Un Noël de rêve en Suisse

Jodie Sweetin's Alex travels the world for her job and decides to spend Christmas with her family at her Mom's new inn in Switzerland. Problem is that Mom has invited her ex and his live-in girlfriend too and Beth used to be Alex's BFF. Alex takes the unwritten law that you don't date your best friend's ex pretty seriously. It is made worse by poor communication on the part of everyone leading to hurtful secrets.

While the reunion is going on, Alex spends time with Tim Rozan's Liam who is Mom's inn manager. There is some chemistry but nothing spectacular. Liam has a son which always adds a cute factor in a Christmas story.

This is a very simple story with no great highs or lows or surprises. The acting is decent. The dialogue is OK but nothing great. The viewer gets to see some Swiss Christmas customs.

The setting and culture is beautiful, but unfortunately the fun gets lost as many of the secondary characters are insensitive, controlling and pushy yet judge the lead when she can't cope with their constant bad behaviour. Whilst I know that's sadly a realistic storyline, I struggled to watch this movie once and certainly couldn't last a second viewing, which is a shame as I liked the Swiss details and artwork. To be fair though, they maybe could do a sequel where the drama comes from uncontrollable events rather than controlling characters eg delays in delivery, accidents etc and the community (that several of the people moved there for) coming together to support each other.

While I haven't been to Switzerland (yet), from friends who have, this seemed to be a poor representation of the country at Christmas, which I'm told is pretty spectacular. I guess the holiday traditions portrayed were genuine? Did anyone bother researching?

The second issue -- as much as I adore Jodie Sweetin, there was ZERO chemistry with the inn manager, who was about as dry as toast, and pretty emotionless. I've loved watching Sweetin in other Christmas movies, as well as her Full House co-star, Candace Cameron Bure, they make cheesy Christmas movies fun to watch during the season, and I mean that as a compliment!

A Swiss Family Christmas/Merry Swissmas (2022) -

In the leading male role of Liam, Tim Rozon was not quite as sexy as his character Mutt in 'Schitt's Creek' (2015-20), but his character was still charming and attractive, because of his softly spoken and mild manner. I wasn't sure why he fell for Alex (Jodie Sweetin) though, because she was a stroppy cow and too high maintenance for his calm relaxed personality.

I liked the quantity of Swiss traditions and words used to show a different view of the season. It hasn't always worked when they've tried to do this in a film and it did seem a bit like they'd written a list of things to cover and written dialogue to connect each event rather than writing them in to an existing romance story, but it was still interesting.

I thought that the friendship, when troubled, reconciled a bit too early on. Perhaps I'm just used to the usual formula that has it all happening 15 minutes before the end, but it left very little anticipation.

And there were a couple of moments that were a stretch to believe as well. Also, Louis was too much!

With all that said, I didn't mind it and because of Tim, I probably would revisit the story again and as a way of trying to remember the Swiss Christmas ceremonies and traditions, because seasonal culture is something that I love.

669.49/1000.

And just what DID she say? "If you don't have anything good to say,...come sit by me". That pretty much describes my sentiments about this cinematic reduction.

A self-respecting Swiss village would never be found with dreadful and gauche displays--of everything. The general store? On the street where you shop? The village Christmas tree? In the inn? Pointy, plastic, scantily dressed garland? Another commercial for the 12-days of Christmas starting in early October? And filming, in part, on a Warner Brothers backlot and green screens? A chef that couldn't microwave a seal-a-meal? And then...not knowing wines appropriate to a frozen dinner? Tell me not.

And just how could an attempt be made for some degree of authenticity--a nod to the real stuff? If on-site visits are not possible due to budget or pandemic constraints, watch some famous tour group leaders' DVDs on the REAL Christmases in Switzerland (and many other places in Europe as well). Find the richness of the many European traditions noting the lack of materialism as the primary reason for the season. (I'm not against capitalism--just how it is used, displayed and perceived.)

Seeing that this movie was a 2022 production it was a surety that I hadn't seen it before. Although sounding like a Scrooge, I actually love Christmas movies. A couple of weeks before Thanksgiving my quest begins for a variety of holiday flat-screen events. And it provides me some degree of pain to have to admit that I was taken in by the year of release and movie title. I have a hope that the new Christmas movies will blow our socks off given the pent-up well of creativity so badly stifled by Covid--and I'm going to keep hoping.

As for the final analysis? Come sit by me...I still have nothing good to say.