boriskaiser

I don't remember when last time I watched good light hearted TV comedy movie set up around Christmas time. They are always mediocre or outright bad (unwatchable). This one is suprisingly good, and the only reason I didn't rate as above average (7*) is because of overused stock footage. I think it's the new negative record, even worse than notorious Reel One TV movies. There are many in between scenes when not one, not two, but three different stock footages are shown. Other than that I didn't find any other technical issue.

I watched both leads many times in the past, especially Brittany Bristow. Both are good enough to be leads. IMO it was best Brittany play so far. My only minor issue is with Jillian Rees-Brown. I am not convinced that she as Joyce is old enough to be grandma of detective Ryan. Overall cast did their job.

Directing is all right, and writing is top-notch. Overall story is all right, but dialogues are what I really liked and how leads delivered them. If you expect romance, skip it as is minimal.

Recommended for watching.

This is Reel One Entertainment Christmas 2023 season TV movie. It's much better than their movies from 2022 season, and with some changes, it could be above average. It's technically mostly ok. There are few minor bad cuts, I didn't like heavy makeup on Celeste Desjardins, and music score is all over the place - from classical to melancholic which is completely unappropriated for the story. Of course, there is mandatory fake location as was shot in Hamilton which is not an issue on surface as there was barely anything shot outside. The issue is a bit of overused NYC stock footage, but there are worse examples in Reel One catalogue. Regardless, it still should be cut down. However, NYC is very diverse, and yet in the movie everybody is white, except for the one Asian guy who shows for some 30 sec in the Act III. This is big omission.

Directing and cast are fine (excluding diversity). I watched Brett Donahue several times already, and he is fine - nothing extraordinary, but is neither bad. This is a second time I watched Celeste Desjardins, and she again played fashion designer. Too bad Celeste Bruno didn't have more screen time.

The official storyline which is copied straight from ROE site is not quite accurate. This movie is about easy amnesia trope. The main protagonist got easy amnesia conveniently just when she came in the front of Wilson's company. This is the only part of the story which is really streched out. I like how royalty from the middle of Europe speak American English and not stereotypically British one. I really like how personal and business relations between siblings Wilson and Maya were done. It's rare to see that on the screen two mature and respectable siblings who know what they are doing. Really top-notch, and the same applies for sisters princesses. The lame thing is again somehow forced Hallmark inspired Christmas' silliness but on the flip side, there is a kid in a movie so...

Overall, it's the worth watching movie. Skip teaser as it shows few major spoilers.

This is Reel One Entertainment Christmas 2023 season TV movie. Sadly, it's mediocre just like their overall mediocre Christmas 2022 season. It's technically mostly well done. It was shot in the winter, and not in the mid of summer like the most Christmas TV movies done for or by Hallmark, their biggest competitor. I liked cast wardrobe. Music score is so-so. There are few minor bad cuts. The biggest technical problem is overusage of stock footage, it's probably the worst ROE Christmas TV movie, it's just filled it. There are even two different stock footages one after another. How many minutes where wasted on it?

I never watched Sara Garcia before. I think she was actually pretty convincing for the all wrong reasons. I mean I can't blame her for a script. I watched Blair Penner before in the several Hallmark TV movies where he was a supporting cast. I would say he was passable. Joselyn Chugg was probably the second best.

Directing is actually good, but writing ruined movie, and I don't understand why as previous Krick's writing were actually totally ok. It's highly predictable which is not a problem by itself. The problem is the way how both leads were written, especially Zoe. Sam was so-so but his flip-flopping at the end were just yuck. And that's the main issue with this kind of romance movies - you watch them for a feel good, and yet you don't care about both leads.

There is a teaser for some reason not posted here - just watch it, and skip the movie.