12 Men of Christmas

After watching this flick this evening, I am now looking hard for something I saw really worthwhile, something moving, something not a stereotype or cliché, something not seen before or unique, something I can say to you,like: "Hey, I'd like to recommend this one because...", but, I can't think of anything.

These ideas they come up with for Christmas stories are really annoying sometimes. Haven't we seen something similar and probably better put before? A top New York (when not) publicist catches her boyfriend in a compromising situation with her lady-boss and quits her job, then after fruitlessly searching, decides to take a position working for the Mayor of a small town in Montana (again, sameo sameo), doesn't exactly fit in with the local small town life (no surprises?), finds out they have a climber's rescue team but not enough money to buy the equipment they need, so drums up the 'brainy' idea to have 12 of the town's Adonises pose semi-naked for a calendar to produce profits to meet the goals? Well, admittedly, if you are in a place this small with limited resources, you bring out your think tank and go the distance, but honestly, after the first 45 minutes or so, everything was so humdrum I was becoming bored.

The plot had some gaps that made me mentally race ahead to try understand what was going on. Then in romantic affairs, I got mixed up with who was dating who and who had a crush on who and so on and on. The only thing that stood out was that E.J. Baxter (Kristin Chenoweth) and Will Albrecht (Josh Hopkins) were slicing each other up into ribbons ever since they met, but during the last 30 minutes or so, they found out they liked each other and fall in love, or something like that anyway (surprise!). So with the right mixture of improbabilities and copycat ideas, we produce this movie called "12 Men of Christmas" (why Christmas anyway - unless referring to the general period in which things took place). If trying to place a happy, hopeful feeling about the season, well, this movie failed to get that feeling moving - it was pretty banal and hum-drum. I felt suddenly empty and missing something.

As for the rest, you find yourself really stretching imagination a bit here to understand how they created a wannabe feel-good story that doesn't leave anything to think about, cherish, comment on, criticize constructively, or learn something for posterity's sake, if nothing more. There was nothing noted in the acting either, usual lame not-good not-bad stuff.

Honestly, I watched this one because I had nothing better to do, and I was enjoying my supper meanwhile. MY supper, how was it? Good! This movie, 12 Men of Christmas? Are you kiddin'?

Not sure how nobody else has mentioned this but the plot is predictable because it almost a straight map from pride and prejudice.

That doesn't make it bad - quite the opposite - just predictable. Basing it on this classic isn't unique amongst Christmas films - let's be honest, we don't watch films like this for originality anyway.

Kristin Chenoweth is her usual, bubbly self, the men are handsome and the scenery is beautiful. It has a decent secondary cast so of its type it's really not that bad.

If you like the rom-com Christmas films then you'll like this. My main gripe is it's really not a Christmas film only a very small proportion of the film is set at Christmas and it plays no part in the plot.

This movie is predictable and forgettable, a Christmas rom-com that ends happily ever after before barely grazing the surface of the leads' potential character arcs. Not that I am convinced either of the lead actors was capable of greater depth, but the script didn't give them any room to try. The secondaries were reasonably attractive and warm and human, but didn't get much in the way of lines or focus.

The reasons to watch:

1. Breathtaking mountain scenery 2. The photo shoot montage is excellent eye candy with humour attached 3. The mid-plot mutual-loathing confession of attraction that's a blatant ripoff from Pride & Prejudice but done in language far less polite.

4. The nod to the very real issue of cash-strapped Search and Rescue services, staffed by volunteers and relying often on borrowed or out-dated equipment, who manage at tremendous risk to life, limb, and family/romance to bring most people home most of the time from the wildernesses they've wandered into.

It's a 6 for those 4 reasons. Otherwise, it might be a 3.

I had a lot of fun watching "12 Men of Christmas", that was next on my alphabetical trawl through Sky Movies offerings, not because it was any good - but because it was so bizarrely awful.

After being fired from a New York advertising company after finding her boss in a compromising position with her fiancé, rather than suing for wrongful dismissal, E.J. (Kristen Chenoweth) heads to Montana, with one of the few job offers she can get, to help attract corporate events to the area. Having seen the financial struggles of the local Mountain Rescue team, E.J decides to convince them to pose for a suggestive calendar to help raise funds. With this plan though, she butts heads with Will Albrecht (Josh Hopkins) a local businessman and volunteer.

It should be pointed out, "12 Men of Christmas" is a Hallmark TV movie, so the effort and money spent on it is not that high, still - it's awful. Hilariously so. A shambolic mess of ideas half thought through, then abandoned, or at the very least explored for two minutes before moving on. It's like watching a 90 minute summation of a season of a TV show where each problem that befalls E.J and her plan is immediately resolved without any drama whatsoever. "The calendar needs a corporate sponsor" beat "Here's a sponsor" - "There are people objecting to the content of the calendar" beat "Oh well". The initial premise is way overplayed too, with E.J. acting less like a city girl in the country and more like an alien landing on Earth for the first time. The film also likes to pretend like its established things to play off later. It pretends like there's a relationship between E.J and one of the Model/Rescue team and then hints like he's cheating on her, before ignoring that for most of the rest of the film before resolving the plot point in the end.

It should be said, I like Kristen Chenoweth and she's gamily up for most of the garbage this film wants her to wade through and nobody else, who you would consider an actor, is staggeringly awful (some of the models crow-barred into the rescue team are though). The points I have given then film all come from Chenoweth's appeal, and the fun I had laughing incredulously at it with my wife.

In fast-paced Manhattan, EJ (Christin Chenowith) seems to have everything going her way. She has a great job in publicity, a handsome fiancé and a very nice apartment. But, things fall apart, as they say. Her fiancé cheats on her with their mutual boss lady and there's nothing for EJ to do but throw back the ring and quit her job. But, a new problem arrives. When this beautiful blonde smartie goes looking for another position, of which there are plenty in her chosen field, she finds that she has been "blackballed" by her former boss. Now, she's lost her man and her chance of employment in the city that never sleeps. Fortunately, she has a caring sister who advises her to take a fine job offer from Kalispell, Montana's mayor. It seems this scenic town, not far from Glacier National Park, wants a publicist to bring more corporate retreats to their area. Thus, EJ will have a salary and she will be far away from those who did her wrong. She does it. Arriving in this very lovely place, EJ is astounded at the low rents and the warmth of the residents. But, naturally, there are very few restaurants and sight-seeing opportunities, other than the natural beauty of the mountains and fields. Therefore, EJ is initially stuck for a "good angle" on her quest for publicity. But, hold the phone! There is a bevy of good looking men who do volunteer search-and-rescue. One man is particular, Will (Josh Hopkins) has a great face and, er, bod. Yet, since EJ manages to offend him straight away, there may not be any romantic vibes coming. Even so, EJ hatches a tried-but-true idea for her job. Why don't they make a calendar featuring the men of Kalispell, in various stages of dress, doing rugged manly chores? Everyone eventually loves the idea except Josh. So, its soon underway to becoming a reality. Will it work for the town's benefit? Will EJ and Josh soon realize that sparks are flying despite first impressions? This is another fine entry into the realm of holiday romcoms. Since calendars have twelve months, there is indeed a wonderful dozen of handsome, charming men on display, which adds enjoyment to the fine work by Chenowith and Hopkins. The rest of the cast, including Anna Chlumsky, is nice as well. One could hardly miss the tremendous beauty of the Montana setting while the nice costumes, script, photography, and cheerful direction add their own assets to the movie. All in all, fans of romantic comedy will be the seventh, er, twelfth heaven with this cute little winner.