A Christmas Reunion

I would only recommend watching this movie if you're a "Love Film" junkie and there isn't anything else on.

I say this, because as a love story, set at Christmastime, there just isn't enough love to go round. Denise Richards and Patrick Muldoon just don't gel on-screen; there is no chemistry between their characters Amy and Jack. This is chiefly due to mediocre acting, week writing, and pretty routine directing.

There is a mystery embedded in the storyline; though, thanks to stereotyping you pretty quickly figure out the twist.

This could've been a much better film had it been treated a bit better.

Denise Richards is the only real reason to watch this. She actually acts. The storyline is totally cheesy and feels like it's from the 80s but, hey, cheese can be fun if the cast is good. Still, some of the supporting cast take the 2d roles they're given (I liked the DJ guy and the best female friend) and do well with the little they're given. Patrick Muldoon as the supposed high school sweetheart of Richards just reads out his lines and looks far too old to have been prom king to her prom queen. Even in their child versions he's several years older than her, presumably to adjust to their adult appearances (the kids are good actors). It's very odd casting. Richards and Muldoon come across as if they actually were a little bit disgusted by having to kiss but got it over with for the sake of the movie.

Reviewers are too harsh. It's a TV movie so it doesn't have a huge budget but it doesn't need a huge budget. Denise is the real reason to see this cute Christmas love story which revolves around two high school sweethearts getting back together in a small town to reopen a Christmas bakery. Okay it doesn't break any new ground and the acting isn't gonna win any Oscars or Emmy but it doesn't need to. It's a simple feel good small town Christmas bakery story that stars Denise and Patrick Muldoon who are pretty good together. I remember them both in Starship Troopers and it's great to see them both back together. I'm rating this higher because it's a small budget TV movie so you can't compare this to big budget Hollywood productions.

This is an easy watch where you don't have to think too hard and you know the ending before it's even begun and something you can turn on and fall asleep to. Just a nice relaxing watch with the ever gorgeous Denise Richards.

It is a film to see just for actors. Not for their performances , not for storytelling, not for Christmas or romance or... . Only as support for remember other roles of Denise Richards,Patrick Muldoon or Catherine Hicks. The story of the aunt, her bakery, innocents in roles of managers and the resurrection of the fire of passion from high school after 20 years are familiar. And, in this case, each of them works real wrong. Or fake. Sure, at the first sigh it is a problem of chemistry missing. In fact, it is only an awful story and the reunion for the title is reduced at the meet of viewer with familiar actors, olders, and nothing else.

I need to say that I love to see considerably big names participating in small budget movies, whether it's direct to DVD release or made for TV. Back in the day, some actors were great and promising. A bright future was ahead. In other words, they had time to fix things. So if they broke up, there would still be hope that one day... Yeah, they reunite.

But there is such issue as real life. And time doesn't know mercy too. Remember these two in Starship Troopers? How young they both were at the time. Watching that feature film I did not realize they were a couple or would never think about them as such. And only recently I've read some rumors about their probable reunion.

And suddenly it occurred to me that it's possible, and how Patrick looks at her. You know Denise does still have that doll (Barbie) face with some signs of aging. But I can see that it can be more challenging for her to start relations now than back in her middle 90s timeline. While she is an attractive woman and so on, for her, the time to be young is over, no matter how harsh it may sound. On the other hand, Patrick is not getting any younger too. It was such a perfect match. Together they can shine much brighter. Once I noticed that I wanted to see something with them together. And there it was - "A Christmas reunion"...

Ok, obviously it's not the best movie I've ever seen. But it's them that made it better. Without those two I doubt I would have even bothered to watch it. Story-wise nothing is really to see here. Still, it's a Christmas movie, one of these with a happy ending. No real conflict etc. Another nostalgic reason that makes this one better than it could have been - Catherine Hicks. I happened to enjoy her performance in Child's play the day before. So for me, she went from a young beautiful woman to an old sweet aunt that passes away to get this Christmas reunion story going, in one day. Wow, it was sad. I've checked her filmography on IMDB and... it's just sad.

Would I recommend "A Christmas reunion" to someone who doesn't know anything about Denise or Patrick behind the scene relations, or doesn't recognize Catherine Hicks? Probably not. But if you happen to like one of the mentioned ingredients for a good nostalgic evening or reflect on life and time you may find this movie quite enjoyable.