Una Navidad a medida

From I saw that this was a lifetime film I didn't expect much. The commercials already made me roll my eyes and what I saw confirmed absolutely everything I expected.

I only tuned in for 3 minutes, during the scene where the not so good looking male lead was having his measurements taken by the lead actress who was trying her darnedest to come off as bashful and trying to hide her desire for him. I honestly felt like I was watching a scene from the campy soap opera Passions! Like seriously?

This must have been lifetime's poor attempt at making their version of "lights, camera, Christmas" and they failed miserably! Don't waste your time watching this amateurish acting.

Fashion designer is assigned to create a tuxedo for a mysterious millionaire behind a well-known social media website known around the world. Attraction and chemistry eventually build not in the ways that follow the standard holiday script, which was a breath of fresh air! I was happily surprised.

Overall, well done for this genre of film. Just enough light-heartedness. Just enough conflict. Just enough to make you nervous if they'll be together or not, with a REALISTIC script. Was rooting for them both by the END! Again, a well-written script, "well-suited" holiday film for those that love light romance and fun.

Watch it!

This is easily the worst Christmas movie I have seen. I have no clue who green lit this one, but oof. It's a train wreck from start to finish.

What started with a fun premise quickly took a nosedive into the realm of painfully forced/pseudo deep/superficially emotional nonsense. It was clear they didn't know what kind of movie they wanted to make.

The plot is all over the place and often makes absolutely no sense. The writing is bad and the acting is even worse. And just when you think things can't get any cringier then some starts beatboxing Christmas music. Yikes.

Your time matters, don't waste it watching this.

Rachel is a designer and she gets invited to a Christmas gala in which she has to design a tuxedo for a bachelor. The winner will get front cover in a magazine. Of course, she gets paired with the grumpiest person alive: Brett Stone.

This story follows the formula. They meet and do not have a good start only to find out they will be working together. They slowly start getting along after opening each other about their past. The stories also features Rachel's meddling but loving parents the whole story. We see them bonding with Brett, uncovering his soft side. Very Latin American of them.

The leads have good chemistry. She does a good job at being an energetic and ambitious designer and so does he at being the not so grumpy and a very caring person.

Nothing special to see. Ordinary supporting cast. We have the problem at the end as well, which honestly not a fan because it was serious and it may bring up trust problems on the future of the couple. Of course, they did have their happily ever after, for now...

I did enjoy the movie.

This movie has lots of the usual formulas. A Christmas contest at a charity gala. Designer Rachel really needs to win for her business. Decorating party. Protective mom and dad. Foster kids. And the one that is as pervasive as any but always irritates me relative to how strongly played - the leads' first meeting is antagonistic. In this case it was pretty strong and the unjolly tension remained a bit long. Then it instantly disappeared.

But stick with this despite the early lack of merry measure. There are some twists, small and one large in the second half. At one point I wondered if there would be any conflict between Rachel and Brett because it seemed like everyone's HEA was shaping up early, but it came with a little foreshadowing at the last minute.

After Rachel got over her preconceptions about Brett, I liked Mercedes de la Zerda in this role. She and Franco Lo Presti have chemistry despite Brett's intentional reserved demeanor.

As much as the first half made me feel like a grinch, the second half was very well done not just with little surprises, but some deeper handling of issues like trust, at least one piece of symbolism, and some sentimental moments too. By the climax I was starting to feel my Ho, Ho, Ho.