Holiday Crashers

7.5 stars.

Just barely at the threshold of rounding up to 8 stars, this one sits at the bottom of my re-watchable list. I only re-watch 8 star movies, no time for any below the line, because it would open the floodgates for me and I'd never get out.

So what do I like about this film? Obviously something many other people didn't agree upon. I really love Fonseca, from my days of watching 'NIkita', she will always be on my list of favorite actresses of all time, spanning across genres, never disappointing me, just always there to entertain.

She's cute, not absolutely drop dead gorgeous, but just the perfect female in my opinion. She is down-to-earth with a very fashionable and super-pretty sort of mystique, just not your usual snooty model type, and I love that about her.

The other actress is new to me, and I think she's got potential. I hope to see her in a leading role soon. The male leads are both great.

So, what's the downside of this film? It's all about some awkward and tense moments, maybe a bit too worldly for some, not as innocent as the usual, but not really dirty or anything either. Maybe the script was a bit mundane, I don't know, but I was probably in a good mood is all. So if I ever watch this again, it won't be for the rating, but for Fonseca, I might say to myself in 5-10 years, "hey, it's Fonseca, let's watch this again, got nothing else to do."

Best friends Toni (Fonseca) and Bri (Monet) have worked at the same card shop for more years than they should as both struggle to find their true life's path. This holiday season, Toni and Bri decide to shake up their humdrum world by creating new identities to crash the amazing Christmas parties from the shop's confidential invitations. All harmless fun. Until Toni gets mistaken for a lawyer, which isn't too far off the mark since she did finish law school...just never completed the bar exam. Toni and Bri are then whisked away to a fancy corporate Christmas retreat in the snowy Vermont mountains by handsome business mogul, Justin (McNally), whose crush on Toni is real even if her legal career isn't. And Bri is along for the ride as she has eyes for Vinny (Bal), a valet who may have a secret of his own. Can a distraction help Bri find what path in life she's supposed to follow? Will Toni end up with the guy of her dreams or in a blizzard of trouble? This fun Christmas crashing romp will either end in disaster or two happily-ever-afters.

There's really not much to say. It's the same old formula as all romances are made of, but there's very little chatting between the romantic parties and very little examination of the emotions of everyone. Fonseca and Monet have fabulous chemistry on screen, but no-one else really has. It's not a nasty film at all, it's just very banal. You would not get this out to watch at christmas just because it's christmas.

I gave it a 5 because it's not nasty, but it's not great either.

Another dumb script ruined a Hallmark movie. Is it an impossible task to find a decent script? There should be plenty of writers between the US and Canada still recovering from the writers strike. Seems like the place to start are Hallmark movies that were popular and got favorable reviews, find those writers. Hallmark had a reputation for having very high quality rom-coms, but they're not what they used to be.

A lot of the cast are regulars, Canadian actors and actresses who are in a lot of Canadian rom-coms, they are filmed in Canada but set in the US. Good to see Chris McNally. I assume this was filmed in the greater Vancouver area and the locations are beautiful.

Two best friends, Toni (Lyndsy Fonseca) and Bri (DanielkanMonet) try to add some excitement to their mundane lives by crashing exclusive Holiday parties and assuming false identities. They each meet a guy they are attracted to but things go bad when Justin (Chris McNally) thinks Toni is a lawyer and enlists her help on a potential business deal, but the truth is she had a panic attack and never completed law school. The situation becomes more complicated because Justin's recent breakup involved a lying girlfriend and one thing he hates are liars! There's also a hidden deception with Bri and her flame Vinny (Jag Bal). The lead actors have great chemistry. The movie is entertaining and a bit unique, although it has the usual Hallmark "conflict" as part of the plot. My complaint, as with all Hallmark movies, is that they need to tighten the middle of the script and allow more time for the script to focus on the story conclusion which always feels hurried and rushed and squeezed in to the final 10 minutes. In this movie we want more of the relationship between Toni and Justin instead of the proverbial "a year later" and a lot happened in that time. BUT a nice movie overall.

What a fun, sweet, and heartwarming movie Holiday Crashers is. Very unique for a Hallmark production. The story begins with two women who are friends and who are each at loose ends in their lives. Bri (Daniella Monet) has been working at odd jobs since she was 13 to help support her mother and sister. Toni (Lindsey Fonseca) is a law school graduate who had a panic attack while taking the bar exam and couldn't finish it. While working at a shop that prints party invitations, they decide to attend a holiday party themselves for fun after finding extra invitations. Ever feel like things are going nowhere for you? Along the way, Toni meets a charming business man (Chris McNally) and Bri meets a sweet guy (Jag Bal) who sparks her interest and so the romance begins! As in any good rom- com, conflict ensues, in this case as a result of mistaken identities. In the end though, as with all Hallmark movies, there is a HEA all around.

Holiday Crashers is a delightful movie that has two charming couples with great chemistry, lots of fun moments and dialogue, sparkling photography, angst, and a beautiful ending. A joy to be watched again and again!