Natal é Amor

I know I'm prejudiced. There is something about the bright shining face and happy spirit that Brooke D'Orsay does so well. It's hard not to get drawn into that spirit when she has as much screen time as she does in this movie. Add Hallmark favorite Daniel Lissing and you have a winning combination. Give them plenty of screen time together and it's a winner.

There are only so many ways a plot like this can go. I thought there was a nice tiny twist with the rival. The way the Secret/Lie was discovered was totally natural, not forced. On the slightly negative side, Hallmark movie writers have a tendency to make it sound like the star's money making talent can be turned into gold, but if you watch many of these movies, that's not unusual.

Very similar or maybe they use they same theme a lot. Corporate guy comes to small homey town to change things in a company and falls for the worker of said company as well as falls in love with the people of the town. Like recycling of a story with a few small changes.

Let's be honest I watched this movie to see Daniel Lissing!

Typical plot points...

Baking!

Incoming CEO wanting to get in touch with the "people".

With holding identity.

Someone in need of Christmas Spirit.

This one checks all the boxes.

Bonus points for the several smoldering kisses!

Enjoyable..

Lissing and D'Orsay are the glue that holds together a story that has been told umpteen times. I struggled with some scenes such as the incompetence of the corporate guy (Lissing) in squeezing a tube of frosting. But smiles and laughs of Lissing and D'Orsay brighten many scenes. A six rating is probably generous...but those smiles...

I really want to love Hallmark's Christmas films, but the phony and/or cheap details ruin them. The real plus in this film was the actors especially Brooke D'Orsay. So I rated this film with a six. But... the phony details ruin so much of the story and they are as follows:

1. Nobody ever looks really cold; and they never wear real coats. They also never wear warm hats...or gloves...or boots! Also we never see the misty breath which is the hallmark (ha, ha) of freezing temps. 2. There are little patches of snow around, but if you look in the background, you'll see plenty of deciduous trees, full of green leaves. These should be stripped bare! 3. The sun is WRONG! It has this intense brightness that is only seen in the summer. 4. Ms. D'Orsay runs around the bakery with flowing long hair. NOooo! She should be wearing the same head gear as the workers - or at least be wearing her hair up!

This lack of authenticity ruins the film for me. Instead of enjoying the show, I'm nitpicking every small mistake! And every year, I find myself watching fewer Christmas movies and enjoying the ones I watch less!