Happy Howlidays

This is another Hallmark movie where the writers went all over the place with their various story tropes.

Did they want a funny dog movie? Well, they started out that way and then abandoned that idea.

Did they want an old girlfriend shows up to threaten the romance? They did that too, but killed any tension from it immediately.

Did they want a tense story about a broken person? Well, the female lead was a doctor who lost a patient and ran from the profession, but that's really only important for the scene where she admits that.

Did they want a heart wrenching dog story? They hinted at that then never got there.

The male lead is fairly wooden, except for a couple of scenes where he suddenly goes from wooden to berserk, and he didn't manage the transitions well.

It's watchable, and the dogs are well-trained and the best part of the movie. And women may like the male lead's abs, which they put on display in one scene just for that purpose. We won't be viewing it again.

The storyline was cute. The dogs were cute. The male lead was not cute or compelling. While print model, Ezra Moreland's performance had flickers of authenticity, it was for the most part wooden & superficial. If he went to acting class and got some real training maybe it would help. That said, this was his first acting attempt, so he probably was anxious about his performance, but right now, he seems to be "modeling" through the role & not finding his character. Like several others, I was surprised when Ezra was given (yes, given) the Hallmark "Mr. Christmas" title over the more talented and charismatic, Hayden, who was always the stand-out; the one your eye was drawn to in every ensemble//group shot and every acting scene. Hopefully, Hallmark will rectify their original decision & sign Hayden to a contract, too.

Mia finds a dog in the rain one night so she takes to the shelter because she can't take him on. Max, the owner of the said rescue shelter rejects them. Because the world works in mysterious ways they meet again with their dogs who developed an instant attraction.

It's safe to say the dogs had more chemistry than the leads. Which is a shame. With a new face in Hallmark I was looking foward to this one but was disappointed. I'm not gonna judge Ezra because it's his first one, but maybe he should have started with a secondary role and the go from there. Like many leads nowadays did.

The plot of the movie is quite flat, maybe with other actors it could have worked. And it wasn't even necessary the Christmas factor. It could have been a summer movie.

I can't help but notice that this is the second actor to come back to Hallmark after the fail that is GAF. I just hope it ends there. And that's all I'm gonna comment about it.

The acting in this film was truly dreadful. Both main actors delivered wooden and one-dimensional performances. Their lack of chemistry was palpable.

Ezra's portrayal of the pet adoption agency manager was particularly jarring. His rude and condescending behavior was completely unrealistic and off-putting. He displayed a complete lack of empathy for customers and seemed utterly devoid of any warmth or personality.

Jessica's performance was equally unconvincing. Her lines were delivered without any emotion or connection to the other actors.

Her lack of common sense was astounding. It was baffling that she couldn't understand the basic needs of her dog and repeatedly stepped in dog urine every morning.

Ezra's appearance in this film was a significant departure from his look in 'Finding Mr. Christmas.' Lose the beard Ezra!

The writer and the director didn't do this film any favors.

My friend and I watched Finding Mr. Christmas together, a reality competition to find the next male lead for a new Hallmark Christmas movie. The show was sweet and warm, like being wrapped in a cozy blanket for an hour. The ten guys truly rooted for and supported each other which was refreshing to see. The ultimate winner ended up being model Ezra Moreland.

My problem with the series was that there were just not enough challenges to fully show the men's acting chops. We watched very brief acting scenes as well as talent, dancing, and improv challenges. The second placer, Hayden, was seemingly the best actor but ultimately the crown went to the best looking guy with the best body.

I had high hopes for Ezra and wanted him to succeed. But watching Happy Howlidays is like watching someone drowning. Ezra looked great for sure, but the acting was tentative, flat, and one note from beginning to end. The poor guy was clearly in way over his head, not having acted before and having to carry a film. On top of that he had to work with dogs, a so so leading lady, and a bottom of the barrel script.

It was an incredibly disappointing ending to a terrific series. Hopefully lessons were learned for next years Finding Mr, Christmas. Meanwhile, I hope this at least leads to more modeling jobs for Ezra. And just maybe Hayden can be given a well deserved spot in an upcoming Hallmark film.