Gingerbread Miracle

6/10 - this story is kind of different from what we normally see and I am really enjoying Hallmark's new initiative to highlight other cultures and making diversity a priority in their holiday films.

'Tis the season. One of my favorite hallmark movies ever. I found the leads very compatible and I love that Spanish was spoken a few times. So refreshing. Everything was so well done and I really did feel good watching it.

Though not one of Hallmark's best, Gingerbread Miracle is a pleasant story nonetheless that will undoubtedly get you into the Christmas mood this holiday season. It follows the story of Maya (played by Merritt Patterson), an attorney who, after suffering a career setback, is trying to re-establish herself with a firm in the city. In the meantime, she's been using the local Mexican bakery known for its magical gingerbread cookies, a place where she worked as a teenager, as her unofficial office. Luis, the owner of the bakery (played by Jorge Montesi), is ready to retire and enlists Maya's help to find a buyer. However, the owner's nephew Alex (played by Jon-Michael Ecker), who is also a lawyer and, by the way, Maya's high school crush, decides to return home for Christmas to help her (whether she likes it or not) with the sale. And so the Christmas romance begins, as the two rediscover their connection with each other while trying to sell the bakery they both have fond memories of, especially during Christmas. Although the storyline is predictable, the movie kept me engaged throughout. The dialogue was well written. However, the story was rather ordinary, lacking an angle or twist that would make it stand out. The movie was filled with your classic Hallmark film tropes (themes and devices) such as Christmas tree shopping, decorating the tree, the Christmas market, the awkward encounter, and, of course, the first kiss. The acting, overall, was strong. Patterson, a Hallmark regular, had a convincing performance. She had a warm and cheerful vibe, which came off well on screen. Ecker had a solid performance, though he was a bit stiff at times. As another reviewer observed, he had a bit of a Wes Brown vibe to his performance. The chemistry was low-key in this one, which some will appreciate and others, I suspect, will not. It was a bit too light for my taste. From magical cookies to a gingerbread obstacle course, Hallmark continues its obsession with gingerbread in its portrayal of Christmas traditions. It also had a touch of Mexican Christmas customs to boot. Finally, the scenery, props, and sets were well-polished and festive, with a decent soundtrack, classic Hallmark. All in all, it is an entertaining Christmas movie, not one of Hallmark's best, but enjoyable nonetheless. Fans will no doubt enjoy it.

It is great to see different celebrations and cultures, I am so happy this movie shows that. It's a heartwarming Christmas movie like all the others, but there is nothing wrong with the usual loveliness of Hallmark Christmas movies. Predictable but so enjoyable and sweet.

Absolutely adore Christmas and Hallmark have done some above decent and more Christmas films over the years. As well as a fair share of misfires. 2021 was a typically inconsistent year for Hallmark in all their seasonal blockings, but considering the circumstances it turned out quite a lot better than expected. Part of me was expecting all the 2021 films of theirs to be mediocre or below but quite a lot were the opposite. Exactly the same with its 2020 output too.

'Gingerbread Miracle' is not one of the very best 2021 Hallmark Christmas films, but it is also a long way from being one of the worst. As far as the Hallmark Christmas films that had aired up to this point (only 8 previously) goes, 'Gingerbread Miracle' is somewhere bang in the middle. Not the best ('Christmas in My Heart'), and also not the worst ('Coyote Christmas Creek'). It doesn't live up to its miracle name, but it doesn't waste its potential and is a long way from a disaster.

There is a good deal to like. Merritt Patterson is an immensely engaging lead and is the main reason to see the film, she is just so cheerful without overdoing and when it comes to the female lead characters of the 2021 Christmas output Patterson's is one of the more likeable ones. One that is not exaggerated in terms of flaws and not too perfect. The supporting cast are solid. It looks good with lovely scenery and the music is very pleasant and doesn't overbear.

Much of the script is amiable and not too cheesy or schmaltzy, with some nice playful banter between the two lead characters. The story is on the most part engaging and heart warming and did appreciate a lot that there is no contrived misunderstanding that is too neatly resolved or any pantomimic conflict. Didn't find myself bored or irritated by any of the characters and really appreciated too that Patterson's character in particular grew rather than being too perfect at the beginning or being difficult to like throughout before an abrupt last minute turnaround (both common with Hallmark)

Did find that a couple of aspects were uneven however. Jon-Michael Ecker does become more at ease and a warmer presence, but early on he did seem rather stiff and uptight. While the chemistry between him and Patterson did grow significantly by the end of the film it did take time to get developing, for the first half the chemistry was quite bland and awkward.

While the story engages on the whole, it is slight and it can drag at times. It is also not particularly innovative, there are things done differently to usual but it does revolve around the general formula with this particular scenario and doesn't do a huge amount new with it.

In conclusion, unexceptional but above average. 6/10.