A Merry Christmas Wish

Wow! I forgot how much I love Cameron Matheson! He is the perfect leading man for a romance movie. Those eyes, that smile, he's just perfect! Age is not hurting him at all either. I recall watching and enjoying his movies years ago.

I don't know where I've been to not have seen him in so long but I'm glad I caught him in this movie. I had never heard of Jill Wagner before now but she was also very good and convincing.

These romance movies get rushed because there is less than two hours to convince us that the love is real in the ned and this movie did it for me.

A few movies this year also had me grinning from ear to ear by the last scene, which almost always incudes a deep passionate kiss and this movie doesn't disappoint. It went a little further and made me actually envision the couple's future together and that's the biggest reason they got the 10 rating.

The farmhouse used in this movie was beautiful and so well decorated. It made me want to move back to the country.

Great movie and love story. Hope to see both these actors again soon.

A refreshing take on the city girl moves to the country theme so prevalent in holiday movies. The heroine is a decent human being who genuinely cares more about her family than the money she could get. Only thing that doesn't make sense is the title.

Janey is an advertising agent in New York when she learns a great uncle she stayed with as a kid has died. She returns home and reconnects with past friends while deciding what to do with her uncle's farm. In the process she has to choose whether to continue a town tradition.

A very humble movie that doesn't get caught up in itself. Also, best holiday kitchen and bedroom decorations for the win!

This movie doesn't have ideas above its station, and I like that about it. It ticks all the twinkly Hallmark Christmas boxes, and the plot is cohesive enough, the actors skilled enough, the settings realistic enough to make an enjoyable, frosted-but-not-sickly slice of escapism.

Several scenes are quite heartwarming (particularly the one in the attic), and the city slicker love interest having more than a two-dimensional personality was a nice touch. The country boy love interest's relationship with his young niece is charming, and the character of his sister as the glue that holds everyone together works well. I concur with other reviews about the wonky timeline, but it was easy to shrug off. Overall, this is a movie I would watch again.

Note: If you like honey, have some ready as a snack before watching, because this movie will make you want some.

6.4 stars.

Sure, this has Jill Wagner. Even she can't resurrect a dead story. This is a standard Christmas movie across the board. The only problem with this standard movie is that it has absolutely nothing exciting or interesting, or original about it whatsoever. Take all the usual ingredients of a standard Hallmark, and it's simply that - standard. But the standards of this standard film are below average. The dialogue is mundane, and everything is cookie-cutter. This is why I called it the cookie cutter of cookie cutters, because it's literally nothing. Even the title is perfectly vanilla. This film is like a low end two-door Nissan sedan fresh off the assembly, no bells or whistles. Nobody brags about owning a Nissan sedan.

This is an upbeat family friendly Christmas movie. The story, if you even call it that, is a checklist of Christmas movie tropes. There are no great highs or lows or surprises, but given all of this, it is fairly well done. It's just not that exciting, if like me, you watch every Christmas movie out there from late October through the end of the year.

Jill Wagner, as Janie, and Cameron Mathison, as Dylan, are accomplished veterans of many Christmas movies and rom/coms. They have chemistry but it doesn't stand out that much. There is a cute niece and a childhood BFF girlfriend for Janie. Janie has an existing boyfriend from the city who is one of the least flawed rivals I can remember, but on the other hand he is the usual "steady and reliable" which I guess is a bad thing. He does pay a little too much attention to business at Janie's expense, but I've seen much worse.

I found it interesting that the 43 year old Wagner's character had a conversation about wanting children going forward. This leads to a discussion I've had with my wife about how so many of Hallmarks stars are growing past the age where they appeal as romantic leads. Hallmark has dealt with this by bringing on board many promising younger stars. But this movie is not Hallmark. This is their new competitor, GAC Family. GAC stole some of Hallmarks better known veterans and that's just it, they are veterans. Merritt Patterson is the one of the few and probably most prominent younger female star with any length to her rom/com resume. Articles I have read imply she may still be more of a free agent. I have not been impressed with any of the other younger stars so far on GAC.

Almost all movies push a lesson or issue. A common one has to do with small town values and this movie has plenty of that. Big city and progress bad. Small town and time to enjoy life good. I think this movie presses that point a little too much.