Holiday Joy

This movie had the potential to be a good film, however the cheesy acting and lack of continuity left me wanting so much more. The main character joy bumps her head only to find herself living in her neighbours family. Who by the way is supposed to be stylish and rich, but the budget and poor decor in the house did not give me that vibe. I'm talking 90s Disney channel decor. Picture Hannah Montana and Lizzie McGuire mixed with old yeller, if the writers of those shows took drugs this would be this movie. I tried to like it I really did but this was not a good movie. Save yourself, I am so sorry if the actors read this. Not personal, better luck next time.

First off I wouldn't call this a holiday movie, just a movie that happens to take place at Christmas time. While the concept was good but the classic, "the grass isn't always greener on the outside", the telling of it fell flat. The ending was just down right horrible and made zero sense.

Joy Hoffsteder (Bailee Madison) has a dysfunctional family. Her single dad Bob (French Stewart) is over his head. She pines to be in her seemingly perfect neighbor's family. She's a band geek with only one friend. She gets picked on by the popular cheerleaders and has an unrequited crush on Tom. It's the Christmas holiday. She keeps picking Change from her deck of cards. Then she gets hit by a car driven by the 'perfect' neighbor Marcie. It's a body switched into Marcie's family. She becomes the popular volleyball captain with boyfriend Tom but things are not all good. Her new sister hates her. Her old best friend is scared of her. Her old family is a mess and she's not in love with her new life either.

This is perfectly fine for a simple family holiday. Bailee is good at playing the trying too hard character. She should steer into that persona. Everything else is fine. It's a Wonderful Life. It's all that but not as good. The production is a little better than TV movie level. Don't expect too much.

I can't remember the last time I saw a movie this great. A positive life lesson with an engaging plot line. Witty and clean humour that everyone can relate to. A movie great for all ages. I've seen this movie more than once now, and enjoy it every time. Hope to see it on Freeform next Christmas.

The premise is a fun take on the old "If only my life were..."

Bailee Madison is likeable enough to carry the movie through the slower times. And that helps the movie never gets annoying like some of these do.

About half way through I noticed some Christmas decorations in the background and though "Oh, yeah, this is a Christmas movie" There wasn't really anything else about the movie that said Christmas.

If you can suspend your disbelief over minor things and get past a teenager saying "mom croaked" about their deceased mother then it is an enjoyable enough movie.

The ending isn't one of those that ruins the movie and makes you wish you didn't watch it, but it does feel like the writer(s) ran out of time and just wrapped it up a little too perfectly. It could have used a bit more explanation as to how everyone else got to the point that they did and maybe some reference to being hit by a car.