Holiday Hotline

A light-hearted, creative movie, and funny at times, "Holiday Hotline" delves too long into "Turkey Chat", and humorous poultry puns revolving around the holiday bird. This tone doesn't allow you to take this romantic premise, seriously. The story's somewhat a farce and the jester (well -played) is "Peggy's" boss at the call center, Roger, a Steve Buscemi (Armageddon, Boardwalk Empire) mimic. After the humor was established, it felt like the story (if it's meant to be a romance) was stretched thin (how many turkey-tragedies can you laugh at?). "Peggy" and "Jack's (our primary couple's incognito names) calls were more co-counseling, than dating, so we get to know "Abby's" and "John's" backgrounds, well. Unfortunately, the director didn't succinctly crossover to Abby and John and delved more into the silliness of turkey tragedies, and even a "hotline awards ceremony". You're left getting anxious for the reveal, but their story should have reached (not dragged) a crescendo, well before the pen-ultimate scene . Instead, we have short heart-felt apologies, and an uncertain relationship (John & Abby v. Peggy & Jack) J, not one that has been duly-established (and time was up). Definitely, okay to watch (and enjoy) this once, but you won't find it memorable, or humorous, enough, for a repeat view in the future.

Okay, there were a few standard Hallmarkish plot elements but overall this was a lot of fun. Very creative staging with the hot line girl (Emily Tennant) interacting with Niall Matter and other callers. In some ways it felt like watching a stage play. Creative dialogue from all characters. Yes, toward the end, some of the normal Hallmark components found their way in, and the ending wasn't really brought to a firm conclusion (although a fair ending was implied) but overall it worked well. One great character, in addition to the two leads, was Erik Athavale who played. Emily Tennats boss, his interactions and delivery added more fun. Well done and this added some fun to the season.

This movie is clever in a number of ways. Some of the banter is delivered in a clever way and the visually transposing Peggy next to Jack while on the phone is a clever way to erase the distance.

The premise is a cleverly disguised You've Got Mail. Abby/Peggy and Jack spend time together live and communicate via the impersonal telephone hotline which masks Abby's true identity. On the phone, they share their personal lives while they get to know each other on a more impersonal level during their time together physically. Eventually Jack and Peggy face revealing their true identities and later meeting in person. Like other movies with this premise that doesn't go as planned.

Other "disguise" elements to make the story different from the original include Peggy changing her accent from British to American while on the phone which further hides her hotline identity from Jack. I already mentioned the visual side by side presentation while on the hotline. And there is Jack's daughter. Meanwhile Jack disguises his identity on the hotline by using his given name, John. (I happen to be a John who goes by Jack.)

There is a great scene in the second half of the movie that revolves around the idea of Peggy and John being visually together though still on the hotline call. And later the line "You're asking if the guy who asked you to his house is ... ghosting you?"

All of this is decoration. One of the big draws for me in this movie is Emily Tennant. I have enjoyed her several times in Hallmark movies. I love her personality (really). She and Nial Matter have good chemistry despite her British accent which was one turnoff to me of the whole movie.

While I liked a lot of things about this movie, the plotting was lazy and in some cases .... dumb.

First we have a depressed woman who just dumped her lying, cheating boyfriend and quit her job. She's depressed. So her parents' best idea is to send her a quarter of the way around the world, alone, to a place she has no connection with, to stay in the empty apartment of a friend ... where she knows no one?

It doesn't get more contrived and dumb than that.

Then Niall Matter, who we really like, has a melt down when a door knob falls off? Strike two.

Then she's absolutely forced to take a job at a turkey hot line? Strike three.

Then Matter calls the hot line and just happens to get her? Do you get four strikes?

Don't get me wrong, there are some nice things about the movie, but PLEASE, writers, use your brains next time.

If you had read me the script before I watched this movie, I'd have made a hefty bet it would be a disaster. There's probably quite a few who think it was. But I thought they made it work.

You can't tell the players without a scorecard as people are using interchangeable names and accents and somehow two people become two couples.

Emily Tennant is a tiny, little ball of gorgeousness who plays a British chef treated shamefully by her boyfriend/boss, so she comes to Chicago for Christmas. She somehow winds up working at a turkey cooking helpline.

Niall Matter is an architect in Chicago who wants to make a Christmas turkey for his daughter. It all gets very convoluted from there.

Erik Athavale was really funny in Santa Summit, and is very good here too.

Myla Volk as the daughter is a child actor new to me. She's going to be gorgeous in ten years, and does a nice job as well.

I can only say this is the kind of movie some love and some hate.

I gave it an 8.