Cross Country Christmas

The other user reviews seem to fall into one of two categories: (1) the plot is too improbable to relate to, so the reviewer couldn't enjoy the movie; or (2) recognizing the kind of plot it has, the reviewer enjoyed the funny, touching moments that it brings, and appreciated the good dialogue lines scattered throughout the movie. Count me in the second category! This movie was a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed the way the romantic side of the story developed in the context of the lead characters' backstories.

Lina is going back home for the holidays, and so is Max. The both live in NYC but their childhood home is in Colorado. So, you know how this is: bad weather, snow storms, flights grounded, no rental car available so they are forced to figure out a way to cross the country. We've heard this before. And will hear it again. No biggie.

Lina is a creative solutions specialist o something like that so the movie moves around her figuring out ways to get a ride onto the next state. Max works in tech and had a rough couple of months.

It was cute. Rachel Leigh Cook probably was my favorite in this. She is involved in a few funny situations, which definitely made me laugh. I honestly didn't care about Greyston (i'm sorry). There is no pre-ending drama, it's just them reaching their destination. Did they have chemistry? They did, but not the romantic kind. I didn't want them to end up together, I wanted them to be best friends, they'd probably had more fun. You know, if I had to bet on their relationship, they wouldn't last much (i'm just being honest)

Look, I want to think there are good people in this world who are more than willing to help you out during a crisis but do people in the US just trust blindly? Do they get in a car with a stranger? O sleep in their house? I live in Latin America, that doesn't happen. So, it's a bit unrealistic for me.

Anyway, it's funny and kind of cute. Rachel Leigh Cook always shines on her own.

I cannot believe at my age I am using "cute" to describe a movie I like, but yet there it is. I really liked this movie. Best One I have seen so far this year for the Christmas batch. Both of the leads were excellent, and you cold see them slowly becoming attracted to each other in a very heart warming manner. Sure it was derivative of Planes, Trains and Automobiles, but all of these movies are derivative of something, and at least this one went for a classic and not just another schlocky paint by numbers plot. I was waiting for the scene where the state trooper pulls them over in a burned out shell of the pet grooming van, but alas... probably for the best though. Anyway, i thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it!

I love Greyston Holt, I want to grab those ears and ride him through Christmas, but the lead female on the other hand would drive me crazy.

It's a cute version of a story that we have admittedly seen before and it could have been dealt with better. It didn't have that warmth that others have had.

I wasn't in a rush to turn it off, so it can't have been that bad. Greyston is just so lovely, why would I, but other than that there isn't much to talk about.

5ish.

I was looking forward to Cross Country Christmas when I saw both Rachael Leigh Cook and Greyston Holt at the top of the bill. I enjoy Cook's Hallmark movies, and I recently saw Holt in A Very Country Christmas this season. Both usually have convincing performances in this genre of film. So, there is no surprise then to read that I enjoyed this one too. Overall, it is a cute, fun, and engaging Christmas movie. The plot is similar to UPtv's 'Dashing Home for Christmas' (another entertaining movie this 2020 season). The story here revolves around Lina (played by Cook) and Max (played by Holt) whose flight home for Christmas is forced to land (far from home) due to a winter storm. And so, Lina and Max team up to find a way home for Christmas. From delivering Christmas trees for a ride to stowaways on a cargo train, their journey is a fun and warm one, as they help each other and the new people they meet along the way. The plot, of course, is predictable and has been done before as some of the other reviewers here have pointed out. That said, I thought the script was strong. More specifically, the dialogue between the leads was engaging, it pulled me in. And in the end, for me, that is what is most important. There was also a distinct difference between the personalities of the two main characters, which worked well, I thought. What made all the above possible was the quality of acting, which was, overall, excellent. Cook had an impressive performance. She had this warm and friendly vibe to her portrayal of Lina (it was quite adorable, as another reviewer described it), which made it easy to connect to her character, to Lina. Holt had a strong performance as well. He did a good job playing the more reserved character of the two, which, again, added some nice contrast. The chemistry between the two was maybe not as strong as some of the other performances this year (Jill Wagner and Lucas Bryant in The Angel House come to mind). To be honest, I did not notice it much while watching the movie. It was only when I came here and read some reviews that I started thinking about it. What was noticeable was that there was no final kiss between the two at the end, a hallmark of Hallmark movies and the TV romance genre more broadly. Finally, the movie does instill a lot of Christmas spirit and cheer; it should get you in the mood, as it were, for the season. All in all, it is a warm and fun Christmas movie (with some quality acting), a nice new edition to Hallmark's 2020 lineup. Highly recommend.