A Maple Valley Christmas

This movie has a lot more meat to it than most of the Hallmark Christmas films. On the one side a believable division between two sisters, and on the other side a believable division between father and son. Then there is the surprising decision from the mother, ready to retire and let her daughters take over the business.

While some viewers didn't see a connection between the romantic leads, we did. They had plenty of screen time together doing the types of things that build friendship which can transition to more than friendship.

So despite some of the reviews, we do like Andrew Walker in most of the stuff we've seen him in, and that gave us a reason to check it out. I'm glad we did.

My wife and I watch every darn movie these channels put out and this is one of worst. I genuinely don't like any of the characters and especially hated all of the lead characters. Yes I expect the ones on the movies and mysteries channel to be more dramatic and schmalty. But this one has presented very two dimensional characters with no redeemable qualities. I normally like Andrew Walker but his stunted development and lack of warmth is terrible. Honestly I have not even finished watching the movie yet but I had to get this off my chest. I'm sure everyone will live happily ever after but in the meantime I feel like yelling at the tv every two minutes.

This is the first movie I've watched so far this year, and it's pretty much the usual Hallmark fare: boy meets girl, boy and girl lose their minds, everything falls apart, and then...well I won't spoil the end.

One thing that is a tried and true part of the Hallmark formula is turned on it's head early on.

The sub-plots/conflicts are nothing new: guy and dad, girl and sister. Ms. List is very pretty, and Andrew Walker is the same as always.

This being Hallmark, it should be noted that there is an absence of mixed race (unless you count European) or homosexual relationships. That is important to some. Indeed it's chased half of Hallmark's audience over to GAC.

Being the first movie I've watched this year, I don't really have much to compare it to, but it does seem like an ok Hallmark Christmas movie.

I do really hate that hat though.

I loved the way this movie started. A horse ride through maple trees, sap buckets and candy canes, a warm loving family, a handsome stranger who returns a lost horse and... a very un-Hallmark early kiss between the two leads (and a bold and surprising kiss at that). I loved it. I'm so tired of the "almost kiss" that gets interrupted and isn't attempted again until the end of the movie. Ugh. It's easily one of the most annoying Hallmark tropes. But here, they tried something different. The boldness of that early kiss was very modern and a wonderful change of pace.

The handsome stranger was played by Hallmark all-star Andrew Walker. He's a sure thing. But I didn't recognize Peyton List, who played Erica. Although bold and interesting in the beginning, Erica is revealed to be rather unpleasant. She's quick to unfairly judge Aaron, disrespectful to her own sweet sister, acts like a bully, and is beyond thoughtless with her loving mother.

And it all goes on way too long. She comes across as a spoiled brat and that makes it hard to root for her to find love with Aaron.

There are also a few lines that cut like a knife:

Erica: "You're a rich kid who's lost and thinks he'll find himself by putting on a Stetson hat and playing cowboy." Aaron: "Maybe you don't pick the wrong guys. Maybe you pick the right guys, and just drive them away." Erica: "Maybe so, but like I said, I don't date tourists"

Ouch.

Her mother actually expressed what I was thinking when she told Erica to "pull it together". And the whole plot about turning over the business to her daughters, to the point where one talks about buying out the other? What's mom going to live off of? It's not like she sold the business to a third-party and banked the proceeds. It sounded like she just gave the business to her kids, without taking anything, not even a salary. That's all too typical in Hallmark movies- a complete disregard for financial realities. In real life, mom might leave her kids in charge but they'd have to wait until she passed before taking ownership.

Erica's sister Heidi was played by Ella Cannon. In contrast to her sister, Heidi comes across as sweet and kind. And she's in a healthy marriage to a good guy. And she's even more beautiful than Erica. I wish the movie had starred Ella Cannon as the lead (and as a nicer character than Erica).

Aaron's father was played by Paul Jarrett and he nailed that horrible character.

I did like the running gag about "the hat" (which looked good on Erica, less so on Aaron). And though unearned, the ending was lovely. But I really didn't like the way Erica was written and Peyton List couldn't make her more likable (in fairness to her, it's not within her power to change her lines).

We have the often repeated premise of dad sending his son to close a development deal. One part of that we don't have is that the family farm is not in trouble here. But the deal is about what was once family land.

So many things in this movie make no sense unless it fits my title. Crazy things happen spontaneously. Erika kisses Aaron passionately after knowing him for part of a day. After that they are destined for love despite all the obstacles. It doesn't matter that Andrew Walker and Peyton List have no chemistry. In fact, List's Erika is an extremely unlikable romantic lead. She argues over everything. She's rude and disrespectful to her sister and her mom. She doesn't really listen to either one.

This is Hallmark, so it is axiomatic that everyone is going to kiss and make up. Trouble is, based on the personalities, I just don't buy that any of these people really changed. And they still make emotional decisions.

Maybe it was how I was already feeling about how shallow everything was, but there were two symbolic gestures that you know are coming from a mile away and for me, they were just cheesy.

The acting is decent, but the dialogue lacks any flair. Most Hallmark movies have good scenery, sometimes dazzling but not here. What stuck out to me were the muddy horse trails and not in a positive way.

Note to self - make sure you don't ever watch this one again.