This Time Next Year

I was so excited to watch this movie. Cheesy romcoms are my treats for lazy Sunday afternoons. The director of the movie worked on all my favorite UK rom-com movies (Love Actually, Notting Hill, About a Boy). John Hannah and Monical Dolan are top rate actors. Loved her in Sherwood. For some reason, they made her wear a strange and stupid wig but I digress.

The premise of the movie is pretty typical and the side characters were alright. So what could possibly go wrong? The main character Winnie was comically bad. Her over the top whinging and whiny was so annoying I had to stop watching after about 30 minutes.

To preface this review, usually I love a good rom-com. But this movie had a thin, senseless plot and a really bad case of overacting that it just wasn't very enjoyable. Sophie Cookson, playing the lead and unlucky character Minnie, was unfortunately so dramatic and squeaky it became annoying. The actor playing Quinn, Lucien Laviscount from Emily in Paris, was slightly more understated but still was exuding borderline school-play level acting. I would hope it was a result of poor direction, as I don't remember this poor acting in their previous works that I've seen. The supporting cast were just okay.

Beyond the acting, I just don't think the plot translated very well into a movie, like it couldn't create a balance between whimsy and realism. It definitely wasn't nailing being a comedy. I haven't read it, but perhaps the book was better.

Either way, maybe the film just wasn't my cup of tea and others will enjoy this type of cheesy acting and direction. If you don't though, I'd give this one a skip.

Strange experience - the main girl is playing Keira Knightley (why?). This film has really good cast so the quality of writing, directing and filming is a little disappointing. Although it is much better than any of the American Christmas Netflix productions it is also far too long. The mothers of the main characters however are a triumph! It's worth watching just to enjoy their performance. The ending is better than expected though, so if you have nothing better to do you may as well enjoy this romantic comedy/ Christmas movie but I doubt it will join the classics - nowhere near the quality of the Holiday or the Last Christmas.

It feels like the movie lasts the whole year!

Minnie is an insufferable brat that believes her life is just a strike of bad luck, until she meets a guy who was born exactly the same day as her and may have stolen her luck.

That is the premise of a potentially interesting romantic comedy, but then starts to go sooo slow and nothing seems to happen

The parents characters are good actors but their storylines are not developed at all, you never really understand what was their point in the story.

I still don't know if it was a comedy or a drama but in any case it was a bad movie. Minnie is not a relatable character is clumsy and annoying and you feel like Quinn is actually too good for her.

Okay this is your typical English Rom Com, with a few tears along the way. The supporting characters are pretty annoying, the two leads carry the film well.

There are some big names in the cast, Keala Settle, John Hannah even Anita Dobson pops.up.

London as ever looks great on camera, The film is under 2 hours and it went pretty quickly. Well worth a watch, if you like a feel good film.

Yes British films are cliche-ridden, some people will cringe at dome of the scenes.

This is on Netflix so nothing extra to watch abd saves going to the cinema in the cold dark night.

Like I said well worth a watch.