Hats Off to Christmas!

So im only writing to critique the supposed business model of the supposed single location Christmas store that operates year round. First off, the sell Christmas hats, and very limited other Christmas items. They have a warehouse on top of a back room at the store. They also have a corporate office with a reception desk employee. Now I only have a BS in Business Management, but I know that a 1500 sq ft retail store that sells merchandise for a single holiday, probably doesn't need a warehouse, and it's definitely doesn't need a corporate office with a reception desk. If the average hat costs $20 (and that's very generous), their sales would need to be in the millions, which im not seeing from that tiny store front. And yes, I know, it's a movie. But it's not too hard to do a little research.

Yes, I know it is cheesy and grossly sentimental. The interplay from the widowed single mother (she is getting over her husbands death well, kind of like Scarlett O'Hara) and the put upon disabled child is really over the top.

Yet for reasons I do not fully understand this is one my favorite Hallmark movies. I would recommend this one for all.

Hats Off To Christmas (2013) -

Who keeps giving Haylie Duff work, I don't like to be mean and this wasn't her worst film by a long shot, but once again she played her character, Mia, as if everything in her life was so hard and she deserved all the pity in the world.

Antonio Cupo was obviously hot and looked like he had a fantastic bottom, but he was not a nice character at all to start with. His change of heart was a bit hard to believe as well and definitely seemed very convenient, almost as if he was working an angle, but he didn't appear to want Mia.

I didn't think that he would have mellowed so quickly and certainly not from the attention she was giving him, which was quite brusque to say the least. He actually seemed more keen to spend time with her son (Check the registers), but he was also the one to make the efforts towards her, while she didn't show any interest at all, because she was so wrapped up in her own head.

Antonio bore some strong similarities to Brendan Penny, but Mr. P would always win for me and has always delivered his characters with more ease, although Cupo as Nick may have been a victim of the direction or a bad script, as indicated by the complicated way he came across.

The leading pair just weren't right for each other and there was no chemistry between them, except that he got on with the kid, Scotty (Sean Michael Kurt), who was not a good actor. I wasn't convinced that he really had bad legs. I can't stand these actors that don't put in the effort. I'm sure someone would have actually broken them for him.

The film as a whole was incredibly twee and a tad saccharine. There was a lot that was unbelievable as a result of that and I think that the script was a bit too basic and the story a bit too forced. For instance, when Valerie suddenly had a moment that was totally uncharacteristic.

Also, there was no way a business that just sold Santa Hats would survive without an online presence and it wouldn't need such a huge factory and office to supply and run it. There was a lot that was unexplained or just not thought about.

And aren't soapbox cars supposed to be made of old parts and, um I don't know, Soap Boxes? The car that Nick built with Scotty was basically a mahogany chariot with all mod cons and a walnut dashboard.

Needless to say that there were some issues with this film. It was sweet and sort of Christmassy, but without the effort that has been put in to them more recently. Not one that will be going on my list to watch again.

3.75/10.

This story had good potential. Add one key element to the usual widow with a son breaks in the new boss plot-line. That element is that the son is in a wheelchair, injured in the accident that killed his dad. I also give this movie some small creativity points that Nick didn't come in trying to make Mia's life miserable by changing everything without asking.

I thought the execution was choppy. I expected more from Hayie Duff. At times she was OK, but at other times she seemed clumsy in her role. I got tired of seeing her tilt her head down in her humility pose. And she was clumsy at times with Antonio Cupo. They didn't seem to have chemistry and it sure didn't seem like Mia wanted to give Nick a chance. Most of the courting going on seemed to be Nick courting Scott, not his mom. There just wasn't enough of Mia and Nick connecting.

The company in trouble theme was also executed clumsily. (You don't leave your conference room door open when you are discussing ideas for cost cutting that affects employees.)

On the other hand, there were definitely some good moments especially toward the end. But they seemed like items checked off on someone's list of plot devices. Overall though, I guess there were enough positives that I give this movie a thumbs up, but barely.

I was a reluctant Hallmark holiday movie watcher until I could see the joy in a repetition...a gazebo...a snowstorm...a miscommunication...tradition...and happy resolution finding the deeper meaning. My favorites are when the couples seem like they really like each other and you can play Hallmark Bingo. It took awhile to get to the Christmas part, I couldn't really play Hallmark Bingo and I wasn't sure if the couple liked each other very much.