Le Noël de Belle

Original title: Christmas Belle

TV Movie
2013
TV-PG
1h 25m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Haylie Duff and Nicholas Gonzalez in Le Noël de Belle (2013)

With her California hometown in the rear-view mirror, Belle heads north on business to facilitate the estate sale of a mansion. While the job is a dream, the client, Hunter Lowell, is not. B... Read allWith her California hometown in the rear-view mirror, Belle heads north on business to facilitate the estate sale of a mansion. While the job is a dream, the client, Hunter Lowell, is not. But, as the two spend more time together, his icy demeanor begins to melt. Although their r... Read allWith her California hometown in the rear-view mirror, Belle heads north on business to facilitate the estate sale of a mansion. While the job is a dream, the client, Hunter Lowell, is not. But, as the two spend more time together, his icy demeanor begins to melt. Although their relationship is budding, Belle's long-time suitor, Tony, arrives, sending mixed signals to ... Read all

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.1/10

2.2K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Photos5

User reviews81

5.12.1K

Featured reviews

1flackjacket

Make the "music" stop... please, make it stop.

This movie is one-of-a-kind, in that it's the only movie I've ever watched where the "music" never stops and is far too loud to be background music. If you love listening to painfully sad slow piano and strings while trying to watch a movie, you'll love this film. It's like having the radio tuned to the easy listening station with the volume on 11, while watching a poorly scripted movie on the TV with the volume on 1.

Here's a basic rundown of the storyboard... 30 seconds of stale uneventful dialog (with loud background music) followed by 5 minutes of location shots and actors giving thoughtful heartfelt looks or running shirtless through the field (with even louder background music). Repeat throughout the rest of the movie.

On the good side, it would be useful for inducing a coma.

3S1rr34l

Bad acting & unbelievable script destroy this movie.

I like holiday movies and I like "Bad" movies as most have redeeming qualities. However, this slice of festive fun is neither festive or fun. The story is loosely based on Beauty and The Beast. Sadly, when The Beast isn't a Beast, just a man whose beastly, then it becomes difficult to have the love interest fall for a man, who shouts at her, degrades her, and lashes out at her.

However, this gaping whole in the script isn't the only let down. The acting is below average. Even C Thomas Howell cannot lift the cast... to be truthful he takes it a bit further into the quagmire; his high-pitched effeminate portrayal of the father is cringeworthy. It made me smirk the first time I heard it, but by the end of the film I'd had enough. Which is a shame as I think C Thomas Howell is a pretty decent actor.

I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone.

japclarke

A brilliantly bad movie

This movie is terrible... the script, the direction, the plot, THE CONSTANT MUSIC! But I'm ngl I had a fun time watching it.

5Mitiori

Poor Execution of Formula

I love holiday romance movies. This one was a disappointment. It was so formulaic that I called out the next action before it happened. The actors were interesting and the boys are pretty. The scenery was gorgeous. The music was the typical holiday romance music, but rather than enhancing the romance, it seemed to try and replace what was missing in the story and rather distracting.

A tighter script with fewer distracting side stories and better editing could have made this one I'd want to watch every year. Also, better character development would have been helpful for the lead and the anti-hero guy who was nothing more than an annoying plot point (despite the pretty).

5joelashley-704-631621

Another feel good Xmas love story

This one wasn't all that bad as story lines go. But most of these PG holiday girl meets boy TV specials have incessant music accompaniment that over soothes the heart. Unfortunately this one is worse than most. The constant piano/violin in the background mutes the believability of the storyline, and ultimately destroys the climactic scenes because it's incessance is worn thin by then. Music should support the hot scenes, but can't here.

The acting is acceptable, but though I adore Haylie, she could have dropped a few pounds for this one, getting back to her best look, so as to more reasonably match her costar's figure and presence.

Storyline

Edit

Did you know

Edit

Trivia
Belle's father is named Rex Everhart, in homage to Rex Everhart who voiced the character in Disney's classic adaptation La Belle et la Bête (1991).

Goofs
The roses that Belle is carrying during the opening sequence change when she enters the shop they go from a plain bouquet with just the roses to having additional filler and greenery.