Paris Christmas Waltz

Matthew Morrison has a long history on the stage in musicals, and it shows here, particularly in his "Singin' in the Snow" number. He really does a nice job of both dancing and singing. So does Jen Lilley, but she's on a bit of a lower level than Matthew.

Interestingly, Morrison is often asked if he's John Wayne's grandson. He's not, but the question doesn't disturb him. LOL

The movie has the normal number of Hallmark romance ups and downs between the couple, who both start out dedicated to "just be friends". Cracks start to appear in the promise early on, but they're forestalled, of course, by the previous girlfriend/dancing partner.

Overall, this is an enjoyable and quite different Hallmark Christmas romance, and one we're very likely to watch again.

So many Christmas movies to watch. Many so so, others not to bad. This one was fun and I enjoyed the dancing. I like Jen Lilly ! She usually very upbeat and sweet. The scenes were so beautiful. I recommend this one. It is kinda like 2022 Paris Waltz with Lacy Chabert. But still different. Matthew Morrison has always been a good actor in musical productions. He played a really good part. Their chemistry was good too! I'm planning on watching it again. There have been some good Christmas movies this year. Maybe better writers. So I gave this one a 8...I need more words to post this...lol! Dancing 💃 ball room! Christmas 🎄 more dancing🕺 lol 😂

8.7 stars.

There are few Hallmark movies that receive as venerable a description as "par excellence", but I've saved it for 'Paris Christmas Waltz'. This story towers above the majority, just as the Eiffel looms atop the Parisian cityscape.

Emma is a mere accountant hoping for an adventure. Her impossible dream is to one day dance like a professional, but she knows this is an illusion. She is a simple woman with an unattainable ambition; more a hope than a goal. She meets Leo on an icy Manhattan street, and they share a special moment.

Leo is a Broadway dancer who needs a dance partner for an upcoming Pro-Am competition. Can this charming amateur named Emma, a simple accountant by day, aspiring dancer by night, possibly fill those shoes?

What I love about 'Paris Christmas Waltz' is the tactile involvement we share with Jen Lilley and Matthew Morrison as they partake in a subtly seductive odyssey. This journey sweeps us through the landscape of competitive dance in Paris...full of excitement, adventure, anxiety, and fulfillment. This film is successful in transporting us into a magical place, surrounded by visions of bells, and ribbons, accompanied by grace and beauty, threatened by superiority, encumbered by inadequacy. We are engulfed in the ambience of this other world of dance. This is no ordinary Hallmark production, and I'm staggered at how notably 'Paris Christmas Waltz' transcends the watermark.

Lilley's emotional presentation far exceeds anything I've ever seen from her, and I attribute it to Morrison's ability to invoke a marked enthusiasm. World class!

The bar for this series was set at what I thought was an impossibly high level with 'A Christmas Waltz' in 2020 - remember the searing-hot chemistry between Lacey Chabert and Will Kemp? - but 'Paris Christmas Waltz' has at least equalled and perhaps bettered the original. Not often you write that about a sequel.

Jen Lilley and Matthew Morrison are perfectly cast, and their chemistry reminds me of Chabert and Kemp three years ago on a different channel. The Paris setting is amazing - these movies are always better when shot on location, rather than in some North American town or city masquerading as a more exotic location - the music is perfect and, although I am not really a ballroom dancing person, the choreography was spectacular, and actually, some of the best scenes in the film were dancing ones. Not sure how much dancing Lilley did, but Morrison appears to be in most of those scenes.

10/10. Everything with the fingerprints of Janeen and Michael Damian on it is solid gold. Might be the best GAC Family movie ever. Here's hoping we will be Christmas waltzing again in a year's time!

I have always been hot and cold on Jen Lilley, but I was very impressed with her performance in this one. Matthew Morrison puts on a sparkling show dancing, but Lilley surprised me since I have only ever seen her as an actor. In one number they both sing nicely.

As to character, Lilley fits the personality of Emma. Early in the movie she oozed wonder and awe first when she saw and experienced Leo's dancing. When she needed to show a hint of lovestruck, more wonder and awe. Then they get to Paris and you almost expect her to swoon. When the big rival, Giselle, shows up, Lilley is perfect as the nervous woman slightly lacking in confidence. Morrison plays off all that to have a little awe of his own at Emma's spontaneity and joie de vivre. Yes there is plenty of chemistry between these two.

I was disappointed in Emma that she let Giselle play her mind games even though she had been duly warned. I really expected Emma to be smarter than that. Giselle gives us something GAF sometimes (usually) lacks and that's some real tension with a good villain but not quite evil.

Outside the story there is plenty of scenery as they tour Paris. Paris is even better at Christmas. There is even more dancing, although the qualifying round of the dance competition was somewhat boring, but necessary for the story.

The movie was a feast worthy of the Christmas season.