer and a professional UK football team playing to the tune of Elton John's "Step into Christmas". Georgia Bright (Sarah Ramos) travels to London to visit her baby sister for Christmas. When she arrives her sister, Lizzie (Joelle Rae) has a whole British Christmas itinerary...including shopping and getting Christmas crackers even though neither one knows what they are. While out shopping alone, Georgia runs into a gentleman...or maybe he runs into her, either way s one of a kind ornament is broken and Georgia, not knowing he is the famous captain of the local football team (soccer) Graham Savoy (William Moseley), treats him like a regular person. The novelty of being treated like a regular chap intrigues Graham who eventually helps her finish her shopping trip...including the Christmas crackers. What they both eventually find out is that their younger siblings are not only dating, but Graham's younger brother Henry is actually planning to propose to Georgia's sister Lizzie this Christmas. This throws the two of them together and eventually makes them accomplices.

Meanwhile there is this whole sub storyline about both Georgia and Graham questioning their futures and their chosen professions.

Things to like: there were some cute nods to the movie Notting Hill, Georgia and Lizzie's dad with his Hawaiian shirts was a kick, the two girls seemed to have nice camaraderie, there are some great touristy British things and Christmas traditions like the Christmas crackers. I think the drag queen Christmas special was a little over the top. I did enjoy the extended family for the holidays.

Things that kept this from being in the top tier of Hallmark movies...the injury recovery was unrealistic, Georgia's anger at Graham seemed inappropriate, and finally the leads seemed to lack chemistry with one another. The fight between sisters over the potential marriage of the younger sister seemed disproportionate to their relationship...making them seem close sometimes but like strangers others.

Overall, it was a good film that I think romantics will appreciate. I recommend it to hallmark fans and Anglophiles alike.

Featuring plenty of the Christmas traditions I know and love as an Australian, and filmed on location in London - which is a big deal, as many Hallmark Christmas movies are set in cities that they're not actually filmed in - Christmas in Notting Hill is a decent festive romance centered around Graham Savoy (William Moseley, of 'The Royals' and 'The Chronicles of Narnia' fame) who is an injured Premier League soccer/football star who must consider his future in the game. He meets Georgia (Sarah Ramos), a special education teacher from America, in London to celebrate Christmas with her sister.

Some Hallmark tropes feature here, but with a decidedly British touch.

Mosely and Ramos are pretty good together, but there were a few scenes that didn't make sense. Like Graham being able to walk and run despite him supposedly having an ACL tear.

Reasonable entertainment, but not nearly as enjoyable as, say, 'A Biltmore Christmas'.

They clearly had no idea how to represent an ACL tear or the recovery from one either. He should have been in a brace with crutches because the only way to repair an ACL is with surgery, not a TENS machine. He would have been non-weight bearing for 6 weeks after surgery. As they had shown him getting injured right at the beginning of our story line he would have only been out of the hospital a few days and most definitely would not be walking around London. The only thing they got right about the recovery is the recovery time. Otherwise it was a cute predictable Hallmark movie that makes you believe in Christmas.

The main character spends the whole movie getting childishly upset over things that aren't worth getting upset over. She gets mad at the guy because he doesn't say he's a famous football player, so what? She gets mad because, well, a lot. And he supposed to suddenly care about her because she's funny it's smart etc.. I don't see her being funny and smart I just see her being a pill. And he likes her because she treated him like a person, but she stopped treating him like a person really early on. Just ridiculous. Kudos for a nod to the original Notting Hill, because the dad is seen reading a copy of "Horse and Hound."

American teacher Georgia Bright (Sarah Ramos) goes to Notting Hill to visit her sister for Christmas. Injured professional footballer Graham Savoy (William Moseley) comes home to Notting Hill with his career in doubt. They bump into each other in an outdoor market. He is surprised that she doesn't know who he is.

It is Hallmark in London. The romance is standard Hallmark. It has two pretty leads doing most of the standard fare with limited drama. The big drama with the sisters seem to come out of nowhere. The main difference from other Hallmark movies is the London location. I wouldn't mind more local flavors. The interiors are probably shot on a sound stage. It is still a TV movie after all.