Coup de foudre à 3 temps

If you liked Shall We Dance, and you want to see what it would look like if it had a Christmastime setting, check out the Hallmark special Christmas Dance. Richard Gere isn't the only one who can take secret dance lessons and practice during work. Andrew McCarthy can do it too!

Teamed with dancer Michelle Nolden, there's an extra element to the story that makes for a sweet romance with a heart-wrenching conflict. While Andrew takes private dance lessons to impress his girlfriend, the boss's superficial daughter, he's drawn to the serious, calm, and steady Michelle. She's about to get evicted from her dance studio, curtesy of Andrew's company, but she doesn't know he's involved. Of course, he lies to her about his identity because he doesn't want to hurt her feelings - and because he's falling in love.

The one fly in the ointment? Mary Long's character, Andrew's mother. Nothing against Mary, especially since I enjoy seeing her in other movies, but she's far too involved with her grown-up son's love life for my taste. Besides that, this is a really sweet Hallmark movie. Believe it or not, it has more dance sequences than A Nutcracker Christmas, and they're very fun to watch.

DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. During some of the waltz scenes, the camera swirls. Also, there are strobelights in the dance club in the beginning that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"

What an enjoyable movie. The characters were real, the story interesting and the chemistry between the two main characters was evident. I enjoyed the writing and the sets.

Christmas Dance (or Come Dance With Me) came along before the mass proliferation of "big company buys up blocks to destroy forcing out long-term small family business". So watching it now it looks like the same old tired story, but when it came out it was a relatively new trope.

It also came out when Hallmark was routinely using some bigger name actors in these movies, and Andrew McCarthy does a fine job as a rising businessman who finds himself suddenly in the midst of a moral dilemma.

What starts out as dance classes in the block he's financing the deal to tear down turns into a sweet budding romance and a hidden identity story. The conflict of love versus money never looks like a real conflict, but you'll enjoy the movie anyway. We're up for repeating viewings, but with a few years in between.

I enjoyed this movie very much and so did my wife. Its very romantic. The leading lady is very beautiful and moved gracefully. Perhaps the plot is nothing new but it worked for me. I also thought the lighting was very well done, especially in the dance studio scenes which certainly set the tone for the film. Andrew McCarthy is a fine actor and the movie suited his talents. There were times when things developed in a clumsy fashion but for the most part it sailed along in fine style. I'm not totally sure the chemistry between the two leads was dead on but the chemistry between me and Christine was awesome! This is a classy movie with a good cast and I give it a solid edge over most similar holiday fare...try it out!

Andrew McCarthy, about 49 when this was filmed, is Jack. He is a financial guy working for a firm in the city and dating the big bosses daughter. Jack is a pretty traditional guy from Kansas originally, the daughter is quite different. She has no job and enjoys the fancy, some might say trivial, life with emphasis on friends and social media. It is hard to see them as a couple for the long haul.

However marrying the daughter would pretty well set him financially for life. The boss even tells him that in so many words. Jack needs to learn to dance so as not to embarrass himself at the yearly family Christmas dance so happens upon a small dance studio run by an attractive lady. We sense that, this being a Hallmark movie, in the long run she might be a more suitable love interest.

The lady has a big issue come up, a firm wants her out and Jack is the financial point man for the deal. But she doesn't want to give up her little studio, maybe Jack can help her?

While the story has a relatively predictable story arc it is fun to see how they get there. Some of the best scenes are the two of them dancing together. My wife and I enjoyed it at home on DVD from our public library.