Un duo d'enfer pour Noël

Denise Richards is the only real reason to watch this. She actually acts. The storyline is totally cheesy and feels like it's from the 80s but, hey, cheese can be fun if the cast is good. Still, some of the supporting cast take the 2d roles they're given (I liked the DJ guy and the best female friend) and do well with the little they're given. Patrick Muldoon as the supposed high school sweetheart of Richards just reads out his lines and looks far too old to have been prom king to her prom queen. Even in their child versions he's several years older than her, presumably to adjust to their adult appearances (the kids are good actors). It's very odd casting. Richards and Muldoon come across as if they actually were a little bit disgusted by having to kiss but got it over with for the sake of the movie.

Denise Richards plays Amy, a New York City advertising executive on the verge of being made a junior partner just before Christmas.

However when her aunt dies, Amy has to return to her hometown and finds out that she has inherited half her bakery along with her ex boyfriend Jack (Patrick Muldoon) who has been in the army.

Both of them have to get on in the short term to manage the bakery and organise the Christmas cookie contest. Jake Busey plays Dylan the devious lawyer who is handling the aunt's estate.

Another cookie cutter made for television festive film. This one has three actors who all appeared in Starship Troopers. Unfortunately Richards and Muldoon seem to be going through the motions for the pay cheque. There seems to be no romance between the characters. Only Busey makes a lasting impression as the lawyer and Parker Stevenson as the advertising agency boss.



A Madison Avenue executive, Amy, discovers an unusual Christmas surprise when she inherits her Aunt's hometown bakery. The real surprise comes when she learns the other half of the bakery was left to her long-ago boyfriend, Jack. Unresolved personal issues resurface between them, as the exes return home to co-manage the store, along with its traditional holiday cookie bake-off.

I like this movie. It has a lot going for it. The story and cast are good. It works on a lot of levels. Patrick is funny as usual. Denise is pretty funny. They work well to-gether. Jake is pretty funny. He can do comedy. I hope Hybrid does another Christmas movie.

The acting is horrible. There is no chemistry between the lead characters. They try but it doesn't work. Patrick Muldoon can't even remember his lines. It's obvious he says the wrong ones or says them at the wrong time. He over does the emotion at some times and under does it at others. I don't know why they didn't shoot the scenes over. Denise Richards has no energy. She is just there. I think these actors are done. They are too recognizable for one thing and aren't good enough actors to transform into a character. Don't waste your time with this movie.

Was not all that excited over the concept for 'A Christmas Reunion', which is not a new one by any stretch of the imagination (it wasn't at the time and it's been done near to death now). Same with the cast, the most familiar name to me is Patrick Muldoon and this did not seem like a role that would suit him. Saw 'A Christmas Reunion' still anyway, as a fan of Christmas and many Christmas films and as someone who found the title quite sweet.

'A Christmas Reunion' is as far from sweet as one can get as a film. It's barely half-baked, or should that be raw, and even a four cheese pizza has less cheese than the amount that fills this film. Have seen worse Christmas films, though it is very close to being down there among the worst, and films in general, but 'A Christmas Reunion' is not good by any stretch of the imagination to me. Not completely irredeemable, but almost everything fails.

The best thing about it is Catherine Hicks, who is quite charming and fun.

Did think too that some of the soundtrack was pleasantly festive.

Unfortunately, everything else fails and badly. Muldoon is practically sleepwalking here and does not look comfortable or like he wanted to be there, he also looks too borderline creepy to pass for a romantic lead. Denise Richards fares a little bit better as she is a little more animated in her line delivery, but she also seemed too lightweight and the charm needed for her role wasn't there. She and Muldoon agreed do not have any chemistry together, it was like they hated each other and whenever they were meant to show any affection it was like lets get this done over with. Jake Busey overacts and is very annoying, the most annoying character in a film where finding any character to like let alone root for was near-impossible, Hicks was the one exception.

It is a very poorly written film as well, everything sounds so forced and stilted. Have heard better actually in 80s B-movies. The story is paper thin, lacking in any kind of lustre and completely charmless, not to mention pretty much a series of already rehashed retreads of other Christmas films. 'A Christmas Reunion' looks cheap, shot with a flat look and with low budget and hasty production written all over it. It actually could easily pass for a film from the early 90s.

Concluding, very poor. 2/10.