A Kismet Christmas

Ok so from the ads I new that I'd like this one, but I'm surprised at how much.

First, I do really enjoy Carlo Marks. Something was wonky with his hair in this and it was distracting me, but he turned in a solid performance. He played a great single father without being too much and still a good romantic lead.

Here is where my surprise lies. Sarah Ramos. I whole heartedly disliked her on Parenthood. I found myself searching for reasons to dislike her in this. And to be fair, she gave me very little other than some nitpicky moments. Unfortunately the last scene was one of them, but overall I was pretty impressed. I think Hallmark may have a new actress here (hopefully not too used) but she is is nice looking without being gorgeous, can play hardworking, quirky, family oriented etc.

The daughter- typically the HM children are far too overly precocious. Did she have her moments? Definitely, but it didn't seem nearly as bad (I'm looking at you boy from bramble house). Her hugs were pretty darn bad but most of it was pretty good and didn't distract me!

I really loved the town used. The pretty staircase and 2 levels really made me feel like I was there and made for some scenes that appeared to have a higher production value that some movies. I got irked that the main house was supposed to be the grandmothers great grandparents home and it was definitely not that old- there was nothing historical or old world charm about it. It's a pretty cookie cutter house that may be a bit older but no way is this turn of the century let alone before.

Marilu Henner- obviously who doesn't love her! Also perfectly cast as Sarah Ramos's grandma. I enjoyed this casting. I needed a bit more of some background here for later scenes.

The agent is a bit much at the beginning but there always has to be that person and it calmed down and was much more realistic by the end.

I liked the grandmas friends and how their story fit in without being too much hit it also wasn't just thrown in for something.

Without spoilers there were a few things script wise that should have been changed and a few scenes that should have been reshot as the acting was much worse than the majority.

But I liked the story. I liked the acting. Overall pleasantly surprised with this one.

While it's 10/10 it's also not one I'd be eager to watch again. But I would watch it again. Give me a Carlo Marks and Bethany Joy Lenz movie now please!

This was the story of an author who goes back home to New Britain where we learn in a fit of rage she tore up a special family recipe as a teenager.

She is having trouble writing the next book in her series and her next door neighbor and childhood crush helps her by shutting her up in a cabin with no distractions to write and it works...only the start of their story is they were friends and she baked kismet cookies with her grandmother that are supposed to help you dream of your soulmate...she asked her grandmother for one and she told her no, but she took one anyway. She dreamt of the neighbor and when she ran over to tell him she interrupted his wedding to someone else. In a fit of rage she came home and in front of her grandmother tore up the complicated recipe. (I would have beat her silly!)

When she arrives back in town after all these years the neighbor has a daughter and is divorced?!?!

There are so many things that I didn't like about this film...I love Marilu Henner, who was her usual wonderful self and I enjoyed the idea or legend behind the kismet cookie. The rest I could do without. Not a recommendation from me. Carlo Marks Is also fabulous.

This is a combination of two fairly common premises. Sarah is a famous writer (after one book) with writer's block and a tight deadline for the next book. He grandmother has been making magic cookies for years. The magic cookies help people dream of their soul mate. (OK, this one is less common.) Sarah had a crush on Travis, but the older Travis got married to someone else and Sarah never returns to town, until now.

Sarah Ramos presents an appealing Sarah (the character). She and Carlo Marks have quiet chemistry and she also hits it off with Rubi Tupper who plays the Travis' daughter Jasmine. I agree with another reviewer in hoping that Ramos appears often on Hallmark.

The story has no great highs or lows or surprises. The climax is predictable. Dialogue is good and so is acting.

This was a disappointment throughout. Marilu Henner raises the question of the producer's judgment . Hallmark taps some former stars who become distractions due to extreme plastic surgery. Although a talented actress, like others Hallmark chooses, the close ups on the surgically altered facial structure is, at best, unpleasant but at worse, frightening. It is past time to cease and desist from this practice. Besides this, the plodding and unsustainable story line drags on. There were just too many of the cringe moments. One is enough but this seems to be on cringe steroids. A better cast, no "Frankenface" and sharper writing is needed.

There have been some pretty ridiculous plot lines in Hallmark Christmas movies, but magic cookies might be the new benchmark.

Apparently, if you sleep with the magic cookie under your pillow, you not only won't have a bed full of cookie crumbs and maybe ants, you will dream about your true love. It's Hallmark. We let it go.

Sarah Ramos has great appeal in her role as a writer who has become convinced that the whole thing was a lie when the guy she dreamed of married someone else. I hope she does more of these movies. She's just right for them.

To be honest, I have a very hard time buying Carlo as a leading man. Hallmark is making movies for the other team now, so... Nuff said.

Supporting cast is good, and this movie actually works if you let the plot go.

I'll probably watch this again next year.