Um Alegre Natal

I truly enjoyed this movie the first time I watched it, even though I figured out Joy's secret. I don't want to leave a spoiler on this review, so as not to ruin it for others. How I'm watching it for the third time and am bored. Probably because I know the secrets, plot twists and outcome. I do recommend this movie if you haven't seen it, but for myself, it's not one I care to watch every season.

This certainly is a "Joyous Christmas" movie. The premise is not a new one but it's well executed and the acting, especially by Bonnie Bedelia and Michael Rady, is well above par. A young, self-obsessed, self-help author returns to her home town to promote her new book with a grand inspirational event at Christmas. She mends fences with her own family and discovers the true meaning of Christmas love with the help of the town and two locals in particular. Her ambitious Manager almost upsets the apple cart but the situation is caught in time. Natalie Knepp is a little weak as the leading lady but she is probably perfect for the type of person she is playing ... and we certainly see her grow and soften as she embraces the help she seeks and is offered to her. The only problem I had with the movie is that on several occasions, we have to suspend disbelief when things seem to magically happen in impossibly record time and that we rarely see her "working" on the event. Instead, she is Christmas shopping, volunteering at the Community Center, having fun with her new (and incredibly attractive) producer, entering a candy cane relay race and sampling the local fare at the Christmas Carnival etc etc etc ... She seems to save the Community Center Christmas party in a flash and when she and her producer arrive at her townhouse, after what seems to have been a full 24hr day, they notice that she has no Christmas decorations up so they drive off to get some! Before the night is over they seem to have decorated the entire yard, bought and decorated her Christmas tree and the whole living room. Now, maybe we are supposed to think a few days have gone by but the editing makes it a little confusing. Had I noticed if she'd changed her outfit, I might not have been so confused when she interviewed her producer-to-be the day after she helped him choose a tie and nearly got knocked down. The way it was edited, it seemed like only a few hours later to me. I think it's really enjoyable movie.

Although some reviewers didn't like her work in this movie, I thought Bonnie Bedelia did a convincing job depicting Joy, a broken, perpetually sad woman trying to help others. She was slow moving, slow talking, and withdrawn because that is in line with her sad and depressed character, especially when we learn why she's so sad. It's probably also worth pointing out that Bedelia was nominated for two Emmy awards and has been in countless TV shows and movies including the first 2 Die Hard movies (she was Holly McClane).

Michael Rady and Natalie Knepp were both fine. Rady has done good work at Hallmark (my favorite so far is Christmas in Homestead). Knepp, on the other hand, seems to be one and done at Hallmark. She apparently hasn't acted in much since. I liked her, but it's a tough business.

There are 2 big problems with A Joyous Christmas. One is the Big Reveal. It's not just implausible, it's insanely unlikely. It's like in Dumb and Dumber when Jim Carrey is told the chance of being with Lauren Holly is "one in a million" and he says "so you're telling me there's a chance?".

And he had way better odds than the odds of what is disclosed during this movie's Big Reveal.

The other big problem is the whole "Me First" self help phenomenon that somehow justifies a pricey big production "Event" in Rachel's hometown during Christmas. I've seen plenty of lectures and they're basically somebody standing on the stage in front of a lectern, or sitting on a couch or chair, talking for an hour. Occasionally, there's a multi media presentation projected on the screen behind the speaker. There's also, inevitably, a Teleprompter to help them out. There's not a whole lot of "production" involved, and there certainly wasn't any evidence of any special production with the "Me First" event despite all the scrambling around to "get ready". Basic Christmas decorations don't count.

And Rachel's brother, and his kids, would likely have been bored out of their minds.

Plus, a "Me First" "Christmas spectacular" makes about as much sense as a Fourth of July celebration in Russia. How can Rachel promote her "Me First" brand in the midst of a holiday season centered around the selflessness of Christmas? Why would anyone set that up? And why would a successful producer just happen to be in their small town ready to work?

And if Rachel is inevitably convinced to wrap herself up in the Christmas spirit, and give a speech that embraces the selflessness of Christmas, how does that promote her "Me First" brand? In fact, doesn't that just undermine her book's message? And thereby invalidate her entire career?

The one thing I didn't like about the movie was Joy. She had NO joy, was sour-faced throughout the whole movie. She never smiled!

Yes, she had sadness in her past, but when a miracle happened in her life, she had the same expression. She did not believe that you must love yourself before you are able to give love to others. Not a selfish "Me Only" kind of love of oneself, but an acceptance.

She was always giving her time and energies to others because she carried so much guilt. Yet there was no progression in her character at all. It could have been a better movie with different casting or different directing, not sure which was the problem.

Rachel is a self-help book writer who is promoting her new book "Me First" (or close to that). This movie is about her journey to realizing that Christmas is about giving to others. My first problem with this movie is that these two principles are absolutely contradictory and a self-help writer can't suddenly promote one theme when her book is about the other.

Another problem is Rachel herself. This woman is unsure of herself. For a self-help guru with at least two published books, she shows that she has almost no understanding of people. She can't see obvious things going on around her.

Finally the character Joy is nothing more than a prop. Joy herself seems confused at times.

If you can just accept all of the above without questioning, which is what you are supposed to do with Hallmark movies, you may enjoy this movie. The story has some interesting things in it including a little secret that needs to be revealed. There is a nice romance. And there are some heartwarming moments. I don't think I can be objective about the acting because some of the main characters were so self-contradictory which I think is more due to the story.