The Christmas Parade

I suppose, it is one of the most seductive Hallmark Christmas films. For the small details, enriching the original recipe. For the flavor of "30 s comedies in romantic rich sauce. For the presence and work of Chapelle Jaffe and Frank Moore. For the scene, maybe to sweat but nice of Mrs. and Mr. Parker. For AnnaLynne McCord and her look of Veronica Lake. And, sure, for the chemistry between her and Jefferson Brown. A more than nice result. Not spectacular but just nice.

Have been on a roll watching Hallmark/Lifetime etc Christmas films for a few years now. It has been an interesting and worthwhile endeavour, though a very inconsistent one. There was never the mentality of expecting a classic or the film in question to be flawless. Something that was never managed with pretty much all the films seen. There was always the expectation of seeing a film where one can see at least some effort rather than merely cash-in level. The former being obvious in most luckily.

It is obvious enough in 'The Christmas Parade'. It is not a great film and it is easy to criticise, but it was more or less what was expected, or more like hoped. Was not expecting a masterpiece, and 'The Christmas Parade' is certainly not that, but there was the expectation of it being a pleasant enough watch and to me it succeeded at that once it got going. It is one of those films where there is uncertainty as to whether to continue or not, but stuck with it anyway and didn't regret it.

'The Christmas Parade' is a long way from perfect. Will agree that it is very rehashed plot wise and it makes it feel very predictable and at times tired. It does take a bit of time to get going, with the film being quite thin to begin with.

And disadvantaged further by having some very ropey dialogue (which was apparent for a lot of the first half), routine pacing and that the characters are really difficult to get behind. Really hated the ex-boyfriend character, far too much of a jerk, and he could easily have been left out.

On the other hand, there are plenty of things in 'The Christmas Parade' that compensate. Opinions are divided on AnnaLynne McCord, once she relaxed (after a bit of a stiff start) for me she was charming and doesn't overact or go through the motions. Jefferson Brown gives the more consistent performance and has a nice easy going charisma and likeability. Their chemistry has heart and is genuine and natural. The supporting cast have very stock roles but give their all to what they are given.

Production values are pleasing. It's not too drab or garish in photography, the editing didn't seem rushed or disorganised and the scenery has a real charm to it. The music is pleasant and isn't too constant or loud. The dialogue does get better later, with more flow and nowhere near as much cheese. The story on the whole is light hearted and heart warming in spite of the slow start and predictability.

Summing up, worthwhile. 6/10.

Enjoyable from start to finish. Watched this twice now and gets better with each viewing. Good story line, although a re-hash it holds it's own amongst Hallmark movies. Great chemistry between the 2 leads, first time I've seen Annalynn McCord and she gave a good performance. Good interaction with the children too. Another good Hallmark Christmas movie.

This is a full Doc Hollywood copycat the whole way. Just add a female in Michael J. Fox's role and a Christmas theme. It's probably not the worst film I've ever seen but plagiarizing a classic movie almost to its core is a little pitiful... It is also your typical Hallmark movie where you get the stunning looking woman and the guy that looks like he walked off GQ magazine, giving us the impression that every couple has to look perfect. It uses the same type of music and lame acting. I get that this is a holiday film, but sometimes you gotta try to be a little bit more imaginative when putting together a good storyline. This is pretty unoriginal and could use a lot of work to give it a little bit more of a genuine holiday feel. Again, it isn't the worst film I've ever seen, but it's nothing to write home about..

7.5 stars.

Most movies featuring a parade end up looking a lot less festive than 'The Christmas Parade'. This has a nice big parade at the end with a lot of people and you can see that it's not some small production. They don't inflate it with a lot of angles and repetitive takes, no this parade feels full of life. But the parade itself is only the culmination of a tale of a woman news anchor from New York City who falls hard and fast for a small town guy.

The story begins when her heart is somewhat broken by a nefarious fiance, and while he spends a lot of time trying to make up for what he's done, we all know how this story ends. I won't spoil it with anymore about him.

The lead male is a laid back and giving man who would really be lucky if he were to catch the eye of our lead female. And he does indeed get lucky. She is likely one of the prettiest female leads come Hallmark's way in years. I'm sorry I've not had the opportunity to see more of her.

The story is nice and endearing and fun. There are some slightly slow and misfired scenes which lack entertainment quality. They just exist to fill some gaps, but there are also very exciting and romantic parts. She creates a lot of chemistry with him, whether she's acting or not, it's convincing. He does justice to his role as well, being a very kind and likable man, also having a bit of sex appeal of his own.

I could watch this again in a few years, but probably won't have the time, because there are so many films that rate just a little bit higher, and there's only so much time. So, maybe I'll stop by and watch this semi-gem in about 5 years? Mark your calendars.