La Promesse de Noël

Enjoyable and its always fun to see mutual interests grow to friendship, especially at Christmas.. the most stressful season! The film takes us on an original premise, a promise, to watch strangers reveal how they came to be where they are today... and how they can help each other resolve issues, and take pleasure in seeing it unfold. Isn't that the Christmas spirit?

Oh, there are definite production problems along the way... the extras working in the film are so bad, its distracting beyond belief -- particularly in the food court, and the snow man building contest. The fake snow is also very annoying. But the main characters do keep your attention. Sarah Smyth, as Ashley, was particularly believable.

You want to believe that it's a wonderful life... including for a lawyer and a travel shop operator. Miracles... and good people... can live Christmas every day of the year.

Now, it's time to read the book.

A clever plot with lots of twists and good humorous lines. Also meaningful character growth. A little different from the usual Christmas movie. Most enjoyable. Also satisfying to watch.

A lot of these Christmas movies are terribly similar but this one is a little different. I feel for their annoyance at the relentless Christmas caroling and songs. A divorce lawyer and a travel exec both don't like Christmas so they come to an arrangement to help each other through the holidays and to help career wise for him and personally for her. Likeable cast includes Luke a MacFarlane and Jamie King. The story gets a little thin by the end.

I watch this movie over and over, year after year. If I see it listed to broadcast, I get excited.

The premise has been used a few times, but somehow this one feels a little different. It is a straightforward story. I've seen this movie enough I can't objectively say if there are any surprises, but I don't really think so, at least not big ones. That doesn't matter. This is a case where the actors are what makes it. I will say that I think the bit with the Reindeer report plays out a little uniquely.

I've seen Luke MacFarlane a few times now and those movies are usually good. He delivers a solid performance in this one. He and Jaime King definitely have chemistry. But watching Jaime King again for I don't know how many times, I am more impressed than ever. She is perfectly cast for this movie. Elise isn't an ice queen, but you might think so at first glance and King plays the dichotomy perfectly. She shows the hidden depth of feeling. She shows a wounded woman falling in love and trying not to hope that this time things will go right. It's a contract and Elise holds rigidly to it, yet doesn't.

I often say in reviews that what makes a good movie in this genre is having plenty of screens time for the leads to build their relationship and this movie does that generously.

Christmas romance movies are a guilty pleasure and this one fits my taste buds perfectly.

About the movie vs the book: I didn't realize there was a book until after I had seen the movie twice at least and written the review above. I saw a review mentioning the book, so I found it and read it. The movie and the book are as different as can be. If you change the names of the characters and the contract, it could be said that this movie is not really based on the book at all. The contract is similar, but so are the premises of so many Christmas movies. The contract in the book is not initiated in the same was as the movie. Other characters in the book are nothing like the ones in the movie. Elise is not as confident, but she is also scarred, probably more than the movie Elise. Situations are different and events are different. The book is also great. But It has a much more serious side to it and the climax is touching.

The more I see Luke Macfarlane, the more I want him and he is just so naturally adorable in this film, especially in his little duffle coat. I also really like Jaime King here too, but her hair stylist is not kind to her and some of her wardrobe is questionable. The ex however, is quite possibly the most irritating man on TV ever. His face alone makes me want to hit him. Sorry to the actor in question, it's just my natural feeling.

This is a cute film, similar to others where pacts or promises are made to pretend to be each other's significant other for the holidays, but it's done very well in this case. Full of festive fun and who wouldn't fall for my boy Luke doing so many romantic things together?

I've seen this one a few times now and will watch it again.