Un dolce Natale

There is one scene in this movie that makes it worth watching despite its problems. Or better yet, when it comes up again on TV, fast forward to around the last 45 minutes.

Two elementary school teachers have been engaged in a rivalry since childhood when one horned in on the other's song solo. Whatever one does, the other one has to better it. Each cannot stand the other to be in the spotlight. It's fairly harmless until a handsome widower with a daughter comes to town. The story is mostly told through Erin Krakow's character, so we know that she is the one we are supposed to root for with the actresses trademark sweet, gentle, sincere demeanor. Despite her questionable behavior throughout, we know she is a good person at heart. Her rival is effectively played by Miranda Frigon best known for playing the grumpy police chief in the Aurora Teagarden mysteries.

Skipping to the scene in question. Miranda has invited all of the festival (there's a festival) volunteers to a party at her home and is forced to invite Erin ("Your invitation will be *shoved* in your In-box") Miranda is very proud of her singing ability and announces that she is going to favor the group with her solo rendition of Silent Night, snagging the handsome widower to accompany her on the piano. She has no shame, but as soon as she starts singing Erin starts sneaking up to her side as if she is under the Confundus charm and joins in. I'm like, "Oh no she is not going to...." But she did! Silent Night gets louder and louder as the two try to drown each other out, to the total befuddlement of all the guests, and the horror of Erin's mother. When they get to the last line "When Chri-ist was born", "Christ" comes out so loudly and aggressively as each of them vie for supremacy, that it's almost sacrilegious. Then Miranda ends with a pose like she is the Madonna cradling Baby Jesus in her arms. It is the most irreverent and intentionally funniest performance I have ever scene in a Hallmark movie.

It provides the turning point in Erin's journey. She walks out of the party with her deer-in-the-headlights look thoroughly shocked at her own behavior. She has finally gone too far. After some skullduggery on Miranda's part to get through, the two former friends make up, and Erin gets her man.

Expectations were very mixed before watching 'A Cookie Cutter Christmas'. Love Christmas and many Christmas films. Have liked Erin Krakow and David Haydn-Jones in other performances, although not everything they've done has been good let alone great. Hallmark is an extremely mixed bag when it comes to their festive output, but they certainly showed more than once that they could make films that were above watchable.

Sadly, 'A Cookie Cutter Christmas' isn't one of them. The premise didn't excite me, but there have been many times where a predictable or ordinary premise has been executed in a way that exceeded expectations. This premise is done nothing with and there is not even enough to 'A Cookie Cutter Christmas' to make it cookie cutter. It's completely bland, lacking taste and flavour and the excessive cheese really does spoil the mix.

'A Cookie Cutter Christmas' has very few redeeming qualities, but credit is due for some nice location work.

Likewise the sweet (but not sickly sweet) and spirited lead performance of Krakow.

Haydn-Jones however has been much better in other things, he has been in misfires but this is one of the very few times where he isn't a redeeming merit. The character is just too uptight and vapid and Haydn-Jones really struggles to bring any personality to him. There is no chemistry between him and Krakow, they look ill at ease together, very disconnected from each other and nothing ignites. Miranda Frigon is also very annoying, from trying too hard, as a character whose negative qualities are so overwritten and overacted it was like seeing a caricature with no redeeming qualities. When she is with Krakow it was like a competition to see who could over-compensate the most, Frigon always winning because at least Krakow made an effort to bring some likeability to her character. The rest of the acting is nothing to write home about in roles that are so blandly and cartoonishly written that none of the characters come over as real people.

The script is incredibly childish and is excessively cheesy in many parts and very empty in others, the amount of cringing and wincing is enough to induce a need to sleep off nausea for an hour afterwards. The character motivations are so abrupt, all over the place and don't make much sense at all. One expects the story to be predictable as it is following the more of the same basic formula that most Hallmark films follow, but to me there are very few other Hallmark Christmas films that are as over the top ridiculous and lacking in maturity as 'A Cookie Cutter Christmas'. Those distinctions reach whole new heights here. The music is both grating and overbearing, the direction lacks character and distinction and other than the locations the film has a dull look.

In conclusion, very poor. 2/10

I love me some Hallmark holiday moves. I can't tolerate this one. Two catty, unlikable women competing over the new dad in town. I assume you're supposed to like the lead actress because she's the "nicer" of the two? But she's just as pathetic as the nastier one, meeting the new dad once and immediately setting her desperate sights on him. That is literally the whole plot of this movie. No charming romanticism that develops over two hours. Nope. Just that a single hot guy shows up, and the ladies pull out their claws. Oh, and the hot dad's "job" is running a nonprofit goodwill type ramshackle empty storefront for needy people. Ugh.

Hallmark bills Christmas movies as romantic comedies. While many try hard at romance, most do not on the comedy aspect. What I liked about this movie is the rivalry between the teaches actually gave the movie a comedic aspect through out. I also enjoy a Hallmark style battle between the virtuous hero and the G rated vixen for the heart of the prince.

Now that being said you have to tolerate the usual Hallmark plot themes. An insignificant event or contest (in this case cookie baking) is made much more important and convoluted than needed. The father, usually, is a wonderful kind person whose career focuses on philantrapy, and has a great kid who tries to play matchmaker.

As a fan of the genre though I must say this is one of my favorites and enjoyable each time I see it.

I'm an avid follower of When Calls the Heart, so if Erin Krakow is starring I will most likely tune in. That said both female lead characters were pretty unlikable sparring for the attention of the new single dad in town. Towards the end one of the characters has absolutely despicable morals for a teacher. Cute but lacking in wholesome Hallmark values..