The Mistletoe Inn

I love this movie! Alicia Witt is delightful as always, David Alpay is charming and interesting and it all comes together! The supporting characters ring true to every writing class I've ever participated in. It's also a bit of a different story but with the classic Hallmark cozy settings!

I generally enjoy Alicia Witt, but contrary to the previous review I find her affectations in this film both annoying and juvenile. I don't know if it's just getting old or just this movie. By the end, both leading characters are over working their jaws. It took much away from the film for me.

I love this Christmas film for ...iits sins. For predactibility, for the handsome black hair guy versus ginger young woman, for the talk about writing, for the feeling to see an improvisation, for the doubts if it is realy is a Christmas film because all seems be an excuse for use the actors for a project not too convincing. Result - a nice film for a reader like me and decent story for the viewer who remains far to be fan of Hallmark Christmas movies. That is all.

I may be biased because for me, Alicia Witt is the queen of Hallmark Christmas movies. I loved her in this for several reasons. She does Awe and Wonder really well. She also does the weird facial expression really well. And she is great here with David Alpay. Even in the traditional early movie I-hate-you phase they had chemistry.

This story had what was, to me at least, an original concept and a great one too. It was about a man and a woman who meet at a writers' workshop. There was also a little mystery going on as to whether one of the workshop attendees was the famous romance novelist incognito. The story had one more element that is always dear to me. Kim had a true and loyal friend who went the extra mile for her. Lucie Guest was great as Samantha.

While tweeting during the movie, some real writers were chiming in that parts of the plot were hitting home for them.

The Mistletoe Inn is a vanishing breed in the world of Hallmark Christmas movies -- an original story! Probably because it comes from a well-received book.

An aspiring author has been dumped by her boyfriend who thinks he's a "serious writer", and she isn't. She decides to go to a writers' conference where she unexpectedly meets her ex, AND a somewhat mysterious writer. And thus begins a well-done antithetical romance. As opposed to some Hallmark stories which start an antithetical romance but don't have the guts to carry it forward, this one carries the conflict deep into the story, which is doing it the right way.

Alicia Witt's quirky acting style is perfect for this role, and always sets her apart from the perky, plastic performances we see from so many lead actresses in these movies. She makes the film, but is ably supported by David Alpay (the mysterious writer).

The film produces audible chuckles, which also elevates it above the average. Definitely worth watching.