Natal no Riacho

7/10 - holiday fun with Hallmark and full of familiar tropes

Really good acting. Love it when Hallmark uses "old" actors like Webber. They bring nuance and feeling to the story. Tori is really good. Genuine. A really good Hallmark movie is one where you don't even want to go to the bathroom for fear of missing a few words. This wasn't one of them. Try to change up the Hallmark predictablility of how the movie progresses. We all know how it'll end. Duh. That's why we love Hallmark. Add a few twist, turns and hooks. Thanks Hallmark.

This movie is a combination romance and story of a family working through long time issues. There are a lot of the formula themes for a Christmas romance like one lead goes home to fix an new app that has problems. Two high school flames reunite. Town tree lighting. Ginger bread contest. Service man separated from wife and kid.

The story doesn't have any real surprises or highs or lows. The tension is normal family issues. The one slightly unusual thing is the "Fly-by Christmas" which involves Amelia (whose heroine is Earhart) getting reacquainted with flying.

Tori Anderson and Stephen Huszar are comfortable together but their story is diluted by other things. Most of the acting is adequate including supporting cast.

After a hot-shot app developer's new idea for a Christmas app is shot down in the boardroom, she seeks inspiration at the inn run by her uncle, who she hasn't seen since her family left under a cloud years before. Some really good performances keep the interest throughout. The delightful Tori Anderson as Amelia oozes charm, portraying fragility when required, and Stephen Weber as Harry (the uncle) is excellently guarded when introduced and has a good character arc. Very enjoyable family drama set around the Christmas season.

This is actually the third Stephen Huszar film I have seen in a row now and I have to say I don't mind that one bit. He is really quite a guy, handsome and funny with a lovely smile and manly to boot. Add to that Steven Weber whom I have always liked as an actor ever since I saw him in Jeffrey and the fact that the story isn't bad either and you've got a winning formula.

The romance is cute and the family storyline makes it more than just the usual. I like the fact that we get time to see the couple come together and rekindle their past where as some films are rushing it all lately to the point that you're wondering why and how they fell in love after meeting twice?

It's not one that has a huge difference to its tale or a standout, but it does what it does well.