Un fiancé pour Noël

If you like the "fake boyfriend" genre of romance, you've probably seen Holiday in Handcuffs, starring Melissa Joan Hart and Mario Lopez. It's definitely on the silly side and relies on slapstick and unrealistic situations; if you don't mind that kind of humor, you'll laugh yourself all the way to Christmas. Just don't take a leaf from Melissa's book. Kidnapping is a felony.

As the year comes to a close, Melissa feels like a total failure because she doesn't have a husband and kids. She doesn't even have a good job and has never achieved her artistic dream. In a moment of desperation (and insanity), she pulls a gun on a handsome man she met at work while waitressing and forces him to come home with her for Christmas. She wants him to play the devoted boyfriend, but he tries to escape and tell the truth to anyone who will listen. Fortunately, Melissa's family is very stupid and doesn't listen to him - otherwise they'd never have time to fall in love!

This one isn't my favorite because it is quite silly, but it is fun to watch every few years. It's always a nice bit of escapism to see a woman lasso herself a handsome, single man who falls madly in love with her just in time for Christmas.

A desperate young waitress named Trudie takes a handsome stranger hostage, with the intention of flaunting him as her boyfriend at her family's snow-covered cabin for the holidays.

Sprinkled with clever quips, and hilarious bits of tastefully placed adult humor, this movie succeeds in highlighting many of the deep archetypes of your typical family with grown-up "kids" - who are in their 20's and so are really adults, yet have to answer to the ever-appraising (and ever-loving) eyes of their parents.

The direction of the plot plays out like the tried-and-true holiday storyline, but it is variegated with modern flourishes and hilarious dialog. Altogether, this is a heart-warming and knee-slapping enjoyable watch.

Parents want their children to be successful. Children want to please their parents. Everybody puts on a happy face and are miserable inside. That is Trudie's (Melissa Joan Hart) problem. How to make her parents happy so they will love her. Things are not going her way, so she flips out and grabs Mario López to pass off as her boyfriend.

"Saved by the Bell" and soap star Lopex and Hart eventually manage a truce that leads to love, as the rest of the family lets their skeletons out of the closet.

Great family interaction, and holiday silliness. Destined to be one to watch every year.

I love Christmas movies!

I watch as many as I possibly can throughout December, but let's face it... the plots can be kind of redundant for Christmas movies.

Holiday in Handcuffs presented a NEW story line. While it was a little predictable as plots go, this particular story was new.

It was funny, warm, and light-hearted. The story is a "chick flick" but, even my husband laughed throughout.

Growing up with Saved by the Bell and Sabrina the Teenage Witch.. it was fun to see Mario Lopez and Melissa Joan Hart "all grown up." If you're looking for fun, light-hearted, holiday fare with an original storyline... I recommend this movie.

It seemed like an impossible premise but I get the feeling that Melissa Joan Hart and Mario Lopez could make any movie work. Add in some Kyle Howard and just a bit of Gabrielle Miller and it was just a fun movie.

It has heart, character growth and really likeable people. This is what Christmas movies are supposed to be. Mostly just fun, with a bit of watching the people learn and grow.

And that's my review but they want more words so here are a few more words about the movie which was definitely a movie with people in it and a script and a story. It had snow and a cabin and handcuffs........