Trivia at St. Nick's

This is a typical Hallmark holiday movie but, unfortunately, lacking the excitement and warmth viewers expect. Brant Daugherty, who usually shines with charming characters that draw the audience in, doesn't get a role that lets him showcase his usual charisma. His characters in other films feel fully developed and engaging, but here, the story and chemistry just don't seem to come together.

The film lacks the heartwarming Christmas spirit that Hallmark movies are known for. The setting and holiday atmosphere feel more like background elements than integral parts of the story, making the film come off as if it was hurriedly put together to fill a seasonal slot. It's missing the kind of genuine moments that leave you with a smile and a feeling of holiday cheer.

Ultimately, Trivia at St. Nick's is watchable but not memorable, a disappointment for fans hoping to be drawn into a cozy, festive world. It's the sort of film you can have on in the background without missing much, rather than a holiday movie that leaves a lasting impression. Hallmark fans may still enjoy it, but it doesn't stand out as a new holiday favorite.

Brant Daugherty and Tammin Sursok, who play Celeste and Max, have wonderful chemistry together. They initially meet and don't hit it off...the astronomy teacher vs the football coach until Celeste's trivia team, The Quizmas Elves, is desperate for a sixth and with his sports knowledge and team building expertise, Max is the perfect fit.

Celeste has the need to study and get everything right while Max is more go with the flow, enjoy the process...but both want to win in the end. They especially want to beat the young whippersnappers "we came to sleigh". The competition is for bragging rights and the beloved "Stan" trophy. After some initial struggles, Max kind of takes over with some team building exercises that end up giving them the competitive edge in trivia, in addition to being fun. The whole process has Celeste reevaluating her process and well...Max

I loved the Christmas activities....and the "It's a Wonderful Life" references. This was fun, funny and had some decent writing. The first kiss needed a little work...but the rest was a Christmas romantic's dream. I highly recommend.

When students all flee an elite university in Vermont for winter break, the locals and faculty hunker down for their favorite time of year - the annual Christmas Bar Trivia Tournament. For Celeste (Sursok), a Type-A astronomy professor, this event combines the magic of Christmas with her greatest comfort in life: knowing the right answer. But when her colleague drops out of the tournament to do a month-long lecture tour in Asia, Celeste's team must adopt Max (Daugherty), the football team's new offensive coordinator. To Celeste, Max seems like nothing more than a grown-up class clown - though he brings an undeniable knowledge of sports trivia (a category their team has always fallen short in). Initial clashes between the two eventually turn into mutual appreciation as the team enjoys scavenger hunts on campus, decorating the international house with Christmas lights, baking Christmas cookies, and advancing toward the championship trivia game.

First off, this is the exact same formula as all Christmas and romance films, so don't expect anything new on that front. However, this film does have a very christmassy feel to it, with great decorations, great sets, great costumes and a general christmassy buzz about it. That alone makes it good to me because christmas films should primarily be about christmas, no matter what else is going on. And what else is going on? Well, nothing much. The behaviour of the actors is pretty much the same as a bunch of 12 year olds. If they are making films for an adult audience or a family, I'd expect some more mature scenes and lines. Also, the two leads have zero chemistry even when they actually kiss. Luckily, the lack of romance doesn't hurt it too much because as I said, it's got a great christmas vibe that carries it along no matter what.

I'd never watch it again but it was a great christmassy mood for an hour and a half so I gave it a 5 for that.

The story and performances are average. The sound engineering is terrible, with fluctuating volumes of speech and soundtrack making it impossible to set a comfortable listening level without having to constantly adjust up and down. It was initially so annoying that we came close to stop watching. From blaring music to hushed whispers, some of the dialogue is even missed. Unlike some Hallmark rom-coms, this will not be one we will watch again. The unique hook in this movie are the actual trivia contests. Viewers can play along and perhaps learn from some actual Christmas trivia questions and answers.

This Hallmark holiday film offers little in the way of surprising developments or surprising dialogue. Still, it follows some traditional Hallmark story lines.

Celeste (Tammin Sursok) looks forward to the annual Christmas trivia tournament at a local bar. She really wants her team to win, so when their ringer---a two-time Jeopardy champ---has other plans, she is despondent. The new offensive coordinator of the university's football team is added to the roster solely to meet the requirement of six players. Celeste harbors resentment toward the football team, because she feels it receives undue attention, whereas her department (Astronomy) and academics, in general, is underappreciated.

New team member Max (Brant Daugherty) turns out to be a nice guy, so he gradually grows on Celeste. As the tournament progresses, they share various experiences and she realizes he is more than a dumb jock.

Comedic chemistry between the two leads is adequate, but any romantic chemistry feels mostly manufactured. Two cleverness points for naming the female lead Celeste, which means "heavenly".