Open by Christmas

Is it original no has it been done before yes but this time it's actually done right. First thing I hated the friend that's engaged with the kid she's so annoying why does hallmark have to have these awful characters in there films. The story I found was good and not boring but fun.

6/10 - not necessarily anything that you haven't seen before, but this is a pleasing enough holiday flick (and the Kelly Clarkson/Ariana Grande opening song was a nice touch)

HM is stepping up its game with this really wonderful ensemble Christmas production. There are really two co-stars, Allison and Erica - great jobs by both, but the entire supporting cast made it work. Nice work by everyone made it believable, emotional, and enjoyable. Writers delivered a winner, and the director and cast brought it to life. If you like a fuller, life-like Christmas story, you'll love this one. Postables, you have some company at last.

Open By Christmas (2021) -

There seemed to be a lot of back story to this one that I hadn't been privy to, so in many ways it felt like a sequel to something that I'd missed, but I hadn't. This was especially true with regards to the couple that leading lady, Alison Sweeney as Nicky, was best friends with - Simone and Jeremy (Erica Durance & Michael Karl Richards). Although that didn't mean that it was hard to follow.

I wasn't actually very keen on Jeremy, so even if there had been a previous film, I probably wouldn't have watched it to see his romance develop. As it was and fortunately for me, his character was not involved that much, despite the poster for the film, which almost suggested him as a possible love interest for Nicky.

Actually, a storyline where a possible affair between the lead character and her best friends husband would be something new and I'd like to see something like that for a bit more grit and to give the story some real and more believable fallout.

Those things aside, this was definitely one of the better ones in this genre. I could easily see Nicky falling for Brennan Elliott playing Derrick and how there blossoming connection grew in to what I knew it would.

Although I generally like him, I didn't really get along with Brennan in this one though and I didn't really want him to get together with her, because he seemed a bit too cocky. I might have put her together with Reggie (Patrick Rinehart), but used Derrick to let us think that she was going that way instead. Maybe he could have been the one having the affair with Jeremy?

As I've said though, it wasn't a bad effort at all and I would definitely watch it again, although still not perhaps as often as the films starring Brendan Penny, Jesse Hutch, Luke Macfarlane and/or Travis Van Winkle. I felt that it might be time for Brennan to start looking at loving and doting father figures going forward, although he could still find love in those roles too, I suppose?

6.25/10.

Despite being very mixed on the 2021 Hallmark Christmas output on the whole (though actually it was much better than expected, speaking as someone who thought that this year would not be good on the Hallmark Christmas front), there were films in the block that were pretty good and more. 'Open by Christmas' had more potential than most of them, due to its interesting story structure (which was a unique one for Hallmark this year) and that Allison Sweeney and Brennan Elliott were the leads.

'Open by Christmas' is one of those films that not only lives up to its potential, but it also exceeds it. To me, it is by some way one of the best 2021 Hallmark Christmas films (and even of the year for Hallmark in general) and the best since 'Christmas in My Heart'. Everything that the film was seen for was far from wasted, quite the opposite, and while it is not my definition of a masterpiece by recent Hallmark Christmas film standards 'Open by Christmas' is pretty darn impressive.

Sure, the identity of the secret admirer was not a surprise at all to me and could have taken more time to reveal.

The ending is slightly on the too neat side and while the romantic chemistry is more than convincing and heartfelt it could have featured more.

However, there is so little to fault. Sweeney and Elliott play their roles with so much nuanced emotions and also light-hearted upbeat energy, two of the best performances of the 2021 Hallmark Christmas films. Erica Durance steals every scene she's in and the supporting cast all play their roles well. This is one of the few 2021 Hallmark Christmas, and overall, films where every character interested and was not hard to care for. Nobody dull or irritating, and Elliott's could easily have been. The script is heart-warming and is never too heavy or too soapy, not repetitive or talky either.

Really liked the story, the structure is different and could have been disjointed and muddled, but it was not hard to follow and it was a case of both plotlines being equally engaging and charming. The Christmassy vibe is nostalgic, while the film has lovely scenery lovingly filmed and has music that has personality without being overbearing. The Ariana Grande and Kelly Clarkson song was a very nice touch.

Overall, very well done. 8/10.