I Believe in Santa

The movie was fun, although, a very Hallmark channel type of movie. C'mon, a working girl meets a guy really into Christmas, never done before! (/s) And it was rather predictable, since the scene where Lisa's daughter (who's name I definitely remember /s) gets lost I pretty much predicted the whole movie. The acting was weak,certain parts were very corny, and (no offence), Lisa's eyes annoyed me.

Now's the part where i'll discard all of the problems and full-heartedly defend this movie! The idea is like many Hallmark Christmas movies, but more over the top. And people say that this movie is unrealistic and the idea is stupid, and for that I have one word: So? This is a Christmas movie for gods sake! Who the hell is going to sit here and critically judge a CHRISTMAS movie for crying out loud? The idea is fun and that's whats the only thing that matters in a Christmas movie. Christmas needs to be cheerful, heart-warming, not serious.

I rest my case.

It's a film with a completely illogical premise that takes itself really seriously. The main actor has a gay best friend, wears a lot of make up, is as camp as Christmas (pardon the pun), and pouts all the time. He looks like Julian Clary. He's incredibly gay and it was just not believable to see him in a heterosexual love story. NPH in HIMYM or Bulldog in Frasier are also gay men but they were believable as straight love interests. This actor was very camp and so the premise seemed ludicrous.

I can't believe things like this get commissioned and made because they are so cringe. There are much better movies of the Hallmark Christmas genre.

I laughed my head off when I read that the two lead characters are married in real life! That explains how two of the oddest looking actors ever, both wound up in the same movie. But it does NOT explain the lack of chemistry! The only thing that explains that, is the fact that they are horrible horrible actors! But honestly I couldn't get past her crazy eyes and his facial expressions and, let's be honest, looks. Also, and I know I'm not the only one to feel this way, I would have believed a romance between our lead male actor and his best male friend more than I believed the actual story that the writer went with. Oh ya, and he IS creepy! Get that little girl away from him!

Like a lot of other reviewers, I found the love story hard to buy. Like one other reviewer I saw, I was pretty convinced that the actual couple was Tom and Assan.

BUT, I love seeing a love of doing all of the holiday things with kids. This movie caught all of the family rituals of Christmas without being overbearing and just stressful like it was depicted in Bad Mom's Christmas. There was a joy in sharing all of those rituals with the kid that made it believable.

In the end, I really liked the message of the movie. I liked all of the reasons to believe and all of the reasons not to steal that from your children. For me, this movie was all about Ella, the little girl even though she was supposed to be playing the minor role.

I couldn't buy the love story--my apologies to the married actors. But, I didn't need to in order to buy into the powerful Christmas message of this movie. I was prepared to hate it and was pleasantly surprised.

Eurghhh, I really tried what with it being Christmas an all. But i just couldn't get over the following:

1) The main woman character (her eyes) constantly with a shocked expression, was really making my own eyes ache

2) The main guy character, playing the "Boyfriend". A "Boyfriend" who is extremely camp and wears far more make-up than his "Girlfriend"

3) The storyline...euggh, it's just a payday film really isn't it. All been done before, very cheesy, yet very odd, mainly because the characters just don't click as a couple "in love"

Overall, I'd give this a miss. Many classics to watch over the Christmas period instead!