None of Lifetime's Christmas films are perfect, though one should never expect them to be. Their Christmas output falls into three main categories. One is the surprisingly good category, which is on the same level and sometimes better than Hallmark's more prolific festive offerings. Two is the mediocre at best category, which is often quite a bit better than the worst of Hallmark. Three is somewhere in between of average and pretty good.
'Grounded for Christmas' was for me in the surprisingly good category when it came to their Christmas films. Is it a classic? No, and there are better Christmas films out there. There are also a lot worse and there are a lot of good things here. 'Grounded for Christmas' serves its purpose of being a film that is a relaxing way of spending a quiet December afternoon, one that didn't ever offend me and one to not demand too much from. Really liked that it wasn't as predictable as other Lifetime Christmas offerings and had a couple of attempts of being different.
Sure, 'Grounded for Christmas' isn't perfect. Not all the supporting characters are particularly well acted, the ex-boyfriend (a one-dimensional character and excessively jerk-ish) was badly overplayed especially in my view.
Maybe it could have taken a little less time to get going, it's a slight drag in the early stages. Not many surprises in the story either, which tends to plan out more or less what one expects watching a Lifetime/Hallmark etc. Christmas film that has a lot of similar elements to each other.
The story though is also very charming and heart-warming. Once the film got going the pace was efficient enough and it doesn't feel padded or repetitive. The dialogue flows well and avoids being too sentimental or cheesy, things that some Christmas films can be (am a fan of Christmas and of festive films just to say before anybody gets the wrong idea reading that). The two leads have a sweet chemistry that sparkles and helps give 'Grounded for Christmas' its heart.
Corey Sevier and Julianna Guill are both very appealing as characters not difficult to root for, both seem like they know what's they're doing, they never look stiff and they don't over-compensate. Even if the locations aren't authentic they still look lovely and they are lovingly captured by the photography. The setting was a refreshing one as was the basic premise, and the film even attempts not too badly a twist near the end that didn't feel shoe-horned in or implausible. The music is pleasant.
In summary, not great but good. 7/10
