Christmas at Maple Creek

This is one of those movies where it's easy to tap into the spirit of Christmas and romance. And sure, it starts off cute and sappy but it ends up pretty sweet.

The cast is wonderfully light hearted and the interactions between the main characters builds that inclination in your heart to see them fulfil their Christmas destinations.

So delightfully, pleasant, charming and entertaining.

There are strong echoes of the stories and formulas of many other Christmas movies. The conflict is textbook beau-sees-something-and-misinterprets. The solution to the underlying problem everyone is trying to deal with is overly simplistic. The novelist has returned to her favorite town to overcome her writer's block and meets a guy there. She finds out the town is in trouble and the two of them set out to have a gala to save it. Lots of formula and predictability.

Yet for so much of the movie I forgot about the formula. One thing is the setting of a recreation of the late 19th century which happens to be where her novels are set. That setting flavors a lot of what the characters do especially for the gala. It seems to me that both Diana and Carter are much more honest about their feelings with each other even before the climax.

Despite the threat hanging over them, the story is upbeat and the characters, Dianna especially, are so full of life. There's also an element of quirkiness.

Jeni Ross's Diana fits my dream girl very well, so I am prejudiced about this movie. She's shy and modest, quirky and positive. And she's only 22. Her chemistry with Jake Epstein is fantastic. I hope to see much more of this woman in future Christmas movies.

I found the dialogue fun, but I admit there was some nerdiness in it.

I really liked this one for some reason. Maybe it was the perfectly lovely actress that played the lead. Maybe it was her character's sweetness and shyness. Maybe it was the old-fashioned atmosphere and the historical village setting. It almost had a YA vibe. I know for sure that Jake Epstein, who played the love interest is quickly becoming a favorite of mine, had a lot to do with it. So far, what ever he is in, I'll give it a try.

Diana is a very successful romance novelist who has a crush on the guy who is the male model for her book covers but she really does not want to make a move. I think it's mostly because she is shy and old fashioned. If you immerse yourself in historical romance, it makes sense that you would tend to take on the attitudes of that time. She is basically being bullied by her editor to date him, which really annoyed me. The male model is clearly wrong for her because though he's nice, he is not very smart, he's shallow, is more interested in physical activities rather than more thoughtful pursuits. All he's got is good looks and a good bod.

She decides to go to her hometown, which is a historical village like a very poverty-stricken man's Williamsburg Virginia. Maple Creek is struggling and will soon have to be shut down unless they can up the attendance and make more money. There she meets a history professor (check) who is doubling as the town black smith (check, check) and is tall and good looking in a down-to-earth way (check, check check) I think we have our winner. He does not approve of the way she approaches history in her novels although he respects that she is a good writer. He teases her and is nice to her and soon she has come out of her shell and they have become friends with a lot in common.

Of course, the male model shows up at the village, attracted more by the fact that she is not chasing him than by genuine affection and attraction to her, and the inevitable misunderstanding occurs with Carter. Seeing the two suitors together, she definitely knows which one is for her and all proceeds to the happy ending for the couple and the village.

Jeni Ross is a perfectly lovely young actress and her chemistry with Jake Epstein was great. The only criticism I have is that she says her lines way too fast. The Gilmore Girls was canceled! Slow Down!

The acting is as stiff as a high school play with the student forced to play characters that they hate. I've seen better from theead actress I expected more out of her but I assume the director had a thing for actors who sound like they're reading the script because EVERYONE sounded like that. Barely enjoyable even for a hallmark-esk film.

She (the main character) had only a little bag with her and she brought two jackets a vest and two scarfs. And this is only 39min in. Why all these different outfits. And it's so predictable it's almost ridiculous of course she's gonna end up with the guy from the little town.