Well Suited for Christmas

This is a Lifetime movie, I thought it would be better. It started with a poor script and went downhill from there. Mercedes de la Zerda isn't a strong enough actress to carry the lead role, she's not that good and she's not believable as a successful designer heading a major design house. There are so many better Latino/Latina cast productions. I liked some of the supporting cast, but they were burdened by a bad script and a really bad story line. I've seen Franco Lo Presti in other films and he's good, but better with a story set in the outdoors. Surprised Lifetime didn't film or buy a better movie.

This movie has lots of the usual formulas. A Christmas contest at a charity gala. Designer Rachel really needs to win for her business. Decorating party. Protective mom and dad. Foster kids. And the one that is as pervasive as any but always irritates me relative to how strongly played - the leads' first meeting is antagonistic. In this case it was pretty strong and the unjolly tension remained a bit long. Then it instantly disappeared.

But stick with this despite the early lack of merry measure. There are some twists, small and one large in the second half. At one point I wondered if there would be any conflict between Rachel and Brett because it seemed like everyone's HEA was shaping up early, but it came with a little foreshadowing at the last minute.

After Rachel got over her preconceptions about Brett, I liked Mercedes de la Zerda in this role. She and Franco Lo Presti have chemistry despite Brett's intentional reserved demeanor.

As much as the first half made me feel like a grinch, the second half was very well done not just with little surprises, but some deeper handling of issues like trust, at least one piece of symbolism, and some sentimental moments too. By the climax I was starting to feel my Ho, Ho, Ho.

This movie had everything I like in a movie: Diverse cast, good script, nice costumes, good setting. I really liked the plot. Usual these movies are filled with meaningless fluff about someone going home to a small town and falling for an old flame and deciding to give up their lives to stay in the small town after a week or so.

Not this movie. It's about a strong accomplished main character who decides to support a meaningful cause that ties back to the other main character's past. A real positive message and I found it refreshing.

In fact there were positive messages weaved throughout their story. I will definitely watch it again. Also, I hope to see the main characters in other movies.

Rachel is a designer and she gets invited to a Christmas gala in which she has to design a tuxedo for a bachelor. The winner will get front cover in a magazine. Of course, she gets paired with the grumpiest person alive: Brett Stone.

This story follows the formula. They meet and do not have a good start only to find out they will be working together. They slowly start getting along after opening each other about their past. The stories also features Rachel's meddling but loving parents the whole story. We see them bonding with Brett, uncovering his soft side. Very Latin American of them.

The leads have good chemistry. She does a good job at being an energetic and ambitious designer and so does he at being the not so grumpy and a very caring person.

Nothing special to see. Ordinary supporting cast. We have the problem at the end as well, which honestly not a fan because it was serious and it may bring up trust problems on the future of the couple. Of course, they did have their happily ever after, for now...

I did enjoy the movie.

From I saw that this was a lifetime film I didn't expect much. The commercials already made me roll my eyes and what I saw confirmed absolutely everything I expected.

I only tuned in for 3 minutes, during the scene where the not so good looking male lead was having his measurements taken by the lead actress who was trying her darnedest to come off as bashful and trying to hide her desire for him. I honestly felt like I was watching a scene from the campy soap opera Passions! Like seriously?

This must have been lifetime's poor attempt at making their version of "lights, camera, Christmas" and they failed miserably! Don't waste your time watching this amateurish acting.