Christmas on Candy Cane Lane

This is so hectoring and hard to take seriously. I gather this is intended to be a "film with a moral" but, if you want to produce a film that extols the virtues of reconciliation and renewal, you do need to write a believable screenplay.

I really struggled to see Rob (played by Dan Payne) as a well-rounded and consistent character. If someone had been through a traumatic experience, wouldn't he have at least shown some small amount of nervousness about jumping back in the deep end?

Since this is really built on the past, present and future of the relationship between Rob and Ivy (played by Andrea Barber), it fails to enthrall because the way their relationship evolves is simply implausible. So, all in all, a real dud of a Christmas film.

I personally loved this movie. I thought all the cast did a super great job. Always like Dan Payne but Andrea Barber and the rest of the cast were equally as good. If you are looking for a wholesome family friendly movie you won't be disappointed. If you are looking for perversion or sexual thrills from under dressed women you probably won't like this movie. I am happy to see that lighthearted film making is making a comeback. I hope to see more films like this in the near future. I watched this on frndly for under ten dollars a month. They also carry Pixl and the inspirational channel as well.

The Christmas on Candy Cane Lane writers went for absurdity and touching in the same movie, and they never sold me on either mode.

When you have a film where you're relieved when one character isn't in a scene, that's a bad sign. And not because you have a bad guy you don't like but just because the character is constantly annoying.

The whole subplot about "vandalizing candy canes" by moving them around was a non-starter for me. It wasn't serious enough to raise concern, nor funny enough to be amusing.

On the sentimental side, we have divorced parents coming to terms over their daughter and possibly becoming close again and an accused prankster who clearly isn't going to be the culprit.

More than halfway in, I looked over at my wife and said, "At an hour and sixteen minutes into the movie, I'm thinking it should have established SOMETHING I care about." Oops, and just after that Miss Annoying Neighbor walked into another scene to ruin it. We didn't turn it off but probably should have.

If not for Dan Payne, this wouldn't be worth the time it takes to watch. I'm not sure who decided Andrea Barber could carry the lead in a movie, but they were wrong. She is cute, and would be fine in a supporting role. It actually looks as if they are trying to hide a pregnancy, but at 46, I think she is too old for that.

The movie tries to be heart-warming but just doesn't get there. At times it goes for silly, and doesn't quite make that work either.

Dan and Andrea have zero chemistry as a divorced couple trying to keep things good for their teen daughter as the holidays approach.

Throw in an obnoxious neighbor, a prankster, a female cop dealing with the tragic death of her fiancé, and a veteran trying to woo her, and you end up up with 90 minutes of meh.

One of the worst I've seen from GAF.

This was an okay movie - guess they can't all be show-stoppers. Most of the cast was pretty good and worked well together. Too bad they were not listed in the cast listing on IMDB. The leads were awkward together. At times cringy to watch. Dan Payne definitely is a much more seasoned and polished actor than Andrea Barber. The daughter was a genuine trooper in her role and the police officer/ friend was awesome and her humor was fun, along with handyman Devon (again, neither of them were credited and both had sizable roles - why?). I agree with one of the other reviewers about Andrea Barber's lack of skill. Either she just doesn't have the depth for a lead role or was woefully unprepared. The plot kept jumping from one storyline to another, hard to follow(or care about) most of them.

Overall, it's a decent movie as long as your expectations aren't too high. Just could have been so much better. I'd say the director needs more experience or skill since that's where the cohesion should have come from. Choppy and labored and stilted.