Mystic Christmas

It started out okay, I liked the initial banter and the leads are cute together. The secondary gay romance wasn't interesting.

Jessie's haircut was unflattering, IMO.

The seal was cute, though, and the best part of the movie. But it wasn't enough to remain interesting.

I didn't finish the movie.

I still have 300 more characters, so I'll say that this movie is easy to forget and I don't remember what I saw even now.

It takes place supposedly in Mystic Seaport, Connecticut.

Jessie's character is cute but odd, socially challenged.

The seal's name is Peppermint.

There are some Christmas activities I don't remember.

Met the quota. Done.

I'm not quite sure why "Mystic Christmas" isn't rated more highly.

I had no illusions going in. I expected another standard Hallmark Christmas rom-com, but I was very pleasantly surprised! This one is a little different.

The main character Juniper Jones (Jessy Schram) is an introvert. We're not talking "a little shy" like some of Hallmark's blushing maidens. We're talking full-on avoidance of human interaction whenever possible. Finally! A character I can relate to!

The writing includes some very rapid-fire, very funny dialogue. I often had to back up my recording to make sure I heard what I thought I did: "How come everyone had a better time at my wedding than I did?!?" "Because you had a terrible date." "Oooh!" "Sorry." At this point, I knew I was onto a winner!

If you have a sense of humor, give "Mystic Christmas" a shot. It had me laughing out loud in less than 5 minutes!

7.5 stars.

First impression after several minutes of puns, quick witted dry humor, and pithy remarks much too clever for normal humans...this was written by a 'Gilmore Girls' writer. So now I'm looking to see if these writers or director did in fact have any association with Gilmore. And the answer is: nope. To bed with that theory. So if you've seen Gilmore, think of the banter they share back and forth and back and forth ad nauseum and then swap Rory with a shy and hesitant seal loving blond named Juniper (Schram) and trade Lorelai or Melissa McCarthy's character with Juniper's best friend Candice, and then switch one of the more interesting and loquacious men of Gilmore (not Ventimiglia's character who was way too gloomy) with our lead male Sawyer, and that's 'Mystic Christmas' in a nutshell. Come to think of it, now on this soapbox, there were no men in 'Gilmore Girls' with any notable redeeming qualities. I digress.

This will hold your attention mostly, although there are a few slow parts. The leads share a very skittish romance to say the least. They are both frightened of the concept of following through with love or commitment. Question: did the email get sent or not? You will find out, but it's a bit underplayed in my opinion. I liked 'Mystic Christmas', I hope they make a sequel, finger's crossed.

Mystic Christmas (2023) -

Chandler Massey was incredibly cute, but in his role of Sawyer he was a bit too good to be true and a tad gay seeming. I felt that, if I was ever brave enough, I could approach him to chat him up, without barking up the wrong tree or being dismissed for it, although he didn't seem THAT desperate. But he was definitely a likeable character that I wanted to find real happiness.

Jessy Schram played her part of Juniper well and I wanted her to succeed in love too and in her work at the sea life centre.

I enjoyed the inclusion of the aquarium as something different from the usual Christmas films, especially as Peppermint The Seal (Cork) was almost as adorable as Chandler Massey.

I wasn't sure that I believed in the seals drastic and incredibly convenient improvement however.

I did like that it didn't detract from the Christmas element of the story as it quite often has with this type of films, where they have forgotten that it's supposed to be about the season and got carried away with Trees, Horses or Real Estate.

I also enjoyed the fact that the romance was blossoming right from the start, with Sawyer and Juniper (Jessy Schram) already crushing on each other from their meeting at his sister's wedding.

I thought that the sister, Candice (Patti Murin) was good casting too.

I wasn't sure about Peter though, he was played far too over enthusiastically by Eric Freeman, who was a sweetie and pretty to boot, but turned up to 11. To start with I assumed that he was there to be an alternative love interest for Juniper, which was probably because he appeared to have been directed to be very similar to Sawyer.

I did like the LGBTQ+ inclusion as well. The romantic connection between Eric (Ralph Adriel Johnson) and Nick (Nick Jordan) was not over the top or so obviously thrown for the sake of diversity.

It was all very perfect, sweet and idealistic, but after some of the terrible films I've seen this year, it was actually nice for this one to be so joyous and happy.

It was disappointing that once again the traveller had to settle down, rather than the settled one agreeing to travel though.

They participated in various Christmas activities and made a connection that was cute until they inevitably fell out about something silly, but it was certainly one of the best of this year's release.

If I had cast this one I might have put Chandler Massey as Juniper and Nick Jordan/Eric Freeman as Sawyer with Jessy Schram as Candice or chose other alternatives to work with Jessy.

I really liked this one though.

7.26/10.

I enjoyed watching this one, even though I had read the reviews before diving in. Jessy Schram and Chandler Massey are both decent actors, have good chemistry, and I was drawn-in by the tour of Mystic, CT.

The story is lacking, to be sure, but the leads and the scenery make this one an enjoyable watch. The seal isn't the star, but does steal a scene or two. The "made-up Canadian proverb" should become a new trope of this genre.

There is a recent trend where these Christmas movies have basically no stakes. The characters start off liking each other, have very little competition for each others attention or affection, and we are left with kind of a waiting game until they finally get together. It works in this film because the real roadblock is their own awkwardness.

The "big argument" here felt like a missed opportunity to bring the characters together through some heightened emotions, and showing that conflict doesn't always have to be a scary or uncomfortable experience.

All in all, I'd recommend this one. It kept me watching, so it has something going for it.