La tavola di Natale

7.8 stars.

This is the perfect example of a movie that will only strike a chord with people who really like one or both of the lead actors. The plot is so standard it reeks of complacent writing. The acting is well rounded and the people are lovely. It's just that the script is not amazing and the dialogue is average average throughout, maybe some dialogue now and then, but that's all. So why would I give this 7.8 stars, only for the leads. I really love Patterson, and I'm a guy, so that' the key. I like Lissing as a male lead, and so this helps also, although he looks a bit quirky to me at times, not sure why. The best part of the film was the old couple (the foundation lady and the "butler" manager fella). That was a very limited romance on screen, but that single scene was amazing.

The love between the leads is a slow burner and it eventually comes to fruition and becomes magical at the end. What's interesting is how the actors interpret the story and make it their own, and they make it work. I can feel the charisma this go around. Sometimes a movie just works, other times it don't. So if you don't like the leads, you will probably dislike 'Catering Christmas'.

Whole thing odd and not very christmassy for me. It just happens at that time of year. 'Hello caterer are you free at one of the busiest times of the year? Yes of course!'

Interactions between everyone felt so 'acted'. Nobody felt like they belonged anywhere in that scenario.

Molly wasn't an awful actress and I would watch her in other things but the main guy couldn't carry a lead role for me. No charisma anywhere. The interaction between people felt like it was written by AI.

Weird contrived scenarios. Bizarre But at 1h25 it fit between getting the kids to bed, me downing a Bailey's with cheese and crackers, and bed for me.

On its own it is like a hallmark movie, obvious plot where we already know the ending, but compared to most of the other movies offered up on Hulu, Netflix and Amazon, this one looks like a rare 9. Actors with talent and vitality, a better than usual plot, and a storyline that moved along at a normal pace. Most Hallmark movies are so slow in both dialog and timing I can't bear the boredom of finishing them. There was nothing remotely offensive in the dialogue or plot which is a change, no silly or jealous or conniving characters, just 4 mature and polite adults helping the community and being considerate of others.

Based on last year and this, GAC Family Christmas movies are hit and miss.

This one is definitely the former, thanks to the excellent chemistry between the always-gorgeous Merritt Patterson and Australian Daniel Lissing.

What a difference good acting makes! A "sweet" story of Molly (Patterson) a small-town caterer who gets a contract to provide food for a Christmas gala for the town benefactor's foundation. She meets Carson (Lissing), the somewhat black sheep of the family and - as you probably have figured out by now - sparks fly.

Yes, Catering Christmas a formulaic movie, the likes of which we've all seen many times before (right down to the expected moment where a difficult choice has to be made by one of the protagonists - a very popular, oft-used Hallmark/Lifetime/GAC Family plot twist) but it's also quite nice.

(Dear Hallmark, Lifetime and/or GAC Family: much more Merritt Patterson, please!)

As far as the made for TV romances go, we've always regarded Hallmark as top tier and Lifetime as a very distant second. Last year GAF stepped into the picture, and I thought they were better than Lifetime but still not quite up to the quality of Hallmark.

This movie puts GAF a giant step forward. Of course, they spared no expense bringing over Hallmark talent, and it shows.

Here we have an attractive leading couple who both hold up their parts well. We start out with an awkward and amusing "mistaken identity" that morphs to the "rebellious next generation."

Then we get a whole lot of what all these movies need and so many fail at ... LOTS of relationship building between the leads. There's little tension and lots of good feeling, making this a comfortable and enjoyable window into this story's world.

Even a couple of contrived speedbumps don't slow this down. Recommended.