Christmas in Washington

I'm giving this a 4 to give it the benefit of the doubt because I could only sit through about 10 minutes of this. Maybe I'm burnt out on Christmas movies this year, but the acting of the woman who played the ambassador's assistant was cringeworthy. The whole first scene at the embassy seemed more like a bad dress rehearsal. Damon Runyon is normally one of my favorites, but even his acting seemed awkward and stilted. Since he's normally pretty good, I have to blame the director. I know these Lifetime movies are lower budget and they probably don't have time for a lot of takes, but your first scenes are what draw the viewer in. This one's early scenes had me flipping the channel.

This is one of the most ridiculous films I've seen. It is even less realistic than Christmas films with actual ghosts and angels in them. I understand we're meant to suspend a lot of disbelief in schmaltzy Christmas films but seriously, the lead female character would never be hired by anyone ever, and particularly not in any sort of political/diplomatic job. People are not able to just wander around everywhere in an ambassadorial residence, and in no way would a hired contractor who's doing maybe two weeks' work would be given the run of even a single room without supervision. And the ambassador apparently doesn't do any actual diplomatic work? I get that might be too boring to be in any scene, but there's not even any reference to having meetings with officials even though he's a newly arrived ambassador.

I did like that there's pro environmental and sustainability messages and interests in both the Magnus and Emily, which feels downright revolutionary for these films. Still, everything else about it is just ridiculous. The bad guy developer is cartoonish yