Un Natale stellato

The premise for 2017's 'The Spruces and the Pines' didn't entirely grab me at first or make me go wow. With it basically a story with a mix of Romeo and Juliet and the Hatfields and the McCoys, two feuds depicted frequently, except with a Christmas theme. Still saw it anyway, with it being one of the films as part of my Christmas film completest quest and one of the films watched during the much-anticipated and needed Christmas period.

And while still not a great film, 'The Spruces and the Pines' actually fared better than expected. It was cute and heart-warming so a pleasant and nothing to be offended by watch, but also on the too safe and bland side at other points (not to mention it not being much different from other Christmas films in some of the material). Very little if anything is done awfully, but at the same time 'The Spruces and the Pines' isn't exactly distinguished.

Will begin with mentioning the good. The production values are pleasing on the eye, the scenery has an authentic Christmassy feel and the photography doesn't try to do too much while not being claustrophobic. The soundtrack is also suitably festive without being overpowering in volume or over-utilised.

Enough parts are amusingly light-hearted and there are some heart-warming and charming moments without being too saccharine. The characters at least don't bore or irritate, even if they lack depth. The dialogue is not as cheesy or as over-sentimental as feared. The acting fares decently, with a likeable John McGregor giving the best performance with charming, feisty Sarah Fischer close behind.

On the other hand, 'The Spruces and the Pines' could have been better. The story is too simple and has no real surprises. The conflict could have done with more tension and the too tidy and over too soon resolution falls flat on delivering on the emotional impact, which isn't really there.

Some of the writing is on the stilted side early on and the pacing in need of more tightness. Also felt that Nick Ballard was rather stiff in a blandly written role. Jonna Walsh is also a little on the bland side and their chemistry could have done with more wit.

In conclusion, decent if not exceptional. 6/10

This movie follows the tradition of Romeo and Juliet. There is serious and unreasonable enmity between the two. So much so, the Julie's dad says to her at one point "I thought I had raised a daughter who understood the values that this family holds." Apparently he intended to raise her with the values of hatred and unforgiveness. Do Rick and Julie end up dead on the floor after taking poison? I'm pretty sure we can all guess the answer to that.

The story is pretty basic and predictable. While the Romeo and Juliet story is not new and has been done many times, it is a slightly different approach to a Christmas story. Actually, Christmas is not as central to the details of this story as it is in many holiday movies. We don't find the writer checking off one tradition after another just to meet some quota. However there are really no surprises. Jonna Walsh and Nick Ballard connect well even if they are a little stiff, especially Ballard. The feud seems unreasonable in our day especially when we learn the true history of it.

This is a seasonal take on the Romeo and Juliet story, though without the tragic ending - oh come on it's a Christmas film, you cannot call that a spoiler - though I for one would think a tragic ending would be more interesting... but hey, I have a dark side.

So there are two families who own Christmas Tree farms next to each other and due to a fire that took out seven years worth of crops they've been at each other's throats for as long as the kids can remember. It's been a year after Julie Pine's (Walsh) mother's death and she's decided to come home for the Christmas period to help her father in his busiest time... and it is the first Christmas without his wife.

It doesn't take long to find out the feud is still going strong and appears to have gotten a little harsher in the time she's been away. On her first day home, she is asked by the local baker to drop off Dave Spruce's order, while there she helps a man to tie a tree to a car roof. Unbeknown to her, he is actually Rick Spruce, Dave's nephew. There is a chemistry between them right from the start and Rick decides to chase her with the intention of courtship. It's not until later that his true identity is revealed, though by that time Julie has fallen for him.

There are some good lighthearted and heartwarming moments in the film and the relationship between Julie and Rick is engrossing and entertaining to watch. Add to this the character of the bear of a man Josh, perfectly portrayed by John MacGregor and the sweet, sassy, and beautiful Holly, nicely acted by Sarah Fischer, then you have strong character base to keep you interested. The writers have also given all of these some of the more wittier lines and it works well to keep the viewers entertained.

The only drawback I had with this story was the climax of the feud. This should have been thought out a little better and made stronger and more believable. There wasn't enough emotion when showing how the wife and mother's passing had really affected her family, especially her husband - this would have added to the climax. I know that this is primarily a love story but it would have been so much better to have a stronger resolve and make it a two-story film.

This is another one to cuddle up with your loved one beside a fire on a cold night.

The cast was great and the story was amazing. Me and the wife really enjoyed it. James Welch Henderson Arkansas. 11/21/2020

Although a simple story line, I am quite sure that there are literally millions of men and women who have lived the rest of their lives regrettably for listening to their closest loved ones (fathers, mothers, aunts, or uncles) and for years wondered to themselves "...if only I had listened to my heart" and not to my relatives about that one true love of my life.

The family surnames are really hokey (the Spruces and the Pines) and much like the Hatfields and McCoys who owned adjoining farms, so do the Spruces and the Pines whose livelihood depends on the Christmas season when their Christmas trees bring in the majority of their annual income. Gradually the audience finds out what the two male tree farm owners Dave Spruce, (Ken Cheeseman) and James Pine (Tom Kemp) decades old dispute is about. Darn it if James daughter Julie Pine (Jonna Walsh) and her new found love in Rick Spruce (Nick Ballard) who is Dave Spruce's nephew is going to be ignored merely on a decades old dispute between the two (2) tree farm owners.

How the decades age old feud is finally put to an end becomes emotional (at least it was for Mrs. Shullivan and I) and for the next few scenes this Christmas themed film is worth watching.

I rate it a a solid 7 out of 10 rating.