This certainly is a "Joyous Christmas" movie. The premise is not a new one but it's well executed and the acting, especially by Bonnie Bedelia and Michael Rady, is well above par.
A young, self-obsessed, self-help author returns to her home town to promote her new book with a grand inspirational event at Christmas. She mends fences with her own family and discovers the true meaning of Christmas love with the help of the town and two locals in particular. Her ambitious Manager almost upsets the apple cart but the situation is caught in time.
Natalie Knepp is a little weak as the leading lady but she is probably perfect for the type of person she is playing ... and we certainly see her grow and soften as she embraces the help she seeks and is offered to her.
The only problem I had with the movie is that on several occasions, we have to suspend disbelief when things seem to magically happen in impossibly record time and that we rarely see her "working" on the event. Instead, she is Christmas shopping, volunteering at the Community Center, having fun with her new (and incredibly attractive) producer, entering a candy cane relay race and sampling the local fare at the Christmas Carnival etc etc etc ...
She seems to save the Community Center Christmas party in a flash and when she and her producer arrive at her townhouse, after what seems to have been a full 24hr day, they notice that she has no Christmas decorations up so they drive off to get some! Before the night is over they seem to have decorated the entire yard, bought and decorated her Christmas tree and the whole living room.
Now, maybe we are supposed to think a few days have gone by but the editing makes it a little confusing. Had I noticed if she'd changed her outfit, I might not have been so confused when she interviewed her producer-to-be the day after she helped him choose a tie and nearly got knocked down. The way it was edited, it seemed like only a few hours later to me.
I think it's really enjoyable movie.
