A Crafty Christmas Romance

So, this is my 3rd Lifetime Christmas movie of the 2020 season. It was pretty difficult to get thru, I must. I found myself multitasking (e.g., grabbing for my iPad) several times, especially during the first 45 minutes or so, which is not a good sign. Don't get me wrong, the story was sweet, and the script was not that bad, though the dialogue at times was a bit 'cheesy'. However, the acting, i.e. the performances by Nicola Posener and Brad Johnson - fresh faces on the screen for me - were mediocre at best. A couple of very awkward scenes included, for example, the one where she accused him of taking the coin and the one at the end of the movie. The chemistry between the two was also quite lacking, which is not good for a romance film. I had to LOL when reading the following by another reviewer on here: 'The two leads were as wooden as a couple of planks.' Indeed, this is a nice way to sum it up, I am afraid. I mean, I am a fan of Hallmark/Lifetime Christmas movies, but, unfortunately, I would not recommend this one, even to fans.

How does this kind of mis casting take place? The lead woman is a pretty actress who is it was not for a huge nose would be beautiful, is cast in a romantic relationship with a man who is 26 years older than her. The wife and I noticed the age difference immediately. I checked both of them.. I consulted IMDb and found out she was born in 87 and he was born in 61. also there's a huge looks difference, she is way above him in the looks Department.. there is no way their relationship was believable ....The srory was not bad, it was different. The acting was good, but the pairing of a younger pretty woman with a bland looking man old enough to be her father was absurd.

A crafty Christmas Romance had a nice mystery regarding the owner of the coin. However, the romance was weak, as the main couple had zero chemistry.

He's not the 60y/o actor Brad Johnson that populates first in search. He's Robyn Lively's (Teen Witch) brother-in-law, her husband is 50y/o actor Bart Johnson. Despite this, and despite him cleverly hiding his age, Nicola Posener was born in 1987, she's 33! He sure as heck ain't, and it shows.

The May-December casting turned me and my family off and we didn't finish the movie. They're working actors, I don't blame them, I blame casting that clearly spent #metoo binge-watching Porky's movies. She's this flawless-skinned, impeccably made-up, YOUNG, fit, sophisticated, YOUNG, woman with highlights; and while soft-spoken, charming and gentle, he's waaaaaayyyy older looking, with well-worn skin, and a hockey player's beak, lol! They don't even look like neighbors.

Unlike others I thought they had chemistry. His character was upbeat, nice and fun, and they connected well. I thought she strained to convey warmth and felt Ms Posener miscast for the Rockwellian setting and tempo. I'd like to see them both again, just cast with better leads in more suitable stories.

The plot was a good one, and if I say the background music was ok, then there clearly is a problem if I noticed that and nothing else.

The two leads were as wooden as a couple of planks. They were just reciting the awful dialogue that the scriptwriters (?) gave them, like newsreaders reading autocues. No chemistry, no acting, nothing. Perhaps getting amateurs from the local drama group would have worked better, but more was expected from a couple of 'professionals'.

Casting director, script writers need to learn a lesson from this - a) make sure the right actor/actress will have sufficient chemistry with each other, and b) don't write dialogue that would make a 10 year old cringe.