Making Spirits Bright

I enjoyed watching this movie, a real romantic comedy. Also, I really like Carlo Marks even if he's seldom paired with a leadind actress with whom he has no chemistry.

It's a nice entertaining movie.

OK, there are no real sparks in this movie. The family feud and the lights competition ring recent and distant bells. Which should be discounted, as expected. Considering the myriad of Christmas and romantic movies continuously produced, fresh, new ideas are near-impossible, especially when one refuses to resort to sensationalism, depravity, vulgarity or violence. Thanks Heaven Hallmark has resisted temptation to walk that path. Within the self-imposed constraints, Hallmark comfortably presents us with light fare entertainment that ranges from boring to heartwarming, never objectionable. Sometimes we get the little magic that we would always want to find. Given the other alternatives available on the market, this is an accomplishment that should be recognized. Here we are with this film, which, still, delivers some kind or moving moments and, though formulaic, conform to Christmas spirit in reminding us of the values of family and friendship.

I've watched Christmas light competitions every Christmas and I have noticed more and more are automated with club lights and music than Christmas time, so I liked the concept of the movie fighting for traditional lights and set ups over commercialized ones. The b story with the business partner was distracting. Maybe because I watched it in the background, but I found the scenes awkward and didn't fit with the story. I hated the "friend" and they didn't make her likeable or redeemable. I liked the chemistry between the leads and the families but that b story really got to me and lowered my rating of the movie.

'Making Spirits Bright' is a decent Christmas movie, not one of Hallmark's best nor one of their worst this season. Though a sweet romance with a noble underlining message, the story, at times, is slow, even tiresome, I'm afraid. This mildly entertaining Romeo and Juliet tale meets the art/business of Christmas decoration revolves around Grace (played by Taylor Cole) and Tony (played by Carlo Marks) whose fathers are former business partners/friends turned feuding adversaries. The old rivalry is stirred up again this Christmas as the two families enter the Bright Nights competition (with its $50,000 grand prize). As Grace and Tony work behind the scenes to help each other and their fathers, they begin to realize that they must find a way to work together to win the competition. They also begin to discover their feelings for each other along the way. One of the strengths of the story, I thought, was the dialogue and interaction between Tony and Grace. The writers do a good job of developing and capturing a romantic connection between the two that is believable and engaging. Moreover, the underlining message about the value of friendship and forgiveness resonates well on-screen with, for example, a heartfelt and touching scene towards the end between the two fathers, Bill (played by Garry Chalk) and Frank (played by John Cassini). However, the story is slow at times, boring even. Simply put: it lacked that X factor, something to make it stand out in a crowd. The acting, overall, is strong. I was impressed with Cole's performance in particular. She had a warm and gentle vibe to her performance that was lovely to watch on-screen. A very convincing performance, I felt. The two have good chemistry as well, which is a plus for a romance film. As I alluded to above, this storyline is what makes this movie appealing. Chalk and Cassini both had solid performances, which climaxed in a touching scene at the end (as noted above). Given the story is about a Christmas decoration competition, it has plenty of Christmas spirit and festive cheer. Thou a bit slow at times, all in all, it is a sweet romance with a good message and some strong performances by the leads. Worth checking out if you are a fan of Hallmark Christmas movies.

I almost didn't watch this based on the negative reviews but it was pleasant enough to watch. I liked the seemingly easy compatibility of the leads and the other family members seems genuine, The tech lighting guy was annoying as he was meant to be - I'm glad I don't have lights like that in my neighborhood. I don't really pay any attention to the snow situation that seems to bother others. I would agree that the subplot with the business partner seemed unnecessary.