La Petite Boutique de Noël

...an eight when I saw it a couple years ago. On reflection, that may have been a tad generous, but I really like this movie. The plot is nothing special, but there's a lot of nostalgic sub-plots to support the premise that the Christmas Shop in question is a magical place. The story of an older couple who buy a new ornament every year is touching, and it's fun to see Dave Koz play a Christmas song and visit for a bit. Bobby Campo is likeable and his sense of humor keeps things moving at appropriate times. I also like all the old Christmas music they play that I've never heard before. I wish there was a way to find out who these artists were. It's a Hallmark Christmas movie. It's not supposed to be Citizen Kane. Relax and enjoy.

Stephanie Nichols (Ellen Hoffman) has just inherited The Christmas Shop from her parents which is a business that they have run for the last 40 years or so. However, soon after she acquires the shop she learns that a real estate company has placed a compulsory purchase on her shop and has given her 30 days notice to find another premises. Determined not to be bullied into submission, Stephanie decides to fight against the eviction and receives help from an unlikely source namely Michael (Bobby Campo) whom works for the real estate company responsible for evicting Stephanie...

OK so criticising a Christmas film for being sappy is probably a bit like criticising a horror film for being too scary or too gory - I get it that's the point, but Sharing Christmas takes sappiness to a whole new level...

Everything is laid on way too thick; the score for example is probably one of the most manipulative and over-used scores that I think I've ever witnessed in any film. In fact, I'm struggling to think of a particular scene or moment where it wasn't blaring across the screen. Don't get me wrong a score can be good in a film, but it should be used sparingly and more importantly at appropriate times. In Sharing Christmas it's there all the time which strikes as desperation on the part of the director in order to wring out false emotion from the audience.

The basic/concept story is not a bad one in principle, but even when looking at it in its most basic form it's a hard film to get behind or care about; from an early stage, we're supposed to be against the capitalist giant and the billion dollar acquisition when in reality they are simply doing their job and trying to make some money (which to some may seem immoral, but it certainly isn't illegal). The film might have worked better if it would have shown McClaine properties doing something underhand or illegal to gain their advantage (which would have perhaps made the narrative slightly more involving).

The development of the story is dull and director Peter Sullivan seems to keep the film permanently in neutral; none of the characters come across as being believable and as a whole it is overly nice and cutesy and even towards the end of the film characters do not act and behave how you would expect normal people to behave which ultimately cheapens what message the film is trying to get across.

Even the acting isn't great with many of the actors being in permanent 'grin mode' although given the way that the writer and director smother the film in schmaltz this hardly comes as a surprise - avoid.

This is the 2nd Christmas movie I've seen with the lovely Ellen Hollman- The Perfect Christmas List (2014) and that one was a little better with some humor, but not that good. Also saw Bobby Campo in My Christmas Love (2016) which was not good. My complaint is there was no creativity or depth in the story. I enjoyed the first 30 minutes with the festive colors and such. My wife and I both fell asleep at the 60 minute mark. The title of the movie should have been "The Christmas Shop" because that was the focus of the movie. Ellen Hollman just was just not suited for this role as the happy Christmas Shop owner. The scenes where she was not happy with Bobby Campo were the best. Cynthia Gibb has had small parts in many of these Christmas movies as she did here (not that good). She stars in one of my favorite Christmas movies "Mary Christmas (2002)" which had an excellent story. She needs another starring Christmas role.

It's not that great of a store. I feel I know a little too much about the real estate market in New York. At least there is no ice sculpting. I have no idea who Dave Koz is....that was kind of funny. Ellen Hollman is fine...the leading guy is a little weird but tolerable.

This Christmas movie which is new in 2017 uses a greatly overused premise. The pretty young lady, Stephanie, is about have her family business of 40 years evicted because of a new owner that wants to renovate. The handsome guy she just met and might have just a bit of romantic interest in is the one who will handle the renovation and thus is responsible for her eviction. One slightly different take is that this guy, Michael, immediately sees how precious the store is both to Stephanie and to the community. However, his boss is adamant about not finding a compromise. This last bit doesn't ring true since otherwise his boss appears to be fairly reasonable and has at least some motherly affection for Michael, and she is leasing new businesses anyway.

The story doesn't progress much beyond developing the relationship between Stephanie and Michael, and further demonstrating what has already been made plain, i.e. that the shop is precious and even a little unusual. It only remains to be seen which overused plot device will be found to save the store since it is hard to believe that a Hallmark movie could have an unhappy ending.

Ellen Hollman and Bobby Campo make an attractive couple as Stephanie and Michael. It is a bit unusual that they hit it off immediately without the usual conflict we usually have between the two that are obviously destined by the writers to be together. David Starzyk, as Stephanie's father, provides a few humorous moments, but seriously Dan, couldn't you be just a little quicker getting away with something without your wife seeing it?

While the characters are charming, the story is flat so I recommend this movie only for those who are truly addicted to Hallmark Christmas movies.