A Christmas for the Ages

Lots of potential, and we were happy to see Cheryl Ladd, but we could only take a half hour of this syrupy mess.

The scenes were full of unimaginative, banal dialogue about preachy family issues. Cheryl Ladd and her daughter talking about kids leaving the nest was the first crack in our willingness to continue, and then her scene with her neighbor talking about the upcoming 60s Christmas party with little giggles ... which I think were added in post production since we never saw any indication they giggled in the scene, finished off any desire to continue.

Great American Family is typically a step down from Hallmark offerings. They've improved in the past couple of years, but they're still not as consistent.

Cheryl Ladd did the best she could with this movie. Other actors are so weak. Always liked Candace Cameron Bure. However, as an actor, she is ok but not great. Honestly, Natasha is simply not believable. Casting her in a lead role is a poor choice. Many well known actors have children that have become great actors. In my opinion, Natasha may eventually improve over time. I usually like these kind of movies - no language, violence, or nudity. Although stories are usually predictable, these movies are often simply entertaining and enjoyable. This movie is not realistic and actors bring nothing to it.

I have to agree with a lot said by katykw-2. Too syrupy sweet and too much gushing.

I felt like instead of a real story, the movie was scenes of a family at Christmas without a lot of progress toward an end goal. There was an underlying message of Yay Family but that was there beginning to end. Also, a story needs some tension. This movie had less real tension than almost any Christmas movie I've seen, at least in a while and that's saying something with this network. GAF prides itself on family friendly and sometimes they dial down any real negativity, i.e. Tension.

The main romance was Savannah and Rudy. They were already together from the start. Savannah had about 2 seconds of doubt which wasn't based on any real complaints. There was never a chance of their relationship going south. If there was a real story here, there would have been some hiccup, some obstacle, either in their relationship or something else. Where were the bursting pipes?

There is lip service about God and it is repeated, maybe a little too much. If there was a message here, it was vague. This network also prides itself on being faith oriented. That's great and I am all for it, but they need to fill it out. What exactly is your definition of the true meaning of Christmas and why Jesus came?

I loved the musical number at the end.

I love Hallmark and Great American Family Christmas movies. I look forward to them every year. It is a great escape from reality. However, this movie was just too much for me. In every scene they were always so happy and so perfect. Their home, their parties, singing in the choir together...it almost physically hurt to watch the movie. I couldn't finish the movie and I only had a few short minutes to go. I can't believe that I hung in there for as long as I did. I was writing Christmas cards so maybe my determination to get those done was my driving force to not stop and turn the stop button on my computer screen.

I love movies filled with light, happiness and hope, but this was just way over the top. It was too much that now I need to watch a horror movie to balance myself out.

I won't reiterate the negative comments in other reviews, many of which I agree with, but am commenting on the unbelievable casting. Natasha Bure is 25 years old, and the actors portraying her parents are 41. Do the math. Kate Craven especially looks too young to be her mom. Though Cheryl Ladd is old enough to be the grandmother, the amount of plastic surgery she's had makes her look to young for the role. I'm not criticizing her choice to have the surgery, only that it makes her look too young for the role, unless the 3 younger generations in this Christian family all had teenage pregnancies.