User reviews

I stumbled upon this show and immediately knew where it was filmed. Trolley Square is in Salt Lake City. It is a darling little mall that started out as an actual trolley/train station in the early days. I loved watching this show and seeing my city.

This Christmas movie which is new in 2017 uses a greatly overused premise. The pretty young lady, Stephanie, is about have her family business of 40 years evicted because of a new owner that wants to renovate. The handsome guy she just met and might have just a bit of romantic interest in is the one who will handle the renovation and thus is responsible for her eviction. One slightly different take is that this guy, Michael, immediately sees how precious the store is both to Stephanie and to the community. However, his boss is adamant about not finding a compromise. This last bit doesn't ring true since otherwise his boss appears to be fairly reasonable and has at least some motherly affection for Michael, and she is leasing new businesses anyway.

The story doesn't progress much beyond developing the relationship between Stephanie and Michael, and further demonstrating what has already been made plain, i.e. that the shop is precious and even a little unusual. It only remains to be seen which overused plot device will be found to save the store since it is hard to believe that a Hallmark movie could have an unhappy ending.

Ellen Hollman and Bobby Campo make an attractive couple as Stephanie and Michael. It is a bit unusual that they hit it off immediately without the usual conflict we usually have between the two that are obviously destined by the writers to be together. David Starzyk, as Stephanie's father, provides a few humorous moments, but seriously Dan, couldn't you be just a little quicker getting away with something without your wife seeing it?

While the characters are charming, the story is flat so I recommend this movie only for those who are truly addicted to Hallmark Christmas movies.

An American television drama film; A story about a traditional seasonal store forced to close which also poses a problem for the store owner who strikes up a friendship with the real estate agent. As a Hallmark movie it is pleasurable in the ways that it is a programmer for family-oriented enjoyment, but it is a bit corny in parts and the chemistry between the two leads doesn't sparkle quite as much as it should. Nevertheless, an attractive festive yarn set in a world where everything works out well in the end.

I Have Reviewed OVER 500 "Christmas Films and Specials". Please BEWARE Of films and specials with just one review! For instance When "It's a POSITIVE" chances are that the reviewer was involved with the production. "If its Negative" then they may have a grudge against the film for whatever reason. I am fare about these films.

Review Date 11/18/2018

A real estate developer is given the opportunity of his career to transform an old shopping complex into a prime location. Unfortunately, there is one tenant who is holding out-the Christmas shop owner he met by happenstance just days ago.

Not the greatest but so by the numbers that if you have seen one Hallmark movie then you should wait a day or so before watching this one.

It's not that great of a store. I feel I know a little too much about the real estate market in New York. At least there is no ice sculpting. I have no idea who Dave Koz is....that was kind of funny. Ellen Hollman is fine...the leading guy is a little weird but tolerable.

...an eight when I saw it a couple years ago. On reflection, that may have been a tad generous, but I really like this movie. The plot is nothing special, but there's a lot of nostalgic sub-plots to support the premise that the Christmas Shop in question is a magical place. The story of an older couple who buy a new ornament every year is touching, and it's fun to see Dave Koz play a Christmas song and visit for a bit. Bobby Campo is likeable and his sense of humor keeps things moving at appropriate times. I also like all the old Christmas music they play that I've never heard before. I wish there was a way to find out who these artists were. It's a Hallmark Christmas movie. It's not supposed to be Citizen Kane. Relax and enjoy.

This is the 2nd Christmas movie I've seen with the lovely Ellen Hollman- The Perfect Christmas List (2014) and that one was a little better with some humor, but not that good. Also saw Bobby Campo in My Christmas Love (2016) which was not good. My complaint is there was no creativity or depth in the story. I enjoyed the first 30 minutes with the festive colors and such. My wife and I both fell asleep at the 60 minute mark. The title of the movie should have been "The Christmas Shop" because that was the focus of the movie. Ellen Hollman just was just not suited for this role as the happy Christmas Shop owner. The scenes where she was not happy with Bobby Campo were the best. Cynthia Gibb has had small parts in many of these Christmas movies as she did here (not that good). She stars in one of my favorite Christmas movies "Mary Christmas (2002)" which had an excellent story. She needs another starring Christmas role.

Really wanted to like 'Sharing Christmas' a lot more. The story did sound very tired and predictable from having been used with not an awful lot of variation many times, but as a fan of Christmas and as someone who has admittedly liked a fair share of Hallmark's festive films (while not caring for a lot of them too). For a while having been watching Christmas films from Hallmark films as part of a completest quest and it has been an uneven endeavour but an oddly interesting one.

'Sharing Christmas' is one of the ones that didn't do an awful lot for me and somewhere in the below average category. Really did want to be among the positive reviewers and had the intent to at least like it and take it for what it was and aimed to be. Sadly, while there are things done quite well there is a lot here that is not good. Is 'Sharing Christmas' a terrible film? Not quite. Is it good? No, not even close in my view, and do have to agree with those that were mixed to negative on it.

There are good things about 'Sharing Christmas'. The acting to me was one of the better assets, Ellen Hollman does work hard in making her character as appealing as possible and Bobby Campo is a charming leading man. While their chemistry doesn't entirely sparkle, and a lot of the problem is down to how the relationship is written, the chemistry is there and it is an easy going and genuine one. The supporting performances are better than average too, with Cynthia Gibb stealing her scenes.

Photography is quite nice as is some of the scenery. The film starts off quite well, quite conventional but it did charm and engage at least.

A shame that the rest of 'Sharing Christmas' did not. While the cast are fine, they are hampered by wafer thin and well worn cliches passing for characters. Ones that are not developed enough and sometimes behave too stupidly to root for them. They are also let down, even more so, by the even thinner script that is filled to the brim and beyond with awkward cheese and over-sentimentality with all the corn and schmaltz feeling contrived. While the outside and the photography are nice, there is the agreement with others that the interiors are on the tacky side.

What really brings 'Sharing Christmas' down badly is the story. It starts off promisingly, but too quickly becomes extremely basic and tired. With too much over-stretched filler, it felt quite dull and thin as well and comes over as silly and lacking in charm or heart. The sentimentality is hard to stomach, especially when it feels manipulative than sincere, the ending is too neat and easily telegraphed and the central relationship is far too rushed and lacks growth. The music badly over-emphasises the mood and feels excessive in placement and tone.

Despite a few good things, this was very lacking in my view. Sorry. 4/10

6/10 - fun holiday flick about saving a small business that brings plenty of holiday cheer

Watching while I write. Fifteen minutes in, I like that the Big Conflict between the leads is out in the open,already instead of building tension about it throughout whole movie. An hour in, losing interest. No strong supporting characters or secondary stories. Parents irrelevant. The leads both "know some people".Pretty slow going. Only20 minutes to go. Will stick it out. Just got through the awkward "first kiss avoidance" scene. God Forbid they kiss! This needs to hurry up and resolve. Here comes stupid drama by female lead. Seeming soooo surprised her guy couldn't pull rabbit out of a hat. Christmas carols while they think. Something about to happen, I Hope. Female lead is an idiot. Everything better with a parental hug. Last commercial break. Final scene coming up. Will wait to change channel. Ok, it's finally over. Joy to the World. Good movie for napping.

Not one of the faves, especially when it takes place in Chicago, yet they kept showing the San Francisco skyline. This happens when you start over churning too many movies. They're getting very repetitive and badly written.

7.1 stars.

I like the actors. My first impression otherwise is that this can be summed up in a short sentence: a young man falls in love with a young woman who owns a Christmas store. That is the whole story. The store is in jeopardy of going out of business due to a real estate transaction. The man will do anything within his power to help her save this little shop and eventually they create some magic over the holidays.

