Noël avec un inconnu 2

I was disappointed in Ali Leibert in this one. I loved her in A Gift to Remember, but there was just something different about her in this go round. The character's personality was just as sweet and overly nice, but she just didn't connect with me and I can't quite put my finger on it. I found the character of Mrs. Henley very irritating as well. She is taking care of her nephew during the season because both of his parents are deployed. He was behaving like a perfectly nice if a little reserved kid, and she was all worried and hovering just because he didn't behave all joyful and Christmas-y every second. She just wouldn't rest until he conformed to her expectations of how happy he was supposed to be. She was not disappointed. The kid was bouncing off the walls by the end. I also think the young actor was mis-cast. Perhaps he was supposed to be adopted. Peter Porte was just fine. In fact, he kind of saved this one for me.

We enjoyed the film more than we expected! Positive responses to the story. And that Dominic Mariche is amazing! I'm going to watch for subsequent work from him!

With so many wonderful Hallmark Christmas movies why did Hallmark chose this one to make into a two parter? Possible Hallmark Movie to make into a Part 2: A Christmas to Remember - there was more story to tell about Jennifer and her new family. A Crown for Christmas-how did Allie adjust or change the crown once she married? And who can not forget Christmas Under Wraps. It begged for more story to see if Lauren made the "discovery" of the real Garland, Alaska. Ho-Ho-Ho.

Yet this okay holiday feature makes it so memorable for another dose of mediocre? Hallmark, please rethink this one.

My so-so reaction lands squarely on Ali Liebert. She delivers lines as if she is being courteous to someone taking a coffee order. She never connects with any of the cast. Scenes without her are heartwarming and real. Peter Porte is very convincing as a guy that real cares. All my stars go to the secondary cast for making the best effort - except the gingerbread house collapsed.

Liebert is a lovely lady just not a leading lady.

Hallmark served up a turkey (and not in a good way) with this one.

Unfortunately, this was a movie whose sequel did more to harm than help. The first movie was charming and sweet, and more significantly, had all of its loose ends very neatly wrapped up. Why Hallmark chose this movie of all of them to continue, I can't understand. The sequel's biggest flaw is that, aside from the same characters and background settings, it has virtually nothing in common with with its predecessor. The plot of the second movie is completely disjointed from the first, focused mainly around the rescue of a rec center that means absolutely nothing to the audience. Not only is this trope horribly overused, but it definitely didn't fit into this sequel.

To make matters worse, whatever chemistry Darcy and Aiden had between them in the first movie has completely evaporated in this one. For the majority of the movie, they seem like little more than friends hanging out rather than a loving couple.

If you enjoyed A Gift to Remember, do yourself a favor and skip the sequel.

Tina Lifford and Dominic Mariche are the basic motives to see this nice Halmark film. Sure, not great surprises, the old recipe, the expected romance but it works real well and this represents the most important thing. And, yes, the story of Young and his book is just a significant virtue.