Christmas Connection

This movie has a story within a story. A reporter, Jonathan, and a flight attendant, Sydney, grow into a relationship while tracking down the story of her parents' meeting on Christmas day. The parents' story is enough of a mini-mystery to give a little suspense while the daughter and the reporter spend a lot of quality time together.

The reporter's daughter, Leah, adds a nice touch as she and Sydney develops affection for each other as well.

This is pretty good casting for Brooke Burns. Sophie Neudorf does a good job as Leah without going overboard in the cute department.

Throughout my whole Hallmark/Lifetime Christmas film completest quest undertaken namely late last year through to early this year, an interesting quest but very mixed one, there was never the mentality of expecting a classic or the film in question to be flawless. Something that was never managed with Hallmark's output. There was always the expectation of seeing a film where one can see at least some effort rather than merely cash-in level. One could see that with most of Hallmark's output but not all.

'Christmas Connection' as far as Hallmark's Christmas films go fares quite well and is definitely worth watching and remembering. It is not flawless or a classic, but have come overtime to not expect any of those things watching a Hallmark Christmas film and have always tried to not judge them too seriously. As far as Hallmark's 2017 Christmas output goes, 'Christmas Connection' is among the better ones of a variable in quality batch.

It is a bit slow to begin with, the set up taking a little too long.

Some of the dialogue early on is pretty ropey too, the cheese really stinking up the room and the pacing is very draggy. The music could have been toned down too tonally and in placement, too constant and too loud.

However, it is worth sticking with 'Christmas Connection' if in any initial doubt as to me it did get a lot better. The production values still manage to be pleasing. It's not too drab or garish in photography, the editing didn't seem rushed or disorganised and the scenery has a real charm to it. Some of the music has some pleasant nostalgic moments. The dialogue is not great to begin with but improves when the plot properly kicks in, not being too sweet and it flows at least.

Furthermore, the story is light-hearted and really warms the heart without going into over-saccharine territory despite being familiar territory in tropes and thematically. The characters were on the most part ones easy to get behind and carry the film well. The acting is well above average, with the two leads being very endearing and having a very natural chemistry together. Sophie Neudorf is a likeable presence too.

Concluding, worthwhile and worth remembering if not quite a must watch. 7/10

This one was a delight from beginning to end. Starring Brooke Burns who I loved from The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (2008) and Fixing Pete (2011). Great to see her in a Christmas movie again. Loved Tom Everette Scott who played the lead actor and a widowed dad. He had the greatest presence with an unusual mannerism a little like Robin Williams. He's not the normal and this was tremendously effective with Brooke Burns. The little girl daughter and their interaction with her and Christmas made the movie effective. The story focused on these 3 main characters to its success. Loved how they did Christmas in this movie. The family gathered at different nights at family members houses to decorate a tree, make cookies, etc. The mystery of Brooke Burns character parents was well done and added depth to the movie. I agree with the Christmas Reviewer and want to see this one again next year. I only give about 1 in 10 movies a perfect 10 and that's after using IMDB to screen out the low rated ones. Well done. Well Done. Well Done.

Granted, the plot was weak, but it did provide the lead characters a chance to interact, throw in a cute young daughter, well you have what Hallmark strives for.

The leads in this Christmas romance are watchable. Always liked Brooke Burns who shows she can do romantic comedy as well as Lifetime drama. Tom Everett Scott has a kind look. So the 2 make a more mature and dignified looking couple than the usual silly and annoyingly perky holiday Hallmark movie.

A nice flight attendant keeps watch over an unaccompanied minor and ends up stuck in Chicago over the holidays. Of course she meets and falls for the single father of the kid. The father is a reporter who unearths some story about how her parents met in the city years ago.

Worth one watch.