The Naughty List

This movie was listed by my provider as "A Date by Christmas Eve" and that title appeared on screen. The alternate title "The Naughty List" probably describes it better.

This isn't a common Christmas premise, but it is a pretty solid mix of two older Christmas movies with much better leads and acting in general. "I'm Not Ready for Christmas" with Alicia Witt has the can't-lie angle. "Naughty or Nice" with Hilarie Burton has the Santa's magic list angle. On the other side of this movie is one I just watched yesterday "A Christmas Crush". The last made this one look excellent. The similarity of this one with "Wish" is the magic wish on a potential boyfriend, especially the result on said "boyfriend".

I mention "Crush" because it is an example of doing really badly what this movie mostly succeeds at. This movie has some exaggerated humor, but doesn't let the acting or story get out of control like "Crush" did. This movie does the story pretty well with controlled overacting. In that sense it is similar to "Ready" and "N or N". The difference in the three is the acting, especially the leads. Both Witt and Burton have much better comedic timing. They both probably had better lines to work with also.

Bear in mind that this movie is about magic and it intentionally uses some exaggeration, so judging the acting is a little different than the standard Hallmark or Lifetime pure Christmas Romance.

I really liked the implied message about magic which is a cover for what we as people think in our hearts about other people. In a good Magic story, magic has a cost, or better, a consequence. Chelsea really learns that.

Fisher is the paragon, at least mostly. Chelsea is a bit wimpy but at her roots is honest and giving.

While the premise isn't the usual Christmas movie fare, the audience still has a pretty good idea what's coming. The ending here is decent enough.

This movie has weaknesses but is very watchable if you get into the spirit of fantasy magic mixed with Christmas romantic comedy.

Wow! I would have given this movie 0/10 if I could. Alot of the 2019 lifetime christmas movies this season were really good with great actors and actresses but this was one of their worst out of all 28 this season. The main lead actress and her blonde ditzy friend were painful to watch. It literally felt like pulling teeth and like you were at an improv class where no one knew how to act. The movie didnt flow at all. They played background music like they do in all movies to go along with what's happening and it didnt even match up to the acting because they couldnt even act! I made it about half way through. I kept thinking this has to get better but it never did. I mean they couldnt act to save their life. I'm not trying to sound mean but the acting was so forced and it was so so SOOO bad! All their other incredible movies theyve had this season like merry liddle Christmas & a christmas winter song & random acts of Christmas & twinkle all the way & staging christmas & christmas in Louisiana and a christmas wish were all incredible movies and a few others and they flowed along with the storyline and the movie flowed but this was beyond forced. No one in the movie could act. Period. One of the worst movies I've seen in a REALLY long time.

This film is definitely aimed at a younger film audience, based on its secondary story and the cast as a whole. It does deliver to some degree, but is almost a complete rip off of another story about the 12 wishes of Christmas or something like that.

The lead guy is cute in his way and the bonus with him is that you could use his ears to pick up satellite wherever you are. I always liked having something to hold on to. Vanessa (Sugar Motta from 'Glee') actually does a great job in the lead female role, it's just a shame that the story and directing don't support her to show her full potential. It's not a serious story. The 'Boyfriend' Rod, is a terrible actor. The best friend is one of those annoying millennials that takes a selfie every five minutes and Morgan Fairchild would not be my first choice as Mrs Kringle, she can't even smile properly with all that work she's had done! So overall, not a great supporting cast, maybe that's why Vanessa Lengies? shines?

I might watch it again in a few years time, so I'm not saying it's awful, but it's easier to pick faults than to see the good things. Oh yeah, I've just remembered, she has a great wardrobe in it, some lovely dresses.

A traditional "Be Careful What You Wish For" story set at Christmas.

A little magic. Not the normal holiday plot. Vanessa Lengies is perfect in this role.

Greetings, salutations, and a seasonal welcome to all you movie aficionados. Here are my considerations and recommendation for A Date By Christmas Eve.

Story: 1.50/2 - Direction and Pace: 2.00/4 - Performances: 1.25/2 - Enjoyment: 1.50/2

Total 6.25/10

If you wanna fall in love by Christmas Eve, well, there's an app for that! And the thanks for that incredible software go to Julie McNiven, who stole the idea from her colleague Chelsea Simms. But Chelsea doesn't need to worry, some people know about the injustice. One of whom is Mrs Kringle, who bestows Chelsea's app with a smidgen of Elfen Santa Magic - The glamour to award Christmas gifts to nudge people back onto the Nice List. But of course, with great power comes blah, blah, blah. You know the given gifts will return to her double and triple fold. And luckily for the viewer, the writer and director, Jake Helgren, utilises these to add humour, unveil truths, and build characterisations: It's one reason the story works so well. Helgren is an outstanding scribe. He develops fascinating characters and gives them witty and heartfelt dialogue. I especially adored the segment where Rod, Chelsea's beau, proposes to her because of the gift she bestowed upon him. It works brilliantly, not just because of the writing, but all the performers are on point, their delivery is spot on for the comedic elements, and Helgren's cinematography adds the cherry to the icing on Rod's proposal cake.

As I stated, the acting is excellent, and all the performers deliver their portrayals flawlessly. It's a shame that a few characters are a tad on the stereotypical side, but the actors and actresses make up for their conventionality. For example, Rod is Mr Perfect, but Taylor Frey adds a slight campiness and overcooks the character to raise laughs, and it works. Plus, it was nice to see Morgan Fairchild again, this time as Mrs Kringle - she looks great for her age.

Though Helgren films the story in a predominantly conventional style, he adds the odd pleasing composition and subtly different camera angles. The more pedestrian filming allows the performers to shine and the story to unfold. However, I would've liked a little more of the heart-warming atmosphere, which comes and goes.

But, as it stands, A Date For Christmas Eve was a highly entertaining pleasure to watch. Therefore, I wholeheartedly recommend the movie for your viewing pleasure this season of goodwill.

Please check out my HO! HO! HO! Christmas Belles list to see where I ranked the movie.

Take Care, Stay Well, And Best Wishes For A Merry Christmas.