Natale a Mistletoe Farm

Toss your adult expectations. This is not a typical Hallmark moment, but a funny, frenetic flick that is chock full of quirky characters, most of whom have ADHD. The colors are bright and cheery and give the film a real upbeat vibe. I loved all the adorable animals.

Like most holiday movies, the plot is simplistic but it has a lot of heart. It focuses on family and new beginnings after loss. It left me with real holiday spirit. Kids will not be bored and some adults, like me, will find it endearing. I think this could become a classic. Warning for the wokeaverse: there is a mixed race kiss at the end and two of the characters might be gay.

As I read the reviews, I agreed with every one of them. The good, the bad, and the ugly. This movie was just great. Such a range of feelings. I was stupefied and laughing and even a few moments of teary-eyed. It was awful and fabulous, terrible and glorious all at the same time. The kids were fantastic! Buster was my favorite. The adults all hilariously overacted. Beano was very endearing. The animals were perfection. It was very unique and I enjoyed every moment of it! It reminds me of a television version of an English Christmas panto!! You should watch this, just for kicks, and without much expectation.

Every year, I watch what I anticipate to be the worst Holiday movies of the season, and play a fun little game where they earn points based on how tropey and cringey they are. This one blew every movie I have ever watched out of the water. The acting? Phenomenal(ly terrible). The costuming? I think the design team just picked up a pattern book that said "World's Ugliest Crochet" and went with it, zero further thought. The hoe-down country bedazzle/on and off queer-coding of some characters? CHEF'S KISS. I believe in gentle parenting and am generally a patient and peaceful person, but this movie made me think if I were in the protagonists' shoes I would do my best to reinstate capital punishment for that village. Every single turn in the plot somehow takes you to a more nightmarish destination than you were before. I was actually filled with rage. It was so beautiful. I'm crying.

Cute and silly. It was over dramatic and overacted, I think on purpose. I think I'm some ways it was meant to be a bit of a spoof on the overdone "save the farm" type Christmas movies with an intense climax all pent up in one moment. Some people may find this cringe or obnoxious but I found it very funny and silly. I had a smile on through most of the movie.

Don't forget all the animals! Baby pigs, baby goats, fabulous ponies, it was adorable. I'm sure kids would love it with the furries and bright colors.

The production quality was a bit low. There were some glitches that I couldn't tell if it was the movie or Netflix.

Then the family goes to the farm. I watched (and liked) it and even laughed out loud a couple of times. That is, until the children (who are charming) meet the farm hand, Beano. The character was so, so over the top (think a British Jim Carrey on coke or meth). His frenetic energy and ZERO pauses/breaks/downtime were overwhelming. It was like he was trying to channel Robin Williams, but the bits he did felt very, very rehearsed, with none of the improvisational charm Williams was so famous for. We only made it about 15 minutes after his introduction. I just couldn't take it any more. It had potential, which makes it sad. Even that character could have been tolerable if he hadn't been running at 1000% every moment he was on screen. Maybe David Frost or a different British comic could have done the role justice...