Encontro de Natal

What's nice to see here is that actually by Hallmark film standards these characters are actually pretty battered and broken as people, with real issues rather than "I have to win a gingerbread contest".

It makes for a more engaging film actually, that is well played out by the leads, Jaime King especially.

It isn't without its slower moments, and the humour is perhaps lost a bit, but this was a nice different sort of Hallmark film.

A lot of these Christmas movies are terribly similar but this one is a little different. I feel for their annoyance at the relentless Christmas caroling and songs. A divorce lawyer and a travel exec both don't like Christmas so they come to an arrangement to help each other through the holidays and to help career wise for him and personally for her. Likeable cast includes Luke a MacFarlane and Jamie King. The story gets a little thin by the end.

The book is a great one, but this review is going to come from somebody who is going to judge 'The Mistletoe Promise' on its own terms rather than a constant book to film comparison. The concept sounds familiar and the title is slightly corny yet sweet, but Hallmark have showed more than once that they are capable of making above average festive films in a very hit and miss bunch. Luke Macfarlane is often very watchable and no stranger to Hallmark.

Seeing 'The Mistletoe Promise' is a very loose adaptation of the book, which will disappoint (and has disappointed) fans of the book, but it is far from a bad film on its own. 2016 was inconsistent in quality for Hallmark and 'The Mistletoe Promise' is one of the better efforts in my personal opinion. Anybody that loves Christmas and wants a pleasant inoffensive distraction on a dull afternoon may find it likeable enough and while not great it's nice enough.

Editing is on the rushed side in places. The story can be slow and too thin, as well as contrived, in spots, and the characters are sketchy in development. This tends to be a common Hallmark problem so that was not unexpected.

Likewise with the music tending to be too intrusive. Have found more than once with Hallmark that their soundtracks are on the too intrusive and too constant side. Still find that the case here, though there have been worse cases before and since.

Mcfarlane as said has always been watchable and he proves that in his charismatic and subtle performance here. Jaime King tries a little too hard in places but is mostly charming and the chemistry between the two of them never comes over as awkward or dull. They are very sweet and sincere together. Despite the characters being quite sketchy, the supporting cast all do a good job. The direction is sympathetic yet alert enough.

Visually, 'The Mistletoe Promise' is good looking. It's beautifully photographed and the scenery is quite captivating. The dialogue flows better and more naturally than the dialogue in most Hallmark films and doesn't fall as much into cheese and soap. The story is very light-hearted and really warms the heart, despite its predictability and other things, any character changes actually not coming out of the blue or feeling hasty and the music doesn't too overscored. The lead characters grow and aren't too perfect or have negative character traits exaggerated too much.

Concluding, not great but above average. 7/10

A clever plot with lots of twists and good humorous lines. Also meaningful character growth. A little different from the usual Christmas movie. Most enjoyable. Also satisfying to watch.

I watch this movie over and over, year after year. If I see it listed to broadcast, I get excited.

The premise has been used a few times, but somehow this one feels a little different. It is a straightforward story. I've seen this movie enough I can't objectively say if there are any surprises, but I don't really think so, at least not big ones. That doesn't matter. This is a case where the actors are what makes it. I will say that I think the bit with the Reindeer report plays out a little uniquely.

I've seen Luke MacFarlane a few times now and those movies are usually good. He delivers a solid performance in this one. He and Jaime King definitely have chemistry. But watching Jaime King again for I don't know how many times, I am more impressed than ever. She is perfectly cast for this movie. Elise isn't an ice queen, but you might think so at first glance and King plays the dichotomy perfectly. She shows the hidden depth of feeling. She shows a wounded woman falling in love and trying not to hope that this time things will go right. It's a contract and Elise holds rigidly to it, yet doesn't.

I often say in reviews that what makes a good movie in this genre is having plenty of screens time for the leads to build their relationship and this movie does that generously.

Christmas romance movies are a guilty pleasure and this one fits my taste buds perfectly.

About the movie vs the book: I didn't realize there was a book until after I had seen the movie twice at least and written the review above. I saw a review mentioning the book, so I found it and read it. The movie and the book are as different as can be. If you change the names of the characters and the contract, it could be said that this movie is not really based on the book at all. The contract is similar, but so are the premises of so many Christmas movies. The contract in the book is not initiated in the same was as the movie. Other characters in the book are nothing like the ones in the movie. Elise is not as confident, but she is also scarred, probably more than the movie Elise. Situations are different and events are different. The book is also great. But It has a much more serious side to it and the climax is touching.