If you have seen your fair share of Hallmark Christmas films, like me as a big fan of the holiday, it would be safe to say that you are very likely to know what to expect and one shouldn't expect any more. Have always watched the Hallmark Christmas films, which have been many over the past few years and especially at the end of last year, with mixed expectations. That are either met and even exceeded, or the film completely misses the mark and does little with any potential.
'Christmas in the Air' was more or less what was expected. It didn't exceed expectations, but it is a long way from a waste of potential. Instead it sounded like potentially it would be a pleasant enough diversion with a number of good things and a few big drawbacks, and 'Christmas in the Air' turned out to be pretty much exactly that. Not one of Hallmark's best by any stretch but also a long way from their worst as well. 2017 was an inconsistent year for them, this is somewhere in the middle.
There are many good things here. The production values are very pleasing to look at, nice use of locations slickly shot. The music generally captures the Christmas feel very well and is not near as over-scored or intrusive as too many of a lot of Hallmark films. The script can be very corny, but mostly flows nicely and has a light-hearted and sweet tone without being too sugary sweet. It's sympathetically directed without being routine. Eric Close is full of lively energy and charm. The younger actors are a delight.
While the story isn't perfect, exceptional and is derivative, it is charming, is light on its feet and is heart-warming with nice use of the festive setting. It doesn't take itself too seriously that it becomes too dreary, while not treating things as too much of a joke at the same time. 'Christmas in the Air' has characters that are likeable, with lead characters that are not annoying or stiff like they are in other Hallmark Christmas films.
However, Catherine Bell left me mixed. There are times where she does indeed have a demure sweetness, but there are other times where she comes over as too low key in a role that needed more spark than what she gave. Do have to agree that she and Close didn't have enough chemistry together, it was quite dull and emotionally it was quite cold and didn't do very far.
Like a lot of Hallmark films, 'Christmas in the Air' is admittedly very predictable with an easily foreseeable and too neat ending and moments of mundane pacing, so the story did feel tired in spots. While the music is not too bad generally, it could have been used less too and been less noisy. Some of the dialogue is as said very corny and a little too sweet.
Overall, not bad. 6/10
