Whether it is easy to not take 'Catch a Christmas Star' and similar films seriously is dependent on whether the good things outweigh the bad and vice versa. Dependent on how many flaws there are and how big they are. And dependent on how well the film executed its good things. In some cases it is easy to not take it too seriously. In other cases it is very distracting when there are so many annoyances and done to an incompetent level.
'Catch a Christmas Star' is not one of those films. It does have things wrong with it, then again when has a Hallmark festive film been perfect, and the flaws are a few of the usual ones. 'Catch a Christmas Star' does achieve its aims though at being undemanding light-hearted entertainment that has charm and heart and has a lot of good things, ones that are essential to get right if a film is to be halfway watchable. My festive Hallmark film viewings have been hit and miss, 'Catch a Christmas Star' is closer to being one of the hits while not being one of them.
Sure, it is very, very predictable and some real suspension of disbelief is needed with some turns in the plot being pretty unrealistic to a dumbfounding degree.
Didn't think that the character of Carmine was particularly necessary and he comes over as an annoying caricature, overplayed rather horribly by Christopher Jacot. There is some very cheesy dialogue here and there too and the romance is very underused and underdeveloped which does affect the chemistry at times.
However, Steve Byers is a very likeable and easy going leading man, also having the more likeable character who doesn't come over as too perfect, and personally didn't have much issue with Shannon Elizabeth, the egotistical character trait is overwritten at times but Elizabeth's commitment is never in question (she also sings beautifully). The daughter isn't too cute or bratty and Byers and Elizabeth do have some chemistry even if it doesn't quite ignite fully. The character writing is flawed but a long way from disastrous, with only Carmine's being an outright failure.
The direction is always competent and in control of the material while not phoning in. The production values are great, with it being nicely and slickly shot. The scenery is very easy on the eyes. The script on the whole doesn't come over as corny or schmaltzy, and flows naturally. Although the story is far from perfect with the predictability and ridiculousness being overkill, it is light-hearted enough, succeeds in not taking itself too seriously and is charming.
Concluding, above average if not great. 6/10.
