My Best Friend's Christmas

I had to watch this film to the end, because I couldn't believe that Liam (Colton Little) would ever want to spend the rest of his life with the lead female, I was hoping he would tell her where to go instead. He was way out of her league and far too nice for her. I'm not sure I would have been happy with him ending up with any of the rest of the cast to be honest, even the "Other guy" Grant, who was a bit wet, although I think that might have been at least a slightly better ending. They were a bit gay, so it could have been believable if it had turned out that they'd been messaging each other for ages and that's why the other relationships weren't working. Something to think about for next year Hallmark/Lifetime?

Both of the lead females were just so awful and airhead like. The blonde had a terrible voice and the other, Bella I think she was called, was just wrapped up in Selfie/Follower culture which I absolutely hate and it somehow always seems to come across as even more loathsome in films like these.

The sound was so bad that any time there was music, the vocal track was lost and the girls voices were so screechy at times that you couldn't work out what the were saying anyway. Thank the Lord for subtitles.

Even the great Trevor Eve was Cheesey and the films plot in general was silly. I know I've probably marked other films with a similar plot a lot higher, but the production values were just so low on this one that the terrible story idea was really obvious.

If I come across this film again next year, I will know to turn it off as soon as I can. Colton Little will have to be searched out and watched in other productions, because I'm afraid even he couldn't bring me to watch this twice.

Start with the premise of the best friend who really should be the boyfriend. Ashley really goes over the top in taking advantage of Liam. I can see why other reviewers are saying they don't want Ashley to get together with anyone.

Usually, in best friend romance movies there is a natural chemistry between the best friends, but it wasn't really there in this movie. Colton Little really didn't seem comfortable with Parhiala even before they started faking their romantic relationship.

The two women do nothing to flatter the fairer sex. Ashley is obviously competent, but she's irrational about Grant from start to finish and her antics are embarrassing. Bella is the stereotype of a social media diva.

None of the main actors seem natural in delivery of their lines. Maybe it's the inane dialogue. There's an emotional scene toward the end where both women actors seem to think that just raising their voices an octave is sufficient to portray emotion, especially Parhiala.

I usually don't agree with complaints about sound track volume. I rarely have a real problem with it despite complaints, but this sound track was distracting.

There was a couples dance scene and none of the main actors could dance decently. It almost looked like when the scene was shot, the actors were hearing different music or no music. They definitely weren't able to dance and deliver lines at the same time.

There's a scene with Bella eating where she was channeling Meg Ryan (Harry Met Sally).

There really is no story other than the competition/jealousy angle. Combine that with no acting and no dialogue and you have a perfect movie.

Strangely, the last quarter or so of the movie goes from horrible to simply mediocre or perhaps even fair.. The acting is less bad. The dialogue at least makes some sense, and the story ending isn't bad even though it is predictable.

Very rarely do I rate one of these Christmacy/Hallmarkish made for TV rom coms below a 5, but this one was bad.

Now I can actually enjoy a movie where the heroine has more chemistry with the guy she does not end up with. Angrily Ever After is an example. But with this heroine, I didn't like her with either guy. She had more romantic moments with the ex she was trying to get back, but they fell flat to me because of the way she was treating his girlfriend. Grant, I think his name was, was in a committed relationship with Bella. Ashely, our heroine, smiled up in Bella's face, pretended to be her friend while undermining her to get close to Grant the whole time. This was not cute in the least.

So we get ice skating, long intimate walks etc with Ashley and Grant as Ashely tries her best to reconnect with him. Yet no romance at all with Ashley and Liam. Liam really was the best friend, and their interactions were platonic while Ashley chased Grant.

I only watched to the end to see Ashley apologize to everyone. I could not root for a HEA btw Ashley and Liam, as he deserved so MUCH better.

Very predictable plot, and acting so hammy it would embarrass a pantomime.

OMG-this is so Gen Z obnoxious. Breanne Hill is nicknamed "ladybug", gag me, and talks in a fake breathy whisper. She is trying to win back her high school BF. Who is a big zero if you ask me. The other main female is an "influencer". That whole thing needs to die in this life and soon. This entire influencer/tik tok life is so shallow and not story worthy. Yet I notice so many of this churn em and burn em holiday movies have incorporated them into the plots.

The acting is like low level soap opera for the young characters. The older actors are good. But what the heck is Trevor Eve doing in this movie? A British serious actor, from the UK in a cheesy movie shot in California? That was strange. If you are a Gen Z maybe this movie is for you.