A Christmas Romance

This movie distribution puzzles me VERY greatly. It's near impossible to get in any North American format (DVD region 2 UK appears to be the most available version) Why not North America? No idea. Would sell like hotcakes! Set your VCR (or other recorder) if you see it on TV! As for the movie...

Imagine one of the cleverest romantic stories you will see, the leads have great chemistry, and the children (one played by Olivia's daughter, how's that for a holiday "keepsake"?)are charming and not over acted.

If you expect a musical, no, that's not it... (very little singing, and all in context of the plot) comedy, well, sometimes... drama? Hmmm... not really... My "9" rating is based on "best of class" as watchable clever romantic stories are far apart. (WAY apart!) Screenplay vs. book? (yes, I actually found a copy of the book) I was interested in seeing how they compared... not well, I fear.

Screenplay beats the book with a baseball bat, one of the very few movies I've EVER seen where the "basic" idea of the book is kept, and the details tossed out the window, with the screenplay winning hands down.

The movie is FAR, FAR better than the book, it "flows" better, is far more a solid plot than the book, comes together without the cheap "gimmicks" of the book, etc. (ever seen a screenplay beat the *daylights* out of the book? and not vice-versa?) Nice work, Darrah Cloud (screenwriter), whoever you are, I'll look up your work! The book left me wanting my fifty cents back, the movie is fun, and more fun to watch than it would lead you to believe.

Keep a heads up for this one, you'll want to snap out the "erase allow" tab on your tape to protect it! Hey guys out there! BIG heads up on this, GREAT "at home" date movie, the fact that Olivia Newton-John is at her "cute looking" best is reason enough to watch. For the ladies out there, Gregory Harrison looks nicely groomed for the part.

I read somewhere the whole movie was done in several weeks (!) Some TV episodes take longer, but don't look it.

Enjoy!

My fiancé and I are huge fans of Hallmark-type Christmas flicks, and we're even BIGGER fans of Christmas, in general. It was her turn to choose what film we'd watch, tonight, and she happened to pick this one, with the most misleading title ever. Talk about clickbait being around before the internet became mainstream.

The house this film mostly takes place in is beautiful, even romantic. But every character-accept for the two daughters-are absolutely unlikable, and rude. So there's a romantic atmosphere, but it's all ruined by the despicable adult characters. Our two adult leads have no chemistry AT ALL-even by the end of the film. It has one of the most uncomfortable kissing scenes I've ever seen since Rose kissed Finn in "The Last Jedi".

Out of the two child actors, the eldest daughter is fantastic, in my opinion. There are two different scenes involving her acting capability that actually made my girlfriend and I tear-up. The whole sideplot about her pet lamb being sick was waaaaaaaaay more engaging to us than the "romance" this film claims to have to it.

Don't be fooled, friends; this is not like modern Hallmark-style Christmas films. It's advertised, these days, to be for that niche of viewers, but it will not satisfy them whatsoever.

Julia is a widow, who resides up in the mountains with her two daughters, but now low on cash she does her best to sell cakes during the Xmas holidays. Brian Harding is a city guy, who works in a bank and before Xmas holidays he has to go and repossess Julia's home because she was unable to pay the loan back. With harsh words said to each other Brian jumps back in his car on that snowy night, but ends up crashing his car not far from Julia's house. Seeing this she helps this stranger in and attends to his wounds. Brian tries his best to leave, but with the poor weather condition he is forced to stay put and slowly the two of them become friends and then more than friends. This is a really good movie to watch during the Xmas season. Gregory Harrison and Olivia Newton-John were brilliant in their roles. the part which i liked best was when Julia was trying to undress a very weak and drowsy Brian! It was just hilarious!

The Christmas Stranger was an excellent storyline. The casting was great. The story was a lot like my life, except I haven't found the right man after my husbands sudden death. I love Christmas just as Julia, can't bake like her though. But, back to the movie, it was great, I wished I could own it on VHS or DVD. I would love that.

Cute and typical sweet Christmas movie. To all those who gave poor ratings in this crazy world today we need some of these surgery cute movies!!! Also the older daughter is Chloe Lattanzi, Olivia Newton John's real life daughter!!!