Christmas in the Heartland

This movie was insane! I can get down with a cheesy Christmas movie. I'm cool with the predictable ending and forced acting but this was on a whole other level. These two girls completely deceive their families and everyone is totally cool with it. They almost seem happy about it. At least have someone be a little upset. The storyline was just ridiculous and not even slightly believable. The ending was weird and the characters were uncomfortable to watch. I don't know who's idea it was to put a song at the end but it was not a good one. At least make sure the actors know the words that they are lip syncing. There were a couple of funny bloopers at the end. I'd say that was the best part.

While I agree with some that the ending was way too contrived ("the fight scene"), the clever premise was a nice change from the typical made-for-TV Christmas movie of man/woman enemies or strangers who find love, which has become painfully predictable. Kane's role is nice, and I can actually buy into two teenagers doing what teenagers might do. Bo Derek was surprisingly good in her role as a shallow snob. The ending? Ugggh. But since I got 98% pleasant out of it, and I got to seem some actors get roles again (often stereotypical) as they've aged, I can't knock it too much. A great classic it will never be, but not a bad way to spend a couple hours before Christmas.

Clearly there is a great divide between people regarding this film. I was torn by the reviews, which I looked at before I watched, but gave it a shot because of Shelley Long and Christopher Rich.

Glad I didn't discount it...I really, really liked it. The plotline is incredibly farfetched, but the story is sweet and full of twists and pleasant surprises. Set in Oklahoma with a southern/country feel...the "yee-haw"s were a bit much but I found the settings reminded me very much of home in the south-central states.

All you can do is decide if it's worth your time to give it a shot. As for myself, I will watch it again next Christmas.

I get cheesy Christmas movies, predictable story lines, poor acting, cringe worthy lines and a feel good ending. These things make Christmas movies wonderful! But this one doesn't. Its genuinely awful. My wife, who hasn't found a Christmas movie she doesn't love, hated it. It's uncomfortable and there's a big song at the end that you just want to be over. Thankfully once this terrible song ends, so does this travesty of a movie.

This is called The Christmas Trap (no doubt a lazy reference to The Parent Trap) so I thought I knew the level of cheese I was in for.

I was wrong

The plot holes are canyonesque in size and the multiple revelations made to the audience and onscreen characters in the final scene are just too much.

So why have I given it an above average score?

The first 80% is exactly what I expected and satisfied my cheese quota, and the final denouement was just insane and made me laugh so hard I cried, so I had to give it extra stars for that.