The Christmas Bow

This was a lovely film, you could really see the chemistry between the two leads and their passions for what they did.

As an Uncle who adores his Niece and Nephews, I could relate to his pleasure at hanging out with his. It's nice to see it done in a more standard way, rather than it being because the parents have died and the uncle is all they've got. Some of us just love having that time with them regardless. Although my sister has threatened me with the promise that if she dies I get all three, but they're 23, 21 and 15 now, so I think I'll be ok.

It's a nice and uncomplicated film with an easygoing romance and lots of Christmas elements that make it cheerful too.

With a lot of time at home during the 2020 holiday season, my wife and I have watched nearly all of this year's Hallmark Christmas movies. In our experience, the ones that involve music can be cringe-inducing, so we were tempted to skip this one.

"The Christmas Bow" ended up being a terrific surprise, thanks mostly to Lucia Micarelli, whose considerable, multifaceted talents are on full display. Her character is given a believable backstory, and she plays her with quiet reserve and empathy. The director gives her some great moments to display her musical talent, and wisely frames the shots to show us that yes, she really is playing that amazing music!

All of the main cast is great in this, playing relatable characters whose motivations make sense. One scene in particular, with the main character's grandmother suffering from dementia, stands out for its sensitivity. It's a scene that ties the plot together and gives it much more weight than the usual Hallmark fare.

With this one, you can just tell that the creative team cared about the story. It almost feels like they wanted to give Lucia Micarelli a film worthy of her talent.

I was a little worried that a musician as the female lead would make this a move that's a little hard to watch, but Lucia Micarelli did a wonderful job. If the whole violin thing doesn't work out for her, I believe she's set as an actress.

The casting of Lucia with Michael Rady was a stroke of genius, they were great together, completely believable as one of those couples that are perfect for each other. The attraction between the leads however, was a shy and timid type. I would have enjoyed it if the story would have given their romance a little more growing passion, as they made some pretty significant decisions in their lives for it.

We were treated to several looks at Micarelli's playing and from the very first note you can tell she is magnificent. With looks into both characters sweet and loving families and a little humor from a young cousin, this was a real pleasure to watch.

Sometimes, movies with or about musicians are hard to watch. The actor or actress is only pretending while the real performer is hidden. This is not the case in this movie. While the movie is not perfect, it has some good moments and is very watchable.

This movie will probably be in my top 5 of the year. Lucia is so talented and it was a great idea to pair her with Michael. I was laughing, crying, and cheering them on the whole time. Amazing job, Hallmark.