Christmas on 5th Avenue

This is a perfectly okay, not special, Christmas movie. Storyline is what you'd expect. As a film it's fine to have on in the background while wrapping presents. New York looks great, though I would have liked some more shots of Christmas in the most beautiful city in the world (rather than focusing on one not-very-festively-decorated apartment). We Brits often watch US Christmas films for the stunning scenery and backdrops, so this one disappoints a bit on that level.

There are some decent cameos and supporting actors. I have to comment on the two stars, as most of the reviewers liked Kathryn Davis as Eva, but found Olivier Renaud, as Lucas, cold and unexpressive. I think perhaps a lot of reviewers are American? To this typical British viewer, Lucas seems a normal, thoughtful, emotionally-balanced if reserved sort of chap - and as a bonus, he looks great in a t-shirt! Eva is great looking, but too often chirpy and demanding to the point of annoying, excessively smily, and she seems to get more over-emotional and needy as the movie goes on. I just wanted her to calm down a bit. This seems to be a common kind of performance by female actors in US Christmas films, so maybe Americans find it 'normal', but for Brits it's pretty exhausting, and it's a relief to have a character like Lucas who seems more realistic. (Did I mention he also looks great in a t-shirt?) Would have been nice if, in return for Eva livening Lucas up and making him smile more, he maybe showed her the value of understatement and that you don't always have to over-share and over-express every emotion. It wasn't really a two-way development between them, which is a shame.

Overall, then: an okay Xmas film with two good-looking leads, one of whom you'll probably find a bit annoying (maybe depending on where you hail from). Fine for wrapping presents to.

7.3 stars.

The story begins with a woman named Eva who helps people improve their lives. She takes on a challenge to spruce up a very rich author's Manhattan apartment for the holidays. She discovers there is more depth to this man than at first, and he's not the scrooge that he appears to be. The rest of the story is about how she helps Lucas find happiness, and he fills the hole she's had in her hopelessly romantic heart. The theme is about finding happiness with the people in our lives no matter who they seem to be or what station they currently hold. We bring our genuine self to the table and that's how true love is revealed to us.

The film has a lot of slow moments and takes its time delivering the goods. I stuck with it in the hopes that I'd be blessed by something and I wasn't disappointed, however you must be patient with 'Christmas on 5th Avenue' because the gems don't show up until the last 30 minutes.

Eva (Kathryn Davis) runs a concierge business. She is given an assignment by a favorite client to decorate her son's NYC condo for Christmas to pick up his spirits, his wife died 3 years ago on Christmas day. Eva was going to stay at the condo since the son, Lucas (Oliver Renaud), was in Vermont and wouldn't be in NYC until Christmas, however, unbeknownst to the mother, Lucas had already returned to the NYC condo. Since Eva has no place to go, Lucas agrees to let her stay in the guest room. Eva is a Pollyanna type of person with a sunny and optimistic disposition, while Lucas is a pessimistic, recluse, a cold hearted writer, two opposites living in the same place. The plot takes us on a journey of how the two very different personalities impact each other.

Kathryn Davis is one of my favorite Hallmark female actors, she plays the role of Eva with a sparkling positive personality PERFECTLY! Some have criticized Oliver Renaud's performance saying he was too cold and stiff. However, that is EXACTLY how the character of Lucas was written in the script, at the beginning we see a depressed recluse, and the viewer watches Luca's character change and his feelings for Eva grow. I think Oliver did an excellent job portraying Lucas's transformation. The only complaint I had was toward the end of the movie when Lucas starts to reveal his feelings for Eva, and all of a sudden she does a 360 change in her personality and seems to blame her lack of understanding and experiencing what true love really is on Lucas! She also seems to suddenly forget all the nice things he's done for her. It was like they switched personalities, and was an awkward moment in the script. (perhaps it was Hallmark's set formula of incorporating their usual "conflict" which didnt work in this case since it was too much out of character for Eva.) But overall, this was an enjoyable romantic Christmas movie.

Have said many times about my love of Christmas and getting a lot of pleasure out of in particular watching films, cartoons and specials during this period, something that most years has been much needed. Wanted to see some more festive films that were more recent, lower in budget and were not childhood favourites, so in a way to broaden my horizons and have been doing so since November 2019. Decided to see one that wasn't from Hallmark or Lifetime.

'Christmas on 5th Avenue' could have been a good deal better than it was though. There are things that are good, but there are too many areas where it is lacking (badly) for me to recommend it. 'Christmas on 5th Avenue' is a long way from being one of the worst Christmas films seen recently, where there has been a mixture of good, bad and somewhere in between, but it is also a long way from being one of the best. In ranking, it would be somewhere around lower middle.

The best thing about 'Christmas on 5th Avenue' is Kathryn Davis, who is charming and perky throughout and the only actor to understand what sort of film she was in. Maybe she does overdo the (actually quite lovely) smile at times, but this aspect has been done far worse in other similar films and it wasn't in a gratuitous way. Liked her character too, the only character that was interesting or likeable, with her charm and good intentions.

A few other things are decent. It is attractive enough visually, particularly in the scenery. The music has a pleasant nostalgia and isn't overused or overbearing. There are moments of charm and heart.

On the other hand, a lot was wanting. Am in agreement with those that have criticised Olivier Renaud, who is incredibly rigid and is completely made of ice emotionally. The character is meant to be a "cold fish" and uptight, this reviewer gets that, the problem is that the character also never properly grew or mellowed and both traits were overdone, so it felt very one dimensional. He and Davis have no warmth or spark in their chemistry, too distant, too ice cold with too many reactions to situations on Renaud's side not making sense. Would actually find it hard to buy them as friends let alone lovers in real life. Like Renaud's character, the chemistry never grows or warms despite it meaning to and it is underdeveloped.

Furthermore, the support acting is incredibly cheesy and found their characters annoying ciphers rather than real people. Did find the script too stilted and schmaltzy. Although it did have charming and heartfelt moments, the story is thin, drags a lot and takes itself too seriously and safely (it shouldn't have been afraid of having some playfulness and light hearted-ness). Culminating in a blatantly predictable and unrealistically pat ending. And yes the theatre balcony is fake looking.

Rather lacking in lustre afraid to say. 4/10.

Christmas On 5th Avenue (2021)-

I find it unlikely that he would agree to her staying at his house. I know that I would be furious if someone interrupted my "Special alone time". And her arguments to stay would not persuade me even if I thought that she was attractive. Furthermore I would have to ask her to leave as soon as I realised just how hyperactive and "Always On" she was.

I'd rather let the creative juices flow my way without her, instead of this barrage of Christmas from a crazy lady. And I love Christmas!

Olivier Renaud is gorgeous, a great leading man and that bottom is desperately trying to break free from those trousers, what a beaut. He deserved better support all around.

That Christmas tree however is awful, what a twig!? Why do they let the props people get away with this?

Some of the other actors are terrible and the sets quite questionable, especially the theatre balcony.

It's not a bad story, but it's hard to believe how it all begins. It puts me in mind of "Trading Christmas" (2011), which I actually enjoy, but I might have turned this one off if it hadn't been for Oliver, his effortless acting and his tight trousers.

7ish/10?