Entertaining Christmas

2018 was rather up and down when it came to Hallmark's Christmas output. There were winners, such as 'Marrying Father Christmas', 'Once Upon a Christmas Miracle' and 'Christmas Bells are Ringing'. There were also misfires, namely 'Christmas at Graceland', 'A Gingerbread Romance' and 'Last Vermont Christmas'. Most ranged between average and pretty good. 'Entertaining Christmas' did sound quite charming despite not being particularly big on Jodie Swetin.

'Entertaining Christmas' for me is not quite one of the winners of the 2018 batch, but it is closer to that than the misfires categories. It is one of the pretty good outings with many great things that make it close to being one of the best of the batch, but it is let down by a few things that were not developed enough and a couple of the story flaws found a lot in Hallmark's Christmas offerings. Not a great film, but definitely worth watching. 'Entertaining Christmas' is also one of not many films where Swetin was one of its best aspects, so that was a nice surprise.

As said, a lot is good here. It is very professionally filmed and the locations look lovely too, sure the snow effects are artificial but that has been done far worse in other Hallmark films. Some of the soundtrack has a nice nostalgia and captures the festive spirit quite nicely. Swetin is a very likeable and charming female lead and after seeing so many female lead characters in Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas films recently that have exaggerated and over-emphasised character flaws it was great to have one that was easy to root for. While having problems with his character, Brendan Fehr does a good job with what he has and what there is of their chemistry when it features is sweet enough.

None of the supporting cast bored or irritated and while they are not meaty the characters at least felt real. The script is not too cheesy or schmaltzy and the flow isn't awkward. The story has maturity with a mature subject matter done quite movingly, while also having a charming light-heartedness and not coming over as too serious.

Did think however that the central relationship was underused and wasn't developed enough, there is chemistry but the actual romance in the story felt too like the writers had forgotten about it until quite late into the writing stages. While Fehr is good in his role, John as a character felt underwritten and has too little to do.

The story is a bit too more of the same, with not enough freshness to typical material. There could have been a little less of the scoring which intruded at times, while having moments.

Overall, pretty good. 6/10.

Jodie Sweetin plays Candace Livingston, the daughter of an American cooking/author/crafting legend - Liz Livingston. She is due to take overt he family business and as a little introduction to it, goes to a small town(it is always a small town) to help a young girl prepare to welcome her father home from his tour of duty(there is always a father or mother in the army). The only problem is Candace is pretty rubbish at all the things her mother is brilliant at, she takes after her father and is good with finance and organisation and being a really good person, kind of everything you need to run a business that doesn't involve cookery or crafting!

The little girl's Uncle has escaped from Roswell, sorry is Roswell's Brendan Fehr, and his day job, when he is not being an awesome Uncle is the town's news reporter. A reporter who is suddenly close to an pretending to be someone she is not, I do not know where this could be heading! Oh of course we do, but Hallmark is not there to shock or surprise us, it is there to give us nice Christmas films and this one looks good, Jodie Sweetin is a charismatic heroine, who is extremely likeable, just like her character. Brendan Fehr is still Michael from Roswell, but we all want Michael to have a happy ending don't we!

A cheery and happy Hallmark movie as our star tries to not be found out and our reporter faces a mini crisis when he finds out. But seriously, like he is going to ruin his loves future! That wouldn't be a Hallmark film, it is more Christmas Hammer Horror if he does that!

This film has a Christmas spirit due to the tradition and custom it offers!! ... cakes, reunite the family?etc ... Nevertheless, I will have to explain the technical, artistic choice of outdoor scenes?? That spoils all the magic of this film by making it even ridiculous at some point !!! (You can see the coats very badly concealing white fabrics that cover the lawns, on the other hand nothing on trees and cars).... Now let's talk about the scenario, in itself I find interesting the story of this little girl who wants to surprise her father. I did not like the character of Liz who the more the film passes, the more one discovers that she is unable to be as gifted as her mother. (But where is the importance of wanting to look like him, in short). No, what disappointed me is that in the end, she is unable to do simple things..... After the acting is fine, but a pity for the imperfections.

What was up with the carelessness of the snow and lighting. Why use cgi tree lights ? Why use all the fake snow it can not snow during December ya know. Acting was good I liked the story line and etc other wise.

This was a pretty good story. It has many of the familiar things including plot devices, but they are just a little different and even a little fresh.

I am not a Jodie Swetin fan, and I've seen a few with her, but she impressed me in this one. She really fit the part.