Holly's Holiday

TheSTORY-1.25

What does a Christmas Story require to be rated as worth watching?

It needs to be heartwarming and light with a side order of sentimentalism. This is usually carried out via a love story... or in this case, two. And the best has a touch of magic thrown into the mix.

Justine Cogan and Andrea Janakas tick each of those boxes. They also do a great job of weaving all the elements together to give the viewer an enjoyable and watchable film. The love triangle is a great hook and works well. Holly has to choose between the ultra-perfect Bo who helps her when she's fallen, literally or the all-too-human Milo, with whom she has unmistakable chemistry.

What makes this story so good is the characterisations and the way they work off each other.

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Jim Fall is great at creating a soft and warm atmosphere with lighting and soft bloom focuses. This works perfectly with the story and its intention.

There are times when better composition and differing camera angles would have helped the film and made it a little more interesting as there are times when it becomes a little too average.

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Though there is only one speed to this film the steady trot works well in helping to tell the story. Since there are no exciting or thrilling elements there's little need to change the pace. Truth be told, only when we get to the photography shoot could Fall have upped the speed a tad, though it would've added very little.

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I have to say that even though everybody is good in their roles it's Bo, played by Ryan McPartlin who made the film for me. The character is well written to begin with and McPartlin is perfect in his portrayal of a strong, self-confident (to the point of annoying) and knowledgable (to the point of being more annoying) good looking male. This guy is perfect... but perfect is not always perfect for you.

Claire Coffee and Jeff Ward are very good in their depictions of Holly and Milo. It's a believable romance and you can feel their chemistry together, just like you can tell Holly and Bo are not suited to stay together.

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If you like Christmas, if you like romance, if you like lighthearted drama, and you like to get sentimental at this time of year then this film is definitely for you.

This is the second time I've watched this film and I find I've enjoyed it more the second time around.

So if you want to get into the Christmas Film thing then this is a good movie to start with. Especially if you have all your Chrimbo lights on and a fire in the hearth and a hot cocoa to hand.

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Come on over and share the Christmas Spirit with my Ho! Ho! Ho! Christmas Belles list and see where this film ranks. And you may find your next Xmas favourite... Ho! Ho! Ho!

Holly wants everything to be perfect, even while her own life is not. And when I saw this movie, it was given the title "A Perfect Christmas", the message that department store window kept trying to drive home.

I like the formula, but that's what this is. Claire Coffee is pretty and plays a driven executive who can't seem to have what she thinks is perfection. And by the end of the movie, she may be on the way to finding what the audience wants her to have. Holly is likable enough and has a nice smile.

I know Ryan McPartlin from several roles. In only one of them, a major role in a series that lasted several seasons, did he show intelligence and range. Here, he's just what he needs to be--good-looking, charming, but shallow and lacking brains or emotion. I don't think the audience is supposed to want him to end up with Holly.

More likable is photographer Milo. Jeff Ward does a good job and shows somewhat more range than the others.

Another standout is Annie Quinn, the secretary who can't seem to do anything right but is adorable, and she looks great at the office party where she provides what less-informed people would describe as music. She has a potential romantic partner in nerdy co-worker Paul Elia.

As the best friend, Gabrielle Dennis can be likable, and she can be shallow and annoying. But she has some good scenes.

I think Matt Riedy and Robin Riker are Bo's perfect parents, who are so funny, especially when they show how they were once models in ad campaigns.

Megan Stevenson is too perfect looking and nasty. Every movie like this needs someone like her.

In several scenes, Aketza Lopez is the dashing Latin lover who is perfect and constantly reminds you of this. Why does she not like me, he wonders? Well, there are reasons. And unlike Bo, he is not perfect (in the way Bo is, which of course isn't perfect).

I have to say some of what was happening in this movie was too unpleasant and a possible way out is the phenomenon of a character hitting his or her head. While the movie works either way, things got so bad that I was hoping that Holly hitting her head meant this was all a fantasy.

The Christmas carolers who appear in two scenes are wonderful. There wasn't a lot in the way of Christmas music in this movie, and certainly none at the holiday party. There is some good background music but two scenes and the party have this loud obnoxious noise that no one in his right mind would call music.

Family friendly? I don't think anything is that bad. Kids might be bored. Bo and Holly don't actually do anything but given what movie characters often do on the first date, we can assume what happened when we weren't watching. Or maybe Bo is too much of a gentleman.

We've seen it many times before, but I always enjoy these movies.

This movie is about a woman who dates a storefront mannequin come to life. If that premise doesn't intrigue you, then you will not like it. The people are pretty and I just went with it.

My partner has a low tolerance for romance, so I try to spare him by watching the stuff I know he'll hate while I work out in the backyard casita. I was just about to conclude that he had a point about Hallmark movies when I stumbled across this one. Having no expectations other than the premise, I was charmed. All the actors are having a wonderful time, and I loved the way Beau devolved--Ryan McPartlin's performance is hilarious. The leads are enormously appealing and the supporting characters all had their moments. Especially Gabrielle Dennis. Way more slapstick than I'm used to in a Hallmark movie, and I loved that it had one foot (well, maybe a few toes) in reality. Quite a funny script! I wish I could find more like this. Can't tell you how many rom coms I've given up on in the first fifteen minutes. I'm not sure why people are so down on this movie. As another reviewer said so eloquently, just go with it.

Am not somebody who hates Christmas or has a bias against made for television Christmas films. The complete opposite on both counts and have made that clear more than once and will continue to do so if necessary (though am refraining as much as possible from reiterating too much). The premise did sound quite interesting and seemed like it was trying to do something a little different. So watched 'Holly's Holiday' with the intent to like it.

Sadly, there are just too many flaws with 'Holly's Holiday' for me to do that. It's not entirely terrible and has a few good things, but there is a lot wrong with it and it is another film where the worst of the bad things are executed pretty terribly. A case of a pretty decent premise not done anywhere near enough with and with mediocre at best execution. Am usually, or at least there is the attempt to be, a balanced and encouraging person when reviewing films, television etc. but 'Holly's Holiday' is one of those films where it is not always easy to take that attitude.

'Holly's Holiday' is not a complete loss. The best thing about it is Jeff Ward as the only character who is entertaining or likeable, he seemed fully engaged with his role and brought a smile to my face. Also think Claire Coffee did better than expected in a role that is easy to make obnoxious, but she brought the right amount of able charm to it.

The soundtrack is pleasant enough in parts as is some of the scenery.

On the other hand, a lot works against 'Holly's Holiday'. For my tastes Ryan McPartlin was too robotic and one-dimensional, even for the type of character he was playing. He and Coffee don't always seem at ease together and the writers overdo it with trying to make him too perfect (hence what was meant by one-dimensional). The supporting cast are not very memorable, while Gabrielle Dennis tries too hard in her role. The chemistry between the lead actors didn't seem natural, well developed or with much spark, pretty bland, while the characters are basically standard cliches with not much to them and don't feel real.

Didn't think that the script was good either. The more comedic elements were pretty cheesy and lack any kind of freshness, as well as feeling very strained. The drama lacks momentum and tends to be too mawkish. All the different elements in the script and story don't work individually and completely fail to gel together, parts being too jokey and others being over-serious. Add to that inane dialogue, no spark let alone charm, warmth or heart, emotional coldness, quite cheap production values that never look authentic (apart from some of the scenery, the editing is especially shoddy) and contrivance galore and you have a film that really does not work on most levels.

Concluding, weak. 3/10