Lifetime Christmas films are a mixed bag, some are good, some are bad, some are somewhere in between. Few from what has been seen are unwatchable though. 'Poinsettias for Christmas' did leap out at me when hearing of it as something that had a lot of potential. The idea sounded nice and ever since being blown away by her guest performance in the Season 4 premiere of 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' Sharon Lawrence has always been a good reason to watch anything with her in.
'Poinsettias for Christmas' was to me a quite pleasant and not too bad a film. It didn't bowl me over and it could have done more with the concept, so it doesn't quite bloom in the way that it could have done. 'Poinsettias for Christmas' doesn't wither either, with a lot of things that work well. It is neither one of Lifetime's best or worst Christmas offerings and somewhere in the middle of those of 2018, instead around solid middle on both counts.
As said, a lot is good here. The film is not lavish, but it doesn't try to do too much stylistically while not being static. The scenery is very pretty to look at. The music doesn't drown out anything, nor does it feel like it's too low key. While the script is not exceptional, it does have some bright spots. Namely the verbal jabs between Ellie and Patty.
The story also has a good deal to like about it, despite it being very typical Lifetime in terms of what goes on. It is charming and light-hearted, complete with a warm heart and a good deal of smile-worthy moments, like with the Vlog Channel. Ellie's conflict is done well and refreshingly, even if it is not out of the ordinary. The characters may not be three-dimensional but they are generally likeable. Bethany Joy Lenz is a spirited lead and Lawrence also stands out. As does Lauren London enjoying herself as the most interesting character. John Schneider is a lively presence.
Marcus Rosner not quite so much. He has charm but he was a little bland at times and didn't seem as comfortable as the other actors. He and Lenz work well together and they are not disconnected, but the relationship could have been developed more and had more freshness.
One doesn't expect great dialogue from a Lifetime film, and other than the verbal jabs we get a lot of cheesy and saccharine lines instead that don't always flow. A few of the characters seemed extraneous to the story, with the film not doing much with them. The sister and niece particularly.
In conclusion, another Christmas offering that's decent but not great. 6/10
