A Cinderella Christmas

This is one more of the "Christmas romance" genre films (I read there were 74 new ones made in 2020; they are cheap to make and very popular). There is no deviation from the formula: cute girl (make that EXTREMELY cute girl) wanders into a new relationship with a Handsome (rich) man who is looking for love, and there are obstacles, but ... guess how it ends? (I am not holding my breath). Despite a snarky comment by another reviewer about Emma Rigby's lips being bought, she has always looked this way and yes, many men do like full lips. Not sure why, I guess it's biological. Anyway, Emma is a really likeable actress in a likeable film. Don't stress out over the plot ... it's a pleasant way to spend a couple hours.

Who wouldn't want Peter Porte as Prince Charming, BUT not sure if it was Emma Rigby or her lips that did the most acting ! I wonder how much they cost her, because they came into the room before she did.

And despite him being the ideal Prince Charming, as a character he clearly didn't have anything between his ears, if he couldn't detect a pair of lips on a woman like those beneath the mask ! You have to laugh !

This movie goes quickly through a version of the Cinderella story but with two exceptions. First, the prince finds the wrong sister. And second the movie goes past the usual story. The movie explores what happens after Nicholas gets engaged to Candace.

I almost gave up on this movie. Of course Candace is a jerk. But Angie is such a wimp that it's hard to like her either. Unfortunately Emma Rigby overplays the melancholy, subservient, wimpy girl. Sarah Stouffer also overplays the shallow, money-hungry sister. Can anyone be this dumb and spoiled?

Keeping in mind this is a Christmas romance film, it's quite good. It's got everything you want from a Christmas romance:

• A case of mistaken identity
• A rich and wonderful bachelor;
• A hard-working and generally good protagonist;
• A masquerade ball; and
• An evil step-sister (cousin) who is obviously toxic but so obviously that it makes you stop and think.

Some plot points were a little farfetched, such as the urgent wedding, the fact that the bachelor couldn't work out who our protagonist was because she was wearing a mask, and of course, anyone believing the dress our protagonist wore was actually nice. Not to mention the stocking game which seems ridiculous because you're forced to give someone else five (5) of your possessions which have little-to-none monetary meaning but a whole lot of sentimental value. Personally, I'd rather keep the things that have no monetary value but great sentimental value because that's the point of keeping sentimental objects. Maybe, just maybe, the guests were supposed to return the stocking to the original owner, but considering that our protagonist and bachelor did not, I have no idea. Also. You were supposed to use the objects in the stocking to find the person who they originally belonged to, but neither our bachelor or protagonist did this. So, what's the point? Other than the risk of losing your five (5) possessions because someone else took them because they were supposed to, or took them because they just never returned them to you and went home with them (I'm looking at you bachelor and protagonist).

...with flavor of old times. the music, the actors, the predictability. good points to a Christmas film looking for give a different image of classic fairy tale. and doing that in succesful manner. because it is one of well crafted films. the presence of Lesley - Ann Down represents one of clues . and , sure, the music and the right actors in the lead roles.