Same Time, Next Christmas

As far as Hallmark-y type movies go, and especially holiday ones, this one entertained me! I loved the story and I fell in love with the main characters and their families. The love story felt very realistic in terms of real-life issues coming into play. I gave it an 8 because this is a different scale than Hollywood movies. It is a TV movie of course. And quite a good one.

In a change from the usual Christmas movie this one spans some time. Childhood friends from vacation in Hawaii eventually find love after lots of bad timing. Lea Michelle acts well but she doesn't have much chemistry with her smiling costar Chad Davis.

I know Lea Michele mainly from "Glee", where she was a mix of appealing an annoying. I liked her character a lot there, and she has had several TV roles since which I didn't enjoy quite as much. Here she is very appealing and still quite pretty. Her acting is good for this sort of movie.

Charles Michael Davis is also quite appealing. I sort of see where he has a different kind of appeal, but I don't really get the full benefit.

Phil Morris does a very good job, but that's to be expected. He was a detective from "The Young and the Restless" and I have seen him in other roles. I do wonder, though, why so many football metaphors when it's baseball he loves.

Bryan Greenberg has a certain appeal and is not a stereotypical bad guy. He just doesn't fit with this group and we know it. His attempt to be one of them is impressive. We just doubt we'll be quite happy with him.

Of course this movie fits a formula. It's a great formula. Sure, there is a little more uncertainty than I would have liked, but the ending is satisfactory. Or maybe it's more than that. I don't want to say too much.

Is this family friendly? I'd like to say so. On ABC it was rated TV-PG-D, and while I don't recall anything of an explicit nature, maybe they were being cautious because there were kids in the cast.

I don't see nearly enough of these movies. Aside from the fact that I don't want to spend the kind of money required to get all the channels, I wouldn't have time for all the movies like this on a certain channel whose name we all know.

But if I had to see just one of these movies this year (and I'm hoping the channels I have will offer more of them later) this is a good one.

This would've been so much better if Lea Michelle sang at least once!! Same love triangle (w/ boyfriend from big city) with modern touches - gay couple, interracial couple, & boy star is a divorced dad.

"Same Time, Next Christmas" is a Comedy - Romance holiday movie in which we watch a couple who reconnects every year at Christmas, despite their lives taking different paths.

I found this movie simple and predictable but enjoyable enough. While the movie brings some festive cheer and holiday spirit, it ultimately struggles to break free from the typical rom-com formula. The combination of both Lea Michele who played as Olivia Anderson and Charles Michael Davis who played as Jeff Williams is charming enough, their relationship lacks the depth needed to make the story truly engaging. The plot itself is predictable and feels overly familiar, with few surprises to keep the audience invested. Despite its weaknesses, the movie does succeed in creating a cozy, feel-good atmosphere and the picturesque, warm, tropical setting helps. While the festive vibe is perfect for a holiday watch, despite missing the emotional depth or originality in the plot. In conclusion, I have to say that "Same Time, Next Christmas" is a decent choice for those looking for a light, predictable holiday romance and don't expect more from it.