Holiday Engagement

This was like reading a good G rated romance novel, but not too hokey. I liked how they did not make the characters all super cliché and cookie cutter. It was nice to see Shelly Long again in something, and I was not bored at all. Bonnie Somerville was good. She is one of those actors you keep trying to think what you have seen them in before. I really liked Jordon Bridges as the romance interest, and I did not realize until I was writing this review he is the brother on Rizzoli & Isles, a show that I watch. Wow. Totally did not but that together. They should make him more like the character he played in this movie. I would watch this movie again while wrapping presents to get in the mood for Christmas. I rarely watch a movie twice. Lighthearted and sweet fare.

When I heard the concept it I remembered me of a blockbuster film that came out several years before this one that did very well...but this one, with the weird set up, the overly judgmental mother and lack luster acting...

This is becoming a staple of Hallmark films the past 5 years or so. For every good film there's like 10 bad ones, and this one was bad.

In the end it wasn't even worth using as background noise because every time I would hope the scene I wanted was gonna get better...it got worse. Only ONE good scene in the whole film, took near the end of the film... wasn't worth it.

Hillary (Bonnie Somerville) is finally looking forward to a Thanksgiving dinner at her demanding mother Meredith's house (Shelley Long). You see, this thirty something, newspaper writer has finally found a great catch named Jason to bring home! Jason is an up and coming attorney, good-looking, and smart; Meredith should be happy. Yet, a couple of days before the occasion, Jason dumps Hillary! He has been offered a promotion in Pittsburgh, away from the East Coast where her family lives, and she has been dragging her feet about a move. Then, too, with Hillary talking about children while Jason is trying to concentrate on torts, the break-up seems inevitable. But, Holy Fiancé, Batman, what will Hill tell Mom? She won't! With a friend's help, Hillary HIRES an actor, David (Jordan Bridges) to play Jason's role, with the promise of airline tickets Hill won in a contest. Naturally, David has to cram to get the details right, for his last job was being a costumed cell phone! Yet, when they make it to Meredith's house, all goes initially well. David/Jason charms Meredith and gets along well with Dad and Hill's sisters (one is Hayley Duff). But, small quirks do burst forth. David and Hill never seem too "kissy kissy", causing some concern, and David makes a few small mistakes in his new role. To complicate things even more, the REAL Jason comes calling on the day of the actual holiday. What a fine mess you've got us into, Hill! This is an engaging romantic comedy that genre fans will like. Yes, its a tried and true plot but its still great fun. Somerville, Bridges and Long make a great trio, while the supporting actors are nice as well. The production also looks good, with nice sets, costumes, and art direction, along with a steady pace of direction. Nuf said, for fans, so if you are on of those, hustle to the place where you grab DVDs.

I watch many of the seasonal Hallmark movies. Since they are all pretty predictable, good acting is what I need to make me happy. The actor/actresses in this light movie were excellent. Good casting. I am now a fan of Bonnie Somerville, an really good actress. Actually her acting is so real she doesn't seem to be acting. I would try to watch her in other futures movies. So glad Shelley Long played her role. She looked so much better than in Modern Family. The movie needed some script tweaking but I left feeling good, so I will forgive that. Hey, it is a typical Hallmark movie (with very good actors). When I say typical Hallmark movie I mean: very similar plots; different setting; different actors. :-)

7.4 stars.

I've been watching nothing but Hallmark the past 5 weeks and of all the 130+ Christmas movies I've seen, this one is an anomaly. The formula is the same, but with a different feel. I am of the opinion that the whole production, and process, the very essence of this movie is a couple of deviations from the norm. This is refreshing, enjoyable, and original. I really felt the actors, all of them meshed nicely (even the Duff). The leads are both quite adorable, he's very suave, but likable and down-to-earth and the piano and singing scenes were my favorite. She has a very charismatic feel to her, far above the mainstream Hallmark in my opinion.

My ex-wife and I had that same connection, we were both in choirs growing up. I played the guitar, and a bit of piano, she sang like a bird. It's a magical thing what music can do for a relationship. Alas it did not save my marriage, but it helped us stay best friends for many years, and we collaborated with various bands and musical programs even after our divorce. You see, music is a wonderful gift.

This is quite an endearing movie, despite the various issues with the flow, lighting, and sound, which all seemed intermittently off. The script was well written, the chemistry was good, however the romance was a bit awkward, sometimes convincing, sometimes not.