In Merry Measure

In a nutshell, this is your standard cookie cutter made for TV Hallmark movie - with a lot of singing.

Everything about In Merry Measure is generic and unremarkable. The acting, set design, musical score, script writing and direction...it's all right in the middle of the "Hallmark movie bell curve"

Nothing objectively terrible but nothing memorable or worth rewatching for either.

The endless singing from the high schoolers and lack of notable chemistry between the lead actors make this one I wouldn't rewatch.

If you're more musically or vocally inclined, this might be more appealing to you. Watching teenagers sing for a cumulative 20 minutes of the 80 minute runtime was just too much for me (though to their credit, they sang well).

Patti Murin stars as Darcy, former pop sensation who is a bit down and out. Brendan Penny is Adam, her high school rival that now heads the music department of the high school. He has also led the choir to six consecutive wins of the state choir competition. And he's a bit of a hard ass. We know where this is going.

Darcy's niece Megan tried out for the choir but doesn't even get to finish her audition. When Darcy gets wind of this, she is rightly outraged for Megan and all the other kids not given respect and consideration during the audition process. She goes on to rally the other "outcast" kids and they form their own choir and challenge the resident champions to a sing off.

Also in the mix is Darcy's sister Gretchen, the always wonderful Jennifer Robertson (Schitt's Creek). She lost her husband earlier in the year and is facing her first Christmas without him while still trying to make it special for her daughter.

I honestly thought this movie would be cheesy and not worth my time. I stand corrected. It hooked me from the start. This movie is just filled with such talented people and the singing.....I just loved it. So heartwarming and such a great message of going for your dreams and being brave. An unexpectedly beautiful movie and I really hope you all check this one out.

To put it simply, Hallmark couldn't get any more boring than this. Talky scenes go on forever without saying much. By the end, you may ask, "So what?" The cast gives it the old college try, but there is just not a script here that is worthy of their attempt. There is not enough chemistry between the leads to elevate the material enough to make this believable or, for that matter, even interesting.

In addition, the direction and sets are very common and you are left with the feeling that you have seen this all before in many other Hallmark Christmas movies.

I consider this one of Hallmark's "filler" movies - quickly and cheaply made in order to fill in the new Christmas movie schedule.

This one rates in the middle of the pack so far with the 2022 lineup. My favorite thing about this movie was the chemistry between the sisters I would love to see them in another movie together. It felt like they really were sisters. Their banter and expressions were great. I also liked the friendship between the coach and the music teacher. The romantic chemistry felt a little forced but by the end I was rooting for them. I think the ending left something to be desired The whole movie built up to the big performance but I felt like it fell short. Maybe I have just watched Pitch Perfect too many times!

...all ruined by a single actor. (Proof below)

This movie had a lot going for it. Especially the young singers in the school choir. Some beautiful, natural voices -- all without any auto-tuning going on to make their voices sound better than they are.

But all of that was ruined by the irritating, manic performance of Patty Murin. One of the reviewers stated "Patty Murin was adorable in this." Hmm. I'm curious if we watched the same movie.

Ms. Murin mugs mercilessly in almost EVERY single scene she's in, save for maybe three or four where she actually reels it in. Makes one wonder how many dozen triple lattes she has before each scene. Her fake smile was SOO forced, like the late, great Doris Day's genuine smile on steroids. It destroys any chemistry she may have had with poor Brendan Penny, among others.

Don't believe me? Just watch THE LAST MINUTE OF THE FILM, where she and her character's mother and daughter are taking selfies. Murin doesn't just smile. She contorts her face, stretches that forced GRIN, and hams it up for attention.

And again, ruins the entire film in the process. Unfortunately...