Lifetime's 2020 Christmas film batch, like all their previous years, was pretty hit and miss which was not unexpected. There were some surprisingly good ones, but also some mediocre at best ones with some just about passing. 'Lets Meet Again on Christmas Eve' didn't sound exceptional but it also sounded like something different from the usual Lifetime plot (they have had quite a number of successful changes of pace before, but a lot of their work is quite samey plot-wise.
Was very on the fence on 'Lets Meet Again on Christmas Eve' when watching it as part of my Hallmark/Lifetime Christmas film quest (have also started watching Hallmark's spring, summer and fall films which has also been a variable experience). The film sounded relatively different and more fantasy-oriented, but could have explored it a lot more and handled it less conventionally. The acting is the best thing about it, but 'Lets Meet Again on Christmas Eve' also has major story problems that hinder things quite badly.
There are definitely things to like here. The best thing about 'Lets Meet Again on Christmas Eve' is the acting. The difference in Kyla Pratt's acting here compared to the previous year's 'No Time for Christmas' is massive in improvement, she was awful in that film whereas she looks more relaxed and expressive here apart from a nervous first 15-20 minutes. Brooks Darnell's performance is more consistent and it is one of great warmth and easy going charm. Their chemistry is very sweet and well-connected and it doesn't feel sketchy or hasty. Nancy Sorel, Paul Essiembre and Sarah Luby are solid support. The characters are well worn cliches and not complex but they engage in personality at least and are not caricatures.
Furthermore, it is visually appealing. Lovely scenery especially (Lifetime often delivered on that) and very attractively, never drably or garishly shot. The music is not as intrusive as it tends to be with Lifetime. The script does flow a lot better later and doesn't get over cheesy or too schmaltzy. It is predictable but also has a good deal of charm and light-heartedness.
However, the story is pretty messy. The pacing isn't great, with it tending to jump around structurally, with it not feeling complete (an editing problem?), and it takes a bit of time to get into. It manages to be not much special and is pretty coventional and formulaic despite sounding different on paper, while there are times where it felt far-fetched. Will agree with those that really didn't buy the way the split happens, far too rushed and far-fetched as well as coming out of nowhere.
Although it has its moments, such as the snappy banter, and Lifetime did worse with the cheese and schmaltz factors, the script is patchy too. It is awkward to begin with and taking it at face value is not always easy, could have done with more consistent spark and character motivations could have been clearer and not been as frequently questionable (too many "whys" going on watching). While the character writing is fine to begin with, connecting with Pratt's character was not immediate with there not being much to her to begin with. The direction is fairly routine and the fantasy-like aspect could have done with more charm and magic and even for a fantasy-like story it strains credibility to the limit.
Concluding, alright and worth a one time watch but nothing all that special. 5/10.
