It was not easy telling whether 'Christmas Mail' was going to be good or whether it was going to be bad when first hearing of it, reading the plot synopsis and seeing the advertising. The story did sound interesting if not with much to make it unique and it didn't look too bad. Even the mixed response to the film didn't put me off and actually made me intrigued, to see which side of liked it or hated it my opinion would fall on (hoping leaning towards like).
Watching 'Christmas Mail' as part of the Christmas film quest that has been happening for the past three years (something that was very much necessary after a tough time), it was for me on neither extreme of brilliant or terrible and found myself neither loving or hating it. If anything my opinion is somewhere in between and am actually pretty conflicted on what my stance is. With there being a fair share of good things but also an equal number of things that didn't work. Can totally understand the mixed response here.
'Christmas Mail' does have good things. Ashley Scott is engaging enough in her role, though her character could have been better developed. AJ Buckley is easy going and likeable as the more interesting and likeable character. The supporting cast are solid. The chemistry between Scott and Buckley was sweet.
The film is limited in setting but is pleasingly filmed at least. The music had an affectionate festive atmosphere and had me smiling and humming along, as good music should do. There are moments that amuse, true the humour is very exaggerated but it was still fun and easy to take when aware of the exaggeration being intentional, and others that are quite sweet. The first half is charming and engages.
Less engaging was the final third in particular, where things got rather contrived and silly. Also found that it did lose quite a bit of energy from thinning out, while also finding the main revelation poorly done with a barely discernible and unintentionally creepy phone voice and the ending feels too neat and anti-climactic.
Some of the dialogue is awkward and has too much cheese and schmaltz and the film could have done a lot more with developing Scott's character, who comes over as too childish and naive and not much else with her motivations too vague at best. Some of the editing looked sloppy.
In conclusion, hit and miss but watchable. 5/10.
