Christmas Hotel

There never has been any bias against Lifetime's output, much of it is formulaic sure and some of it has just as much corn and schmaltz of that of Hallmark's but with the right leads and the right amount of charm and heart they can have some likeability. Provided that not too much is expected from it and enough of their output has been surprisingly good. Their 2019 output was a very mixed bag, some were surprising hits and others were mediocre at best or outright failures.

'Christmas Hotel' regrettably is one of the outright failures and very close to being among their worst. Really did want to like it and Christmas films set in hotels have worked (a primary example being 'Home Alone 2'), but 'Christmas Hotel' is a case of the setting not working and not being used well. Sadly that's not even the worst aspect of the film, nearly everything fails and this is not being said with pleasure and also when taking the film for what it's meant to be.

Its least bad aspect is some of the scenery which is quite nice, but that is pretty much it with the praise.

Despite some nice scenery, 'Christmas Hotel' doesn't really look too good. Some of the decor looks gaudy, and the photography is usually a lot better than how it is here. Which in this case is very drab and static. Worst of all is the disorganised editinng. There is nothing memorable about the music, there could have been less of it, some of it is too treacly and it doesn't always sound very festive. It doesn't feel like there is much direction going on, indicative of inexperience or indifference.

Which really does affect the acting, which is near-uniformly poor, apart from some (underused) vim from Sheryl Lee Ralph. Neither Tatyana Ali or Sean Patrick Thomas are convincing, she trying too hard and he not enough. They are very stiff and disconnected together and it was like the film was shot with not much rehearsal time. None of the characters are worth investing in, with uninteresting personalities or/and exaggerated flaws, the female lead character's unprofessionalism is to be seen to be believed.

Calling 'Christmas Hotel' cliched sums it up well, both story and characters, and that is being generous. Some familiar (well actually well worn out) story tropes here, all predictably executed. The first portions are slow and quite thinly plotted, uneventful at times, and some decision making seemed contrived. The script lays it on too thick with the corn and slushy schmaltz, not unexpected but it was overkill in places. The film doesn't get off to a particularly good start, very cheesy and quite dull, while the ending is rushed and too tidy and the lack of tension and conflict severely hurts what little there is of the drama.

On the whole, not good. 3/10.

Actors aside, 'Christmas Hotel' does not have much going for it.

That is not me saying the acting is amazing, of course, but I dug Tatyana Ali and Sean Patrick Thomas enough, their performances fall within the cheesy Xmas television flick remit. Sheryl Lee Ralph is the best of the rest. The rest of the film is lame, the plot is boring - not helped by how quickly the town's people switch their beliefs about the hotel itself. I bet certain governments wished they had protesters that switched as easily as the people of Garland Grove do!

I watched this on the Christmas 24 (twenty four) television channel.

This has been one of my favorite Christmas movies so far this season. The lead actors have wonderful chemistry and the scenery is beautiful. The ending is kinda predictable but I would watch this movie again.

Greetings, salutations, and a seasonal welcome to all you movie aficionados. Here are my considerations and recommendation for Christmas Hotel.

Story: 1.50/2 - Direction and Pace: 2.50/4 - Performances: 1.25/2 - Enjoyment: 1.25/2

Total 6.50/10

Within the Christmas Hotel, we have the blossoming story of love over conflict. And on the whole, the writers do a superb job of keeping the much-used concept fresh and enjoyable. The story's enjoyability comes chiefly from its characters, especially Erin's second-in-command, Marnie. She's a sassy and wickedly witty person and the most fleshed-out of the cast. Without this secondary character, the tale would be a tad tired and trite. However, that doesn't mean the other individuals populating the narrative are weak in their creation. On the contrary, they, too, are credible and potent. It's just that we've seen and read plenty of similar tales, so it becomes about how the writers refresh the story. Characterisation is merely one ingredient in a story's recipe; another is the journey. In the Christmas Hotel, it's the route our two principal players take, from combatants to lovers. It's here the story slips. I loved the concept of the hometown girl returning to her hometown to open a new hotel for the conglomerate she works for, even though the residents stubbornly refuse to accept a big franchise in their small town. Predictably, her main opposer is to be the love of her life - or at least this movie. The writers missed an opportunity at this point to add extra potency. For me, Erin wins over the town and her new boyfriend too easily. The whole thing is too light-hearted and tongue-in-cheek. I joke about Happily Ever After Land in these types of films, but in this picture, the writers have fully embraced the idea. Because the town's population gives in too readily, it feels as though we're living in Happily Ever After Land, where nothing goes wrong, and if it does, it's quickly fixed and with the littlest effort or opposition. It's just too good to be true.

The direction isn't great. But the movie possesses a light-hearted heart-warming feeling throughout. Sadly, many opportunities exist to make the last vision more engaging to the viewer, and the director didn't capitalise on them.

The cast is one of the best elements of the movie. Tatyana Ali as Erin and Sean Patrick Thomas playing Connor have charming on-screen chemistry, helping keep the viewers' eyes on the screen. But Sheryl Lee Ralph as Marnie stole the show. Ralph nails the character superbly and her growing authoritarian relationship with the building contractor, Joe (played with quiet subtlety by Stephen Jared), had me giggling, particularly at the Santa Claus contest. You know Joe should keep smiling and go along for the ride, bumps and all.

The Christmas Hotel has some flaws but is still an entertaining viewing experience, which should slap a smile on your face and a warm feeling in your heart. Therefore, I happily recommend it for at least one viewing. Who knows, I may return to the Inn once more simply to see Marnie again.

Please check out my HO! HO! HO! Christmas Belles list to see where I ranked the movie.

Take Care, Stay Well, And Best Wishes For A Merry Christmas.

I, not only, enjoyed this movie, I enjoyed seeing some of favorite actors as well. Sheryl Lee Ralph: Dreamgirls, It's a Living, and Moesha, Telma Hopkins: Tony Orlando and Dawn, Gimme A Break, Family Matters, and William Allen Young: A Soldier's Story and Moesha.