Too Close for Christmas

OR this script and JMM make her seem better. Typical storyline but not annoying. Dialogue very believable. CMM made the romance work. Supporting characters entertaining.

Couldn't get past Chad Michael Murray's bird nest hair. It was like someone roughed it up before every scene.. He was trying too hard to look rugged and ruffled and laid back. It just looked phony.

I have never been a fan of Jessica Lowndes with her Valleygirl/Kardasian inflection and her eyeliner. But she has really really improved. So much so that she is the main attraction in this very watchable movie. Her acting is very good and I can't always say that this has been the case. Her beauty has been indisputable but kind of unapproachable. She has scaled down the make up which has allowed her natural beauty to shine through. Well Done! Now to work on that unfortunate southern California accent.

Her chemistry with the messily coifed Chad Michael Murray was palpable. I just wish they had tamed those locks a bit at least for the gala.

This was pretty darn good with most of the Hallmark/Lifetime set pieces avoided or toned down. Not a stand out, but I liked most of it and it had very few if any cringey moments.

As much as I usually love him, Chad was actually quite an annoying character in this and as such, not easy to fall for. To be fair Jessica didn't do much for me either and not just because she's not a man. She was too perfect and it grated a bit.

It's not badly acted or put together, so I didn't feel the need to turn it off, but it doesn't hit high on my scoring list and probably only as high as it does, because Chad looks good in a dinner suit. I might tune in again in a few years, however it will not be a film I feel the need to watch at least every other year and definitely not annually. I'll just watch 'The Snowman' (1982) 3 more times instead.

It does feel a bit more like how a family Christmas should be and the activities all blend with the story nicely.

4ish?

Lowndes does a great job here and that's a good thing, because Chad Michael Murray's overacting is pretty hard to stomach in this one. If you can get by his ridiculously over processed hair style (clearly provided by a taxidermist) you'll find his, or his Character's arrogance a little off-putting. Despite this however, the leads have chemistry in this movie, largely due to Lowndes. The story is interesting enough to hold your attention until the end and is worth watching.