Les 12 Traditions de Noël

I'm glad this movie wasn't afraid to acknowledge the sadness that many people feel at Christmas because of the loss of loved ones. This movie shows us that celebrating those loved ones with traditions and talking about pur love for them and the sadness that can linger is as important a part of Christmas as any other element of everyone's favorite holiday.

Dr Sharon Harper is going back home, after her grandma passed away, with one purpose: the house she left behind. There, she meets Sam, the lawyer responsable for her grandma's final affairs and also, her neighbour. There, Sharon discovers that she was left a final to-do list during Christmas time. For every one she crosses of her list, she hangs one of the 12 stockings from the 12 days of Christmas song. Enter, Sam, his daughter and his brother who help Sharon with this list.

I loved this story so much. The plot was beautiful. Nikki and Michael are superb together, they have amazing chemistry. The supporting cast was great (The girl who plays Mikayla worked with them in "Love to the rescue" earlier this year as Nikki's character' daughter). Sam and Mikayla are also grivieng, they lost their wife/mother not long ago and the three of them coming together it's heartwarming, there is a scene in particular between them that is beautiful, I had a lump in my throat the whole time.

My only problem was the typical cliche of having the female lead choose between her professional career and her new found family/love, but I was satifsfied with the ending. I hope Nikki Deloach and Michael Rady make more movies together, both from this year are among my favorites.

7/10 - surprisingly captivating and refreshing holiday flick

Nobody should watch Hallmark films with massively high expectations, their Christmas output particularly. If a Hallmark fan or wanting to see as many Christmas films as possible, expectations would understandably be higher. They are very formulaic with most of them being more of the same narratively and structurally, apart from sporadic attempts at changes of pace. There are a fair share of them though that are surprisingly above average and even good amidst the many average and less ones.

2019 was a very hit and miss and somewhat unimpressive year for Hallmark and their Christmas output. 'Two Turtle Doves' to me, and many others it seems, managed to be one of the best from that year and actually among their best Christmas films in general. It's not a masterpiece by any stretch, then again is that expected from Hallmark, or flawless. But 'Two Turtle Doves' does show that Hallmark do have a good film in them if given a chance.

Sure not all the dialogue is great, Hallmark tend to be over-scored and there are times, not constantly, where that is applicable to 'Two Turtle Doves'.

There are instances too where the pace drags when the film is less eventful.

However, 'Two Turtle Doves' is visually pleasing and has a professional look. The appropriately festive locations especially. Enough of the soundtrack is nostalgic and pleasant enough. he direction is accomodating while not going through the motions. Nikki DeLoach and Michael Rady don't overplay, any mannerisms not overdone, and neither do they hold back too much. Their likeability shines through and their chemistry is a warm and genuine one that develops more naturally and realistically than usual. Michaela Russell is appealing too.

Moeover, the dialogue is tighter and less stilted than a lot of Hallmark Christmas films and the cheese and sentiment isn't as much. The story is very predictable admittedly, but it still engaged me and was charming and heart-warming while not taking itself too seriously. Did appreciate too that there was more to usual. The characters may be well worn cliches, but they came over to me as likeable enough and any negative character traits didn't come over as over the top like can be the case in Hallmark Christmas films. Actually cared for these characters, not the case with a lot of recently seen Christmas films.

In conclusion, very well done and one of the best Hallmark Christmas films from 2019. 8/10

In essence, I love it for few details: the Christmas ornaments, the portrait of grandmother Vera and her notebooks, for Heidi Fielek, Zach Tinker,John B. Lowe and BJ Harrison, for the young Michaela Russell and for the silhouette of Misses Taylor. The recipe is familiar, the cook is far to be surprising and the dish not extraordinary. But the spices , from cinnamon cookies to the little turtle doves from the box from basement of Taylors are just beautiful. So, I admitt, just I love it.