Un message pour Noël

The idea is not bad, leading actors i usually find likeable and the supporting ones were all pleasant, but it's like the writer and director tried to keep it as primitive as possible. Nor was there a hint of chemistry between the leads. Till the last moment they were willing to give up on each other, then he decides her happiness means so much to him that he's willing to follow her to another country... (when it makes a lot of sense to stay in his new home now, near his mom they both love...)

To offer a half-baked product that has all the potential of being a satisfying and original story with good actors must be ...sad.

A stranger's text leads to a Christmas dinner invitation and an unexpected romance in this cute holiday story about found family. Unfortunately, the over-the-top, tacky holiday decor is a big visual distraction rather than offering a warm festive setting. (This seems to be a reoccurring problem with GAC/GAF productions.) Hoping that for next year GAC learns the art of classic, elegant holiday decor - less is more people! There are also a few disconnects that should have been caught in editing, but overall this is a festive, uplifting watch with a primary romance in the making, as well as a sweet secondary romance.

The last GAF movie I watched had over the top autumn decorations and annoying background music. Fast forward to this Christmas movie and now we have over the top Christmas decor and more distracting background music. I'm not sure who thinks this adds to the movies but please stop!

Other than these distractions, I thought it was a good movie although the pace was slow, especially the romance between Addie and James. The leads, Merritt Patterson and Trevor Donovan, worked well together and I liked the interactions with Jayne Eastwood's "Nana". Probably not a movie I'd watch again but enjoyable for a one time view.

Merritt Patterson is one of my favorite actors and I also like Trevor Donovan. My main complaint with this movie is the plot device of showing the characters lives only around successive Christmases. This device has been used several times, but it isn't as overused as many other premises.

The background for it all is a cornucopia of the usual stuff. Addie just broke up after a long term relationship. What little family she has is off jet setting for the holidays. Grandma decides to do some matchmaking. Both Addie and James will be leaving town soon after Christmas dinner. There were many other echoes of other Christmas movies, especially early on.

My problem is that there is too much jumping forward into next year and not enough spending time together and getting to know each other. Between Christmases their lives move on and we get brief recaps at the beginning of the next season. I thought it showed in the acting. Donovan and Patterson did a movie together last year and should have had great chemistry but I didn't really see it. It seemed like they were going through the motions to get on to the next Christmas.

Many Christmas movies have a cute kid that adds a spark and forms a bond with one of the leads. Paige did not play a big role in that sense. And two years after we first see her, she hasn't changed which isn't noticeable in an adult, but should be obvious in an early teen.

The movie is family friendly but might not have a lot to attract small children.

I continue to hope for great things from Great American Family, but it is not a good sign if two of their best veteran actors fail to deliver in one of the first premieres of the season.

I've often said that these Hallmark/Lifetime/GAC Family movies live or die based on their casting of the lead actors and how much chemistry those leads have. Safe to say, the producers got it one thousand percent correct when casting Canadian Merritt Patterson (one of my favourites, from ever since her early Hallmark days, through her incredibly risqué turn in 'Heatwave' and recent work on GAC Family) and Trevor Donovan, who is a sold actor and can always be counted on to turn in a good performance.

If Patterson and Donovan were good together two years ago in 'Jingle Bell Princess', they are GREAT here in 'Twas the Text Before Christmas', which features an inventive (if somewhat unlikely in real life) scenario that takes place over three Christmases (similar to one of my favourites, 'Four Christmases and a Wedding') and a well-cast group of secondary actors.

This slow-developing and pleasant movie is definitely one of the better Christmas movies you're likely to see in 2023.