A Maple Valley Christmas

This is the first movie I've watched so far this year, and it's pretty much the usual Hallmark fare: boy meets girl, boy and girl lose their minds, everything falls apart, and then...well I won't spoil the end.

One thing that is a tried and true part of the Hallmark formula is turned on it's head early on.

The sub-plots/conflicts are nothing new: guy and dad, girl and sister. Ms. List is very pretty, and Andrew Walker is the same as always.

This being Hallmark, it should be noted that there is an absence of mixed race (unless you count European) or homosexual relationships. That is important to some. Indeed it's chased half of Hallmark's audience over to GAC.

Being the first movie I've watched this year, I don't really have much to compare it to, but it does seem like an ok Hallmark Christmas movie.

I do really hate that hat though.

This movie has a lot more meat to it than most of the Hallmark Christmas films. On the one side a believable division between two sisters, and on the other side a believable division between father and son. Then there is the surprising decision from the mother, ready to retire and let her daughters take over the business.

While some viewers didn't see a connection between the romantic leads, we did. They had plenty of screen time together doing the types of things that build friendship which can transition to more than friendship.

So despite some of the reviews, we do like Andrew Walker in most of the stuff we've seen him in, and that gave us a reason to check it out. I'm glad we did.

I loved the way this movie started. A horse ride through maple trees, sap buckets and candy canes, a warm loving family, a handsome stranger who returns a lost horse and... a very un-Hallmark early kiss between the two leads (and a bold and surprising kiss at that). I loved it. I'm so tired of the "almost kiss" that gets interrupted and isn't attempted again until the end of the movie. Ugh. It's easily one of the most annoying Hallmark tropes. But here, they tried something different. The boldness of that early kiss was very modern and a wonderful change of pace.

The handsome stranger was played by Hallmark all-star Andrew Walker. He's a sure thing. But I didn't recognize Peyton List, who played Erica. Although bold and interesting in the beginning, Erica is revealed to be rather unpleasant. She's quick to unfairly judge Aaron, disrespectful to her own sweet sister, acts like a bully, and is beyond thoughtless with her loving mother.

And it all goes on way too long. She comes across as a spoiled brat and that makes it hard to root for her to find love with Aaron.

There are also a few lines that cut like a knife:

Erica: "You're a rich kid who's lost and thinks he'll find himself by putting on a Stetson hat and playing cowboy." Aaron: "Maybe you don't pick the wrong guys. Maybe you pick the right guys, and just drive them away." Erica: "Maybe so, but like I said, I don't date tourists"

Ouch.

Her mother actually expressed what I was thinking when she told Erica to "pull it together". And the whole plot about turning over the business to her daughters, to the point where one talks about buying out the other? What's mom going to live off of? It's not like she sold the business to a third-party and banked the proceeds. It sounded like she just gave the business to her kids, without taking anything, not even a salary. That's all too typical in Hallmark movies- a complete disregard for financial realities. In real life, mom might leave her kids in charge but they'd have to wait until she passed before taking ownership.

Erica's sister Heidi was played by Ella Cannon. In contrast to her sister, Heidi comes across as sweet and kind. And she's in a healthy marriage to a good guy. And she's even more beautiful than Erica. I wish the movie had starred Ella Cannon as the lead (and as a nicer character than Erica).

Aaron's father was played by Paul Jarrett and he nailed that horrible character.

I did like the running gag about "the hat" (which looked good on Erica, less so on Aaron). And though unearned, the ending was lovely. But I really didn't like the way Erica was written and Peyton List couldn't make her more likable (in fairness to her, it's not within her power to change her lines).

Erica meets Aaron after a horse escapes. They feel attracted to each other only to find out the next day they both want the property next door. We've seen it before. However, things that you expect would happen later in the movie, they happen sooner than expected. And that's the only time you will be surprised.

I'm not gonna lie, I did enjoy the movie. However I'm sad to say Peyton and Andrew did not have chemistry. Which is a shame because Andrew has chemistry with all his co-stars.

Now, this movie had it all: a horse ride, the two stars randomly meeting each other, the small town, baking (more like candying, but still), people not admitting the truth, etc.

I liked Peyton and I felt sorry for her character. I have a hard time accepting change as well and being the oldest daughter comes with an extra responsibility so I kind of took pity on her. Her sister was not the best either. I see no future with them as business partners. None of them was willing to compromise. Personally, the lack of chemistry ruined this for me.

And regarding Aaron, did they ever explained why everything was familiar to him, why his father wanted so desesperately to buy the land? Because I was waiting for it and it never came.

I had high expectations and unfortunately they weren't fullfil.

'Maple Valley Christmas' (2022)

Opening thoughts: There is always at least one reason for wanting to see a film etc with me, in 'Maple Valley Christmas' case it was Andrew Walker. He is one of Hallmark's most regularly used actors and very popular, and to me the appeal is more than understandable. As he is one of the better and more consistent regulars, despite his filmography being very up and down. The premise did intrigue, could feel myself relating to the issues that were being explored, and had real potential to work.

'Maple Valley Christmas' however is another one of those films with a premise that sounds good but the execution underwhelms, for reasons that have been summed up already very well. It is not one of the worst 2022 Hallmark films, neither is it quite one of the worst 2022 Miracles of Christmas films (it is certainly better than 'Christmas Bedtime Stories'). It is unfortunately not good and is a waste of potential. Walker comes off quite well, but he really is well above this.

Good things: He is the best thing about 'Maple Valley Christmas', making a conscientious effort in bringing charm and heart as well as nuance. Actually did think that the male cast did well, with Francisco Trujillo bringing some welcome vim.

It is a nice looking film, with beautiful scenery that the photography doesn't waste. The music is also pleasant enough and fits.

Bad things: On the other hand, quite a lot doesn't work. The female cast are poor, Peyton List doesn't inject much personality, while also trying too hard. Frances Flanagan and even more so Ella Cannon overact dreadfully, the latter being a whiny spiteful cartoon. Absolutely agree with all regarding the complete absence of characters worth rooting for or liking, exaggerated character flaws with little to no growth has been a major problem in Hallmark films in the past few years and this is one of the worst cases of the 2022 output. List's character's constant rudeness, disrespect and over-bearing-ness became exhausting fast. List and Walker indeed have no chemistry together, very cold, distant and awkward.

Furthermore, the ending is very unrealistic, the pacing is rushed from trying to cram in a lot in too short a space of time and what happens is too convenient and not warranted. The dialogue is not natural and can be too soapy. The pace is erratic, sometimes fine, sometimes draggy from over stretching and then too hasty in the over-stuffed final quarter. Pretty much all the character decisions and motivations are at best vague, and that is whenever effort is made to explain, and wildly improbable, so much making no sense.

Concluding thoughts: Overall, very underwhelming.

4/10.