This Time Each Year

This movie was just too off kilter for me to really care much about it. First of all, how old was this couple supposed to be? Going by the dated Christmas cards at the beginning showing their engagement and the pregnancy, it is clear that they were supposed to be in their mid 30s at the most. This is a case of Hallmark straining credibility by shoehorning actors in their late 40s into scripts meant for younger actors. I thought Hallmark had gotten over that. I mean are you telling me that an adult family man in his 40s still hasn't finished his degree and whose chosen career is a bartender? An alcoholic bartender? Bad enough for a 35 year old. When he said he "lost his licence" I assumed he meant his medical license or teaching license, or contracting license. But his driver's license? They just couldn't bear to confirm that he was arrested for drinking and driving? Or that a professional business manager would buy a house without reading the contract and getting it inspected first? And it's so messed up they can't even live in it and are paying rent and a mortgage? Or she could be so mentally damaged by being called "Miss Mess" when she was a kid? I was expecting her mother to be a cruel old harridan. But she could not have been nicer or more supportive of her 35 (or 45?) year old daughter.

I love both Alison Sweeney and Niall Matter but Hallmark did them no favors by miscasting them in these roles.

The problem with this movie is that the script is just so underwhelming and the story has no pizazz to it. The attempt to add some humor to a plot that is addressing a marriage that has sadly fallen apart fails miserably. It just doesn't work here. That said, what saves the film are the performances of Alison Sweeney, Niall Matter, and Laura Soltis. These very professional actors are always very good and they elevate the lackluster material and make it watchable. So, if you are into fine acting, you will find this worth the two hours spent watching it. Hopefully, these three stars will have better projects next Christmas. They deserve to.

I kept "recognizing" Allison Sweeney from other HM favs, especially the Hannah Swenson series, but, no, I had to be wrong, right? The lead actress didn't look like herself (Allison) at all. Am I the only one to notice this? I'm still looking for the date it was filmed.

Not the usual HM fare, for sure, but the cast was top notch. I loved seeing the actress who plays one of my favorite characters on The Rookie. If you think I'm really old school - you'd be so right. I'm re-watching "The Snow Bride" for the millionth time time right now, and my favorite Christmas HM movie is "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" with the Fonz!

I hate not giving this movie more stars, because we very much like both Alison Sweeny and Niall Matter. Plus Laura Soltis always makes a beautiful mother of the female lead, and she does that VERY often. LOL

Here Lauren (Sweeney) and Kevin (Matter) are separated, but she hasn't told her mother? So when her mother comes for Christmas, she wants to hide that fact? In the real world, their young son is going to inadvertantly give up that secret in a very short span of the visit.

The movie was so bland that within a few days of viewing it, I already can't remember very many details about it. Nothing about it was offensive, but nothing was memorable, either. Sad.

A somewhat unbelievable storyline leads us to a pleasant and dare I say heartwarming movie starring Hallmark veterans Niall Matter as Kevin and Allison Sweeney as Lauren, both of whom are very good in this movie.

They play an estranged husband and wife who must act like they're still married when Lauren's mother - to whom Lauren has had trouble breaking the news that she and Kevin have separated - visits for Christmas.

It's a story of second chances for a family unit at Christmastime. The ending, of course, was no great surprise, but there were some nice moments along the way watching Kevin and Lauren realise how much they mean to each other.