Holiday Harmony

For months I had been wary with HBO max as they continued to put discovery channel trash into my feed. I'm there for quality films of all kinds and budgets, from art house to comic book to holiday rom com. And this one was up to snuff as far as HBO Max goes. Why? It's a cut above. Higher quality writing, acting, singing, etc. HBO always brings quality to the table and this movie was such a breath of fresh air. Script is a taught, well-written romp through a young singer's troubles. Acting is great, way better than typical for this genre, and the singing is off the charts. I had been worried about HBO but it looks like they are back on track. More of this A+ quality please!!

Years back, there was an A-list performer who actually put on his resume (which only casting directors got to see) that he was "the hardest working actor in Hollywood." Watching Holiday Harmony, I felt that, in a genre crammed full of low-budget wannabees cashing in on the season, here finally was an X-Mas movie with somewhat higher ambitions. Slickly produced, and great cinematography. The script by Lauren Swickard -- who somehow managed to also cast herself in a minor role? -- combines three well-worn movie themes (Christmas, music, and the lure of small town life) into a very workable film that holds the attention. Interesting appearance by Brooke Shields who is now at the stage of her career where she plays a cranky small town mother. Annelise Cepero in the lead role is charismatic and knows how to carry a tune. Recommended. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

I am going to come right out and say that I love this film- it is so important to me, that its one of those rare few films that don't want to see too often (six times so far and it's been out less than a week), so I can preserve some of the original wonder that I felt when I first saw it. It nourishes me as an artist and a human being.

This film is what I think great romcom can be. It has terrific acting, a beautiful simple story, wonderful production values, and of course that score- certainly one of the most beautiful and haunting scores in the history of romcom film.

What it has that is most important, however, is heart. This movie has a wonderful message about what it means to be human, to be alive. What better metaphor for the sheer passion of living than the exhilaration of simply running as fast as you can.

This movie is as close to pure perfection as any romcom made in the last five years. As one woman wrote, watch it with your children. Mine loved it!

You can easily see why this movie became such a hit for HBO immediately and will be loved today by younger and older generations. This movie has a wonderful soundtrack, great actors, lots of dancing, drama and comedy.

Even if the movie is set in Oklahoma, it has that long gone feeling of the carefree, happy 80s. Gale and Brooke are captivating and they just have that untouchable charm that you only can find in these lovely movies from long ago.

I will also give cred for the wonderful cinematography which capture the colors of the nature scenes.

This is a must see for everyone! You will not regret the watch!

Great holiday fun and some awesome tunes too! I was expecting a typical two dimensional holiday rom com but this is a lot more fun. The singer is amazing and if that's really her singing, she's got a great future. The kids were a lot of fun and Brooke shields was great. So nice seeing a Hollywood beauty who isn't plasticized to within an inch of her life. She looks great and brought a lot of fun to the movie. Great dialogue and acting. Yeah it's low budget but this one makes up for it with talent and story, and of course song. Lots of fun songs. Not sure if that actress is really the singer but if she is she could be huge!