Sorpresa a Natale

Loved this amazing Christmas story. And it was good too see Jennifer Grey from Dirty Dancing again. Yes I recommend it. James Welch. Henderson Arkansas. 11/11/2020

Professional photographer Claire Jamison (Jennifer Grey) is desperate to get to Aspen for her wedding with her rich Italian boyfriend Lorenzo whom none of her friends like. She is stranded when her plane is grounded. She gets on the wrong bus and grabs a ride from some weird hunters. When she's abandoned at the roadside, she gets a ride from 13 year old Hilly (Megan Park) and her dad Tom Pullman (Clark Gregg). He is still sad a decade after losing his late wife. Hilly immediately connects with Claire. It's a troublesome road trip as the trio bond.

This Lifetime Christmas romance faces a difficulty in chemistry both in personnel and in story. Grey and Gregg don't come across as romantic. Quite frankly, she has more chemistry with the daughter and I would have loved this as a friendship movie. As a Lifetime movie, a romance must be executed. The fact that Claire is getting married makes the relationship hurdle very high to overcome. She doesn't know his cheating during the trip and it makes any connection with Tom rather icky. I really like her and Hilly's relationship more.

This is one of those "coming-together/finding each other" movies, which occur and recur every Christmas season.

Like nearly all of them, its ending is predictable, but then any presentation within this genre would be less enjoyable if not.

The three lead characters are engaging and likable. Some have said Clark Gregg's role and performance lacked warmth, but I thought him more realistic than would have been expected, but I liked his more realistic demeanor, portrating a man who didn't go instantly quivering and stammering upon being thrown together with the sophisticated, beautiful big-city lady. Meagan Park was cute and charming and did a fine acting job (especially since she was 20 while playing the 13-year-old daughter). She indicates she's in the 8th grade - and seems believable; no mean feat for someone who in real life would be at least halfway through college.

I don't remember seeing either of these previously, and had seen Jennifer Grey only a long time ago, in "Dirty Dancing." I had sat through that flick for its entirety because of my companion. I have always found watching Patrick Swayze for any length of time akin to a root canal without anesthetic. But I remember a younger Grey as attractive, despite an extremely prominent proboscis. She's a woman who is not only beautiful, but now capable of passing for somewhat younger than latter 40's, if required. And there can never be, in recorded history - past or future - a greater example of the desirability, where warranted, and the benefits of, rhinoplasty.

A pleasant couple of holiday hours.

This take on having to surmount obstacles to get places at Christmas is fresh and believable. The dialog is what you'd expect these characters to say - not the usual cliché chatter that a lot of romantic comedies have these days.

Surprises abound on Claire's road trip to the alter. Claire's photo shoot in Chicago is canceled allowing her to leave for Aspen, CO earlier than planned where she plans to marry Lorenzo on Christmas. Bad weather forces a landing in Nebraska, with no other seats or rental cars available. This is a common theme in this type of genre, but it's the remainder of the trip that is full of interesting twists and turns. In parallel to Claire's journey, Tom Pullman and his daughter Hilly are driving from Chicago to Vail, CO where they plan to spend Christmas with Tom's mother. Tom comes to Claire's rescue under the most unlikely circumstances. The unexpected is what makes this made for TV movie well worth a look!!

For many reasons, it is a surprising film. For the chemistry between lead characters, for the comfortable manner to introduce the details, for the resurrection of old passion, for the fine delicacy and something who can not be defined very precise. It is easy to define it as magic or Christmas spirit but, in many senses, it is a film about the force to use the loneliness for be not alone. Sure, many unrealistic moments, the fail of wedding motif being the most obvious. But, a real nice film, decent performed , giving the fair story.