Verliebt in meinen Weihnachtsschwarm

Leas cheesy dialogue than your average TV movie. The story feels fresh but perhaps because (finally) it's a gay couple. I'd take even the worst film to get some better representation on screen but this film is worth the watch. Obviously it's predictable but what Christmas film isn't?

Suddenly everyone is all for making the yuletide gay. Earlier this month it was The Christmas House, Hallmark's first attempt at including a gay couple in their kitsch Americana; now it's Lifetime's The Christmas Set-up, which mostly revolves around a will-they-won't-they gay romance. While Hallmark's gay story was rather tentative, extremely shaky and reeked of tokenism, Lifetime's effort is surprisingly sweet and engaging, and not at all apologetic. As is to be expected, it's also very vanilla; yet the story manages to make that a plus, rather than an obvious avoidance of male-on-male action (which it absolutely is!). The leads (real life couple Ben Lewis and Blake Lee) are appealing and the story around Hugo's career/life balance crisis is likely to resonate with many. And then there's Fran Drescher as Hugo's mother. If nothing else, The Christmas Set-up is an opportunity to marvel at that weirdly mesmerising voice - somewhere between a screech and whine, and now with added raspiness. It's as if he's been gargling with razor blades. The Christmas Set-up is worth a look for Fran alone.

As much as I'm not much in the holiday spirit this year. This movies pleasantly surprised me. I laughed and was in awe as Ben Lewis and his real life husband played their parts like they've never even met before. And they both stole each scene respectively. I may just watch it again for the beauty and heart that was put into making this.

I like the mov a lot. Simply and warm. Particularly so hard to find a gay Christmas movie. If you are looking for something cute, and will give you joy. This will be the movie for you.

In the newest sub-genre - the gay Christmas movie - this one is the best so far. Within the strict confines of the genre, the solid writing and directing and the strong performances manage to breathe some fresh life and vitality into the predictable plot and Christmas movie tropes.

It helps a lot that there's real romantic chemistry between the two leads - who are married in real life - and their acting is considerably stronger than the typically C-List actors who are plugged into these cookie-cutter holiday romcoms.

Fran Drescher does her familiar shtick as a loving and meddling mama. Whether or not you buy her ultra-Jewish persona as a Christmas obsessed woman is another story. As a matter of fact, all three of the leads seem kinda Jewish. Fine. They should live and be well.