A Kiss Before Christmas

The movie itself is nothing particularly innovative. A man feels if he'd made one particular decision at a crucial juncture, his life would have been better. So Santa shows up and let's him see what his life would have been like. Of course, that crucial juncture is what led him to meet and marry his wife. In order to get his old life back, he turns to the woman his wife has become (and she, of course, thinks he's crazy).

Nothing special about the film really but I was struck at how experienced actors (like Denton and Hatcher) come off in a Hallmark movie. Boy, does it make a difference! Many of these films star younger (and less experienced) actors who only underscore the superficiality of the Hallmark movie brand (with some exceptions). But take some pros and the pablum that is Hallmark sure goes down smoothly. Hatcher and Denton don't have to stretch their acting skills much but they bring a confidence and conviction to the roles that makes them very enjoyable to watch. I say put more fifty-somethings in these movies!

Reminiscent of classic 1940s Christmas films such as 'It's a Wonderful Life', 'A Kiss Before Christmas' is an engaging movie with a timeless message, fun and heartfelt script, and, of course, some brilliant acting performances by two leads with great chemistry. The story follows Ethan (played by James Denton), a mid-level real estate development executive who has been passed over for promotion for the last 20 years. Although he has a loving wife (Joyce, played by Teri Hatcher) and two amazing teenage kids, Ethan can't help wondering what his life, especially his finances, would be like if he wasn't always such a 'nice guy' in business. One morning while waiting at a newsstand, he tells a man dressed as Santa that he wishes he had a second chance at his career. And so our journey begins as Ethan awakes to discover that his wish has come true, or has it? He is now the CEO, but he isn't married and doesn't have his kids. And so, we follow Ethan on his quest in discovering what truly matters in life this Christmas. It is a well-written and engaging story. The writers do a great job of capturing the Christmas spirit, delivering a timeless message of what truly matters in a fairly straightforward manner. True, the storyline has been done many times before, but the simplicity of the story and message, along with a slight twist, kept me engaged from the start. What makes this work on-screen, of course, is the acting. Denton was impressive, I thought. He had me smiling, chuckling even, in some scenes (e.g., talking to his coffee machine), while in others, I might have even shed a tear or two. Hatcher too had a very strong performance. Their chemistry was brilliant. They have a wonderful back and forth that pulls you in. Quality stuff. The movie also has a nice Christmas vibe to it that no doubt will get you into the Christmas spirit. All in all, 'A Kiss Before Christmas' is an entertaining movie, delivering some Christmas magic, a dynamic duo performance, a bit of fun and humor, and a timeless Christmas message. I highly recommend it.

Santa grants you to review the implications of your life choices and try to mend your soul. It's a story line that has been so over used to become a cliche'. Other aspects or situations in this movie are cliche', as well. By the way, why are developers always portrayed as heartless, greedy villains? I am not one, yet my heart feels for them! On the good side, this show provides some new twists to the old yarn and is, definitely, a Christmas tale. Teri Hatcher and James Denton are a good match and live up to the expectations. The result is a likeable movie that delivers kind feelings and emotions, worthy of the season.

I'm a Christmas movie enthusiast and love even the bad ones. But this was not that. The harken back to Desperate Housewives was nearly forgotten because of the depth of story, but the chemistry between the leads remains. It's. Take as old as time, but it's authentic in its delivery. Highly recommend if you are a Hallmark fan.

Well, if you enjoy Christmas movies, then you definitely should check out this 2021 Hallmark movie titled "A Kiss Before Christmas".

Sure, when I sat down to watch this movie from writers Mark Amato and Tracy Andreen, I wasn't really expecting more than the usual Christmas sappy cheese that tends to make up the majority of Hallmark Christmas movies. But still, I hadn't already seen the movie, so of course I opted to give it a chance.

And I will say that director Jeff Beesley actually managed to put together a wholesome Christmas movie that has a good storyline, is nicely paced, has good acting performances, and definitely captures the Christmas spirit without succumbing to the usual pitfall of the Christmas cheese that you seen in similar movies.

The storyline told in "A Kiss Before Christmas" was good and well-written. Sure, there were a romantic element to the movie, but it was not the focal point of the movie, which made it all the better and enjoyable. Nay, this movie definitely captured the essence of Christmas and also provided good entertainment at the same time. So it was a sure win.

The movie has James Denton and Teri Hatcher in the lead roles. And it was actually fun to watch them act opposite one another on the screen again. And the movie also have Marilu Henner on the cast list, though in a minor role only.

If you enjoy Christmas movies, and want a movie with more contents to it than just the usual woman meets man and they clash and butt heads, but become forced to work together and end up falling in love and everything becomes happily ever after, then "A Kiss Before Christmas" is a movie for you.

My rating of "A Kiss Before Christmas" lands on a well-deserved six out of ten stars.