Le Bel Inconnu de Noël

This movie has a cute premise but plays like it was written by someone who does entirely too much online shopping....I mean dating.....NEXT!

The female lead goes straight from a failed, but much wanted, marriage proposal to hunting the person who sent an unsigned love letter the very next day with not so much as a misty eye. With that kind of romantic conviction, what could go wrong?...Right?

The male lead's character has a brilliant young daughter, a very lifelike (because it is in fact alive) robotic dog, absolutely no spine, and little to no self respect as the female lead. When they inevitably get to get together, rather than the feel-good ending you're looking for, you wind up with a.....meh

The acting is good but the story is flawed. Even so, I think it's still worth watching but don't get too excited

Christmas Love Letter (2019)-

Tilky Jones as Ian is clearly the best option for her right from the start. Apart from being the hottest of the fellas she had to choose from, he's also the nicest and most normal, but as usual, the female lead character is a bit too shallow and self absorbed to see it (Who keeps writing these women like this?), so who will she end up with?

There is at least a small amount of doubt, which is nice for change and the general story as a whole is at least a different concept from the usual Girl meets boy and then falls out with boy, before he proves that she was a stupid cow to think that he was being anything but genuine with her all the time, but it would be good if the writers could have you guessing who she would end up with all the way along instead, in a kind of dating show way. Who will she eventually give her flower to, Etc. They'd all have potential and it wouldn't be obvious that the one with the dodgy laugh or terrible dress sense isn't going to cut it.

The biggest issue with these Christmas films is that they are so formulaic that you know exactly what is going to go down within the first fifteen minutes. It's time for a rethink in my opinion.

I personally would love to have 3 or 4 men all wanting my attention, but no such luck. Actually at this stage even one would be nice?

The film is well made and it's just a shame that some of the actors are made to be caricatures and a bit over the top. Ashley Newborough as Amalie didn't endear herself to me and the robot dog is a bit ridiculous, but there is a warmth and sweetness about it.

6.5ish?/10.

Are there two movies with this title? I have to wonder as if I had taken notice of the earlier reviews I wouldn't have watched this movie and that would have been a shame. Ok it's the usual formula, we know that before we start and yes the children can be a little over the top BUT all in all this is a bright, happy movie with a lot of laughs along the way. I thought all the actors did a great job. I have watched worse this season and a couple I didn't get past the first 15 minutes. This one was no effort at all. I'm sure others will enjoy as I did.

A writer returns to her home town to see which of her past boyfriends might have written an unsigned love letter to her. Could have been some funny moments but they were few and far between. The guy who loves her is obvious from the start and it's just tedious to see how they end up together. The cast is okay. Ashley has a big smile and winning personality. Tilky looks a bit sleepy.

There's a slow start. Then there is a bad start. A really bad start. I hate the failed-he's-going-to-propose especially when the guy isn't just lame, but cliche lame. (He doesn't even realize they broke up.) I think it was supposed to be funny. I'd just prefer they left that whole exchange out.

The movie also starts with a whole need-a-column-by-Christmas premise. The unsigned letter/love-letter angle isn't new either, although it is a little less trampled as a premise. Combined with search-for-secret-admirer and it's a little more common, but still not obscenely overused.

There's a lot more lame and way too many more cliches and a lot of the acting isn't great in a lot of cases. Oddly, there's some funny dialogue in with the lame, so the movie isn't a total loss, especially if you like that type of humor that leans toward exaggerated rather than subtle..

Despite all the lame, overused , and totally predictable elements, I'm glad I hung on to the end. There were some sweet, interesting, and not so predictable moments. And it was put together well.

I also like Ashley Newbrough although I have a hard time putting my finger on what about her. Maybe it's the fact that she isn't 40 or older like so many of Hallmark's regulars (yes I know this movie is Lifetime). Maybe it's that she seems to connect easily with her opposites consistently.

Movies often thrown in "cute" kids as an extra hook. This one is a little above average on that front. Izzy Herbert doesn't do a great acting job, but she does enough to make her role count.