Operation Mistletoe

Aside from some recent efforts of GAC Family, Jen Lilley has always delivered reliable performances in Christmas movies for Hallmark.

I was going to steer clear of this one, thinking it was a GAC movie, where production values are generally a few levels below Lifetime and Hallmark...but this is a Hulu product, from Brad Krevoy, whose movies are generally pretty good, so I figured I'd give it a go.

"Operation Mistletoe" is just fine. It's not destined to be a classic of the genre, and isn't as good as many of the 2024 raft of holiday movies released, but it's a pleasant way to pass ninety or so minutes.

Lilley is good, and her opposite number Nick Bateman has his moments, too. Nice sets, too.

The problem with this movie is what plagues most films, a terrible script. There is nothing original in this Christmas rom-com, all the writers had to do was watch a bunch of Hallmark movies and copy every cliche. Have an attractive couple, add nostalgia for the past and relatives lost, throw in flashbacks to confuse viewers and have a lot of talk about Christmas traditions. There are many very fine movies that take place during Christmas, that don't have a cliched obsession with the season.

Jen Lilly is a known quantity, she's appeared in many films and always delivers a good performance. Why did the producers or director keep Nick Bateman in a white shirt, tie and jeans? The supporting cast are ok.

This was a pleasant enough movie with nothing really special. Pretty, intelligent girl with a good job dating a man we aren't supposed to like, introduction of a good looking successful man who would be ideal, and villain who threatens to ruin the holiday.

Unlike in so many movies, the ideal couple doesn't start out bickering. No, they knew each other and like each other, so the question is whether they can become a real couple again. There is a meddling best friend who stands out from the rest of the cast but still isn't that special.

And the villain isn't obviously a villain. There is a plot that will potentially destroy something that makes this ideal Christmas town not so ideal. But no one is truly evil here.

Lots of pretty decorations and a gorgeous old house that is one of the centers of Christmas celebration. The girls wear pretty clothes.

I am told Spectrum upgraded me without my permission without charging me more and I could watch Hallmark or Lifetime. I don't even have time. I saw this on The CW.

I don't recall anything that keeps this from being family friendly.

My one objection is the Motown style Christmas music. To me that sounds contemporary and I want nothing that sounds like it was recorded after 1960, or even Chuck Berry. There is plenty of background music that is fine and can't even really be heard.

If you watch many of these movies, I find nothing to make this any more special than the others, unless you like them all. But it's pleasant enough if you plan to watch a few.

The other reviews below give you the storyline. As always with these HM/GAF productions, the stories come out of a box with about 6 different templates (either with a Christmas theme or not) and are repeated each production year. I have learned to expect nothing riveting.....I usually fast forward through about half the scenes because I easily recognize these as not advancing the plot whatsoever.

As the other reviews also point out, Nick Bateman's hair stylist must be a 12 year old skateboarder. The storyline that he is a mid-30s successful money manager with that weird comb-down hair is utterly laughable. It would not inspire the necessary confidence to secure any clientele. The scripting does him no favor either. If you are supposed to be playing a successful NYC money guy, you are not going to allow a small town realtor to appear to be your equal...nor are you going to be shy and hesitant around a woman you have crushed on for 15 years.

While I have seen Jen Lilley display a good acting range in rare other movies, here she is again relegated to a role of giggly sweetness. Combine that with her child-like face and it is hard to view her as an adult woman romance protagonist.

Had I heard about the 2024 movie "Operation Mistletoe" prior to sitting down to watch it? Nope. Not even remotely. I happened to stumble upon the movie by random chance, as part of sitting through a long tirade of sappy Christmas movies this year. But from the movie's cover, I have to admit that I just figured that I would be in for another generic scripted sappy Christmas movie that follows the standard formula that seems to dictate the majority of these movies.

It was a bit perplexing that writers Ansley Gordon, Kathleen Knox and Bob Sáenz collectively couldn't muster to conjure up a more potent storyline and script than what they managed. The narrative in the movie felt a bit flat and bland.

I was not familiar with the cast ensemble in the movie, but the acting performances were fair. However, I have to say that the hairstyle on leading actor Nick Bateman was distracting to look at, it was as if Donald Trumps hairpiece's estranged cousin had nested on top of his head. It looked terrible.

"Operation Mistletoe" was a watchable movie, for sure, but it just didn't really have that particular Christmassy ingredient in my opinion, to make it stand out in the vast sea of similar movies out there. But hey, if you are a die-hard fan of sappy Christmas movies, I am sure that you will enjoy this 2024 movie way more than I did as a casual viewer.

My rating of director Bradley Walsh's 2024 Christmas movie "Operation Mistletoe" lands on a three out of ten stars.