I could say many things about 'Sharing Christmas', but the main thing that stands out, unfortunately, is that the film is not very memorable. Like I said, the actors are so cute, I wish to see them both in more films, however I haven't seen either one in any other Hallmark stories that I can recall. Also, I don't know about the title, it would be better as "Holiday Shop", or something along those lines. It's not just a Christmas store, it's a year-round holiday store, so what gives? That's all I got, other than the couple looks very good together, and I feel they have a lot of potential, alas this movie does not showcase their qualities much at all. I think she could have performed better, seemed a bit out of place, but he did great.

Stephanie Nichols (Ellen Hoffman) has just inherited The Christmas Shop from her parents which is a business that they have run for the last 40 years or so. However, soon after she acquires the shop she learns that a real estate company has placed a compulsory purchase on her shop and has given her 30 days notice to find another premises. Determined not to be bullied into submission, Stephanie decides to fight against the eviction and receives help from an unlikely source namely Michael (Bobby Campo) whom works for the real estate company responsible for evicting Stephanie...

OK so criticising a Christmas film for being sappy is probably a bit like criticising a horror film for being too scary or too gory - I get it that's the point, but Sharing Christmas takes sappiness to a whole new level...

Everything is laid on way too thick; the score for example is probably one of the most manipulative and over-used scores that I think I've ever witnessed in any film. In fact, I'm struggling to think of a particular scene or moment where it wasn't blaring across the screen. Don't get me wrong a score can be good in a film, but it should be used sparingly and more importantly at appropriate times. In Sharing Christmas it's there all the time which strikes as desperation on the part of the director in order to wring out false emotion from the audience.

The basic/concept story is not a bad one in principle, but even when looking at it in its most basic form it's a hard film to get behind or care about; from an early stage, we're supposed to be against the capitalist giant and the billion dollar acquisition when in reality they are simply doing their job and trying to make some money (which to some may seem immoral, but it certainly isn't illegal). The film might have worked better if it would have shown McClaine properties doing something underhand or illegal to gain their advantage (which would have perhaps made the narrative slightly more involving).

The development of the story is dull and director Peter Sullivan seems to keep the film permanently in neutral; none of the characters come across as being believable and as a whole it is overly nice and cutesy and even towards the end of the film characters do not act and behave how you would expect normal people to behave which ultimately cheapens what message the film is trying to get across.

Even the acting isn't great with many of the actors being in permanent 'grin mode' although given the way that the writer and director smother the film in schmaltz this hardly comes as a surprise - avoid.

It's another tired plot that is poorly executed. The acting is lackluster and the setting... This supposedly amazing Christmas Shop makes custom ornaments that people rave over. In actuality, they look like something children make in Kindergarten. In fact, almost everything in the shop looks like cheap Chinese items one can buy in a dollar store. As an owner and gifter of a multitude of quality merchandise from Hallmark stores, I'm appalled. This shows that the Hallmark Corporation is either EXTREMELY short-sighted in missing an opportunity to showcase its Christmas collection, or they thought SO LITTLE of the movie's quality they didn't want to damage their brand any further. I suspect the latter.

These movies have always been about love & that's good but they don't have any creativity in how to write these!! How many movies does Hallmark need where the lead guy is working for a company who is kicking shop owners out to build "money making buildings"? It's old when you see at least two of these kinds of movie a Christmas season!! Sad, very sad!!

Bobby Campi was adorable as always but Ellen Hollman's character was unbearable to watch by the end! Super whiny! I understand the premise was to save her family's ahop but I wasn't even rooting for her by the end. She was also one of those people who would one up everyone. Sometimes people try to relate or connect in this way, but when she was doing it, it came off as condescending.

The Christmas Shop is truly a sad pathetic store that looks like it is stocked with the creations of a 1st grade art class. I have more merchandise is a tote container in my basement than exists in this entire store. Weak acting and tired storyline. Although I have to hand it for the cast members that had to pretend to be excited upon being gifted with one of the turds from this store. Laugh out loud funny watching those scenes! This movie is one to be sure and miss! This is the only Hallmark movie I've ever rated and I'm taking the time to do so because the movie is so awful. I guess it speaks to how boring of an evening I'm having that I would even take the time to sit through the whole, awful show.