2020 was very variable to unimpressive when it came to Lifetime's Christmas films, and there was definitely the sense that the films were made in a rush with not a lot of preparation time. Yet enough of them were far from amateur-hour efforts and were still watchable all things considered. Lifetime just have done a lot better in previous years, although their festive output is very hit and miss it should not be dismissed outright as enough have left me pleasantly surprised.
'Lonestar Christmas' sad to say was not one of the 2020 Lifetime Christmas films that left me pleasantly surprised. It is not one of their all time worst but of their 2020 Christmas output it is down there with the worst in my view. Good things can be seen here, but they are too far and between in a film that had a lot of major issues. Instead of the potentially above average it could have been, it ended up being one of the mediocrities of the 2020 Lifetime Christmas films.
There are a few good things. The best thing about 'Lonestar Christmas' by far is Marco Grazzini, just loved his gentle warmth and charm. BJ Harrison is another saving grace, making much of little.
Furthermore, 'Lonestar Christmas' also looks pretty decent all things considered and has some professionalism at least in its look. Especially the scenery. The music didn't sound too intrusive.
However, there is a good deal wrong. Stephanie Bennett is an incredibly bland female lead and a very awkward presence. She has very little spark or chemistry with Grazzini, it's very disconnected and the relationship itself is underused and underwritten. Brent Stait is also very mechanical, particularly in his scenes with Bennett. The father and daughter subplot is quite painful and is one of the worst written and acted subplots of the 2020 Lifetime Christmas films, and unfortunately there is too much of it. The first half is pretty hard to sit through and while the second half is a little better it never rises above average.
Did feel on the whole that the story was very dull and thin, as well as excessively predictable and lacking in charm or warmth (Grazzini's performance is the only thing where either are obvious). The direction is very routine. Furthermore, the script on the most part is too verbose and the flow is very stilted, had a feeling of it being written in haste and that it had not been proof read. The conflict completely lacks tension and it didn't actually feel like there was much at stake with the indifferent and too hasty way it's written in. A lot of ingredients in the story that are done very little with.
Mediocre overall. 4/10.
