Window Wonderland

Was a little unsure as to what my feelings would be on 'Window Wonderland' before watching. The premise sounded very sweet and had potential to have more depth than most Hallmark Christmas films. Love Christmas, always have and always will, and have many childhood Christmas favourites that hold up well still. Did have a couple of reservations, with the title being cheesy and Hallmark's Christmas output being quite inconsistent, a fair share of them not very good.

One of the surprisingly very good efforts though is 'Window Wonderland'. While it isn't for me one of my favourites, for Hallmark (festive and otherwise) it was pretty close to great. As far as Hallmark Christmas films, even if with its imperfections, 'Window Wonderland' is easily one of the best, makes the most of its premise and much better than its title sounds. The title made it sound cheesy and saccharine, but it's neither or at least compared to other Hallmark festive films.

Its weak link is the music, will agree with others here who have felt the same, which is too overbearing and should have been used a lot less and less obviously.

At times the lighting is a touch drab.

However, 'Window Wonderland' is nicely photographed and the interiors and displays have a real charm to them. Despite the lack of authenticity, the locations are made good use of and are lovely in their own right. The direction is accomodating but still gives the right amount of momentum. The script has a nice flow, doesn't have any unintentional humour and doesn't get too sappy. Really liked the playful banter and lightness of touch while having some genuine emotion as well.

Despite the story being very cliched, 'Window Wonderland' executes its cliches a lot less obviously and more freshly than most Hallmark efforts. It doesn't take itself too seriously, the playfulness is to thank for that, while still having more depth and poignancy than most Hallmark Christmas films. Lots of charm and it's amusing, heart-warming and moving in equal measure. It is always great to have characters in a film that don't grate, aren't dull and don't feel pointless. The characters here may be familiar in type but did find myself investing in them and liking their development (not always the case with Hallmark). The acting is really quite good all round, with affectionate chemistry between the two leads.

Summing up, surprisingly very good. A distinction not usually given for Hallmark films. 8/10

This looks to start out as a standard Hallmark romantic comedy, where she is a brittle and uptight urban girl and he is a relaxed and casually brilliant guy. However, it quickly becomes apparent that they are both facades, come-ons to get people to buy the merchandise they offer, just like the windows they decorate in this good Hallmark Christmas romcom.

The essential plot points are all in place: the woman who has been decorating the store's windows for twenty years has left, taking her senior staff with her, leaving only Chyler Leigh and Paul Campbell to battle for the top spot.

It's a well-assembled romantic comedy that mostly works, even with Vancouver standing in for Manhattan and a mall standing in for what is, judging from the facade shown in the establishing shots, Bloomingdale's. While I have some issues with the flat, grey light that much of this movie is shot in and the usual overwhelming music, in sum total this is a good Hallmark TV movie.

This is a story about a young woman struggling with insecurity. At one point, referring to what they do as window dressers, she says "We create perfect images for people to admire", but her deeper meaning is about her own facade. Chyler Leigh plays this part so well. Early in the movie she is sitting in a restaurant with her successful boyfriend and I looked at her and thought - "she looks like a little girl with this man way out of her league". Not that Kenneth, not Kenny, is a catch.

Meanwhile, Jake Dooley's façade over his insecurity is his witty, but insincere response to almost everything. This is not a new character for Paul Campbell, but you can't argue with how well he does it.

Leigh and Campbell's chemistry progresses brilliantly from disgust into what you'd expect for the leads in the movie. And there is plenty of wit between both of them. Campbell is a go-to for Hallmark movies, but Leigh more than holds her own with him.

The story is not another typical Christmas romance. We think we know where it is going, but things go a little differently and the ending is a surprise.

I watched this movie 4 years ago and decided to watch it again after seeing the co-star Paul Campbell in Surprised by Love and Once upon a Holiday. Glad I did. The dialogue between Paul Campbell and the short haired Chyler Leigh is witty, fast and fun-fun-ny. Some good familiar support with Naomi Judd, Eric Keenleyside and Terence Kelly. Cameron Matheson also has a role. Very Well Done.

This movie is well done. When it was over, I hated that it WAS over.

This movie is wonderful and yes it's a Christmas movie on the Hallmark channel, but this could have been a theatrical release. I think that highly of it.

It has some smart written dialogue and well acted. The movie has a couple of clichéd twists as it is a Hallmark movie and a Christmas movie, but it is clichéd wrapped in an engaging story, engaging cast, and some well acted scenes.

The movie is about two employees competing for a job by the way of a window display. Sounds simple, but the movie was so well constructed and the plot evolves, you want the characters to have a good ending and benefits both leads. I will not say how it ends, but it is a Christmas movie.

If you want to watch a movie for Christmas, this is for you. In fact I think this is right up there with any classical Christmas movie. Charlie Brown, Love Actually, White Christmas....this is that good imo.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND! MUST SEE! I give it a perfect score, 10 out of 10! You will enjoy almost every aspect of this experience.