Une famille en cadeau

The people at Hallmark/Lifetime/Whoever got permission to use Graceland, so they're going to make the most of it. I'm not sure why they're trying to make it seem like a sequel to the Wes Brown film though, as the only connection is the location.

Some might call this 'The Sound Of Music Christmas At Graceland' as all it needs is some Nazi's and it might as well be the same script, with an overly organised father and regimented kids who hire a Nanny that changes all of that. This includes getting them all to sing around the piano in clothes made from curtains. Ok so the bit about the clothes isn't true, but these kids have sung together and learned the harmonies way before this woman ever turned up. They're just a bit too good. Eventually they have to escape over the border, that's not true either, but the leads have to decide what's really important to them both and work together to make the best Christmas for the kids and see what might happen between them.

The lead guy is just not right for me. I loved him in 'The Devil Wears Prada' and I've heard good things about him in 'Entourage'. Maybe it was his incredibly off putting haircut that made him seem off, but he was out of place in my eyes.

Overall, we've seen this story done before and better, but it's definitely not the worst of these films that I've seen.

The first half hour of the movie I was struck with the production values; it looks beautiful, put together well, and for the most part has a very attractive cast. It was fun getting into the lives of the characters, and everyone does a fine job of acting. I was going along really enjoying the movie, and then it just crept up on me, that they were talking me to death. Very little happens except a lot of talkie-talkie and the movie starts to drag. So it would be difficult to recommend the movie, unless that's the mood you are in, to be talked at, or if you know you only have 45 minutes to watch something and then you are going to have to go to the store, or work, or church or something and never come back.

It has few virtues - the name of director, Adrian Grenier, the kids and the presence of madame Presley. And nothing more. The theme of single daddy and lovely nanny is generous but full of cliches in this case. The story - not in the fair balance. And the details - not for save it. But, like many Hallmark films, it remains a nice try.

Despite the title, 'Christmas at Graceland: Home for the Holidays' bears no correlation to 'Christmas at Graceland' with Kellie Pickler, with a different cast and story. So nothing here that connects other than the title, although it is not a sequel it is very easy to be misled (being somebody who was before watching) and think that it would be. Expectations were not high, with it being another premise that didn't excite me and being somebody that didn't like the Pickler 'Christmas at Graceland' at all.

The good news is that 'Christmas at Graceland: Home for the Holidays' was a little better than expected and is an improvement over the Pickler 'Christmas at Graceland'. There are similar problems here and problems of its own, but at least the acting is better especially and nobody here is on the same level of bad as Pickler. For me though, it still wasn't a particularly good film and doesn't do enough with fairly familiar territory.

'Christmas at Graceland: Home for the Holiday's' best aspect is the production values. The scenery is truly lovely and near-magical and the camera work captures it beautifully. Very clear that those behind the camera loved the scenery. Some of the music is nostalgic and catchy.

Kaitlin Doubleday is immensely engaging and likeable, here is a female lead character that is not hard to root for, is interesting and with no negative characteristics over-emphasised if at times a little too perfect.

Less good is Adrian Grenier, whose performance lacks warmth and charm and his character was too overboard-stiff and took ages to remotely get behind. Do agree completely that there is no chemistry between him and Doubleday, they never looked as though they liked each other let alone in love and the relationship is bland and underdeveloped. The supporting cast fail to register in underwritten and sketchy roles, the only one that is memorable is Priscilla Presley and sadly that's not in a good way. She never looked comfortable and looked ill.

Faring just as badly are the script and story. The script is cheese and awkwardness personified, with the cutesiness going into overload and there is just no depth whatsoever to it. The story is incredibly predictable, complete with the customary too obvious and neat ending, and far too slight for the running time. Meaning that the film crawls along at a dull pace and that atmospherically it is very bland, with very little charm or heart, adds further to that. The direction is pedestrian and while the music is good on its own it's used too much and has some random placement.

Overall, pretty lacklustre and lacked grace. 4/10

5/10 - unlikable male lead and an average plot made this one a one-watch-and-done