Christmas in the Heartland

It's the time to binge on Christmas / fluffy movies and we watched this film in the middle of such a binge-fest. It's pretty bad. There are probably worse films but this couldn't even make the hurdle to carry the Hallmark or Lifetime brand which own the category.

Its not a bad idea for a plot--just very very poorly executed. Not even clear they really had a director or writer. Its like they grabbed a bunch of inexpensive actors and told them to "talk like you're from Oklahoma." The thing is a mess from bad accents to nonsensical dialog, cartoonish sterotypes... Even the scenery is boring.

Ironically the "last scene" that people complained about was the most interesting. It's the cast (and occasionally the crew) running around in circles, bumping into each other, completely out of sync. An appropriate summation of the entire movie. They do seem to be having fun (or maybe they're just happy that its over(?)).

90 minutes of your life is best spent elsewhere. Pretty much anywhere

The best i can tell a whole lot of people have reviewed this movie that hate Christmas movies. Why watch them if you don't like them? I've been on a month-long Christmas binge of holiday movies so i feel like i can truly say i have seen some of the worst of the worst and The Christmas Trap isn't one of the worst. What The Christmas Trap is is a fun little holiday romp a la The Parent Trap style. Yes, there are plot holes. Yes, there is cheese. But hey, it's Christmas. Doesn't the holiday season require a certain level of suspension of disbelief? So, kick back. Turn your brain off and enjoy. Merry Christmas :)

This is called The Christmas Trap (no doubt a lazy reference to The Parent Trap) so I thought I knew the level of cheese I was in for.

I was wrong

The plot holes are canyonesque in size and the multiple revelations made to the audience and onscreen characters in the final scene are just too much.

So why have I given it an above average score?

The first 80% is exactly what I expected and satisfied my cheese quota, and the final denouement was just insane and made me laugh so hard I cried, so I had to give it extra stars for that.

I get cheesy Christmas movies, predictable story lines, poor acting, cringe worthy lines and a feel good ending. These things make Christmas movies wonderful! But this one doesn't. Its genuinely awful. My wife, who hasn't found a Christmas movie she doesn't love, hated it. It's uncomfortable and there's a big song at the end that you just want to be over. Thankfully once this terrible song ends, so does this travesty of a movie.

This movie is like a country music video with some unpredictable moments. This movie does tug at the heart strings with a moment or two, but I found myself picking up my phone often.

The acting was by far better then most Christmas movies that I have watched. And boy, have I watched my share of Christmas movies. There was also another story that emerged right at the end that I didn't see coming. This one doesn't quite feel believable but it has a few moments that made you feel like it was worth watching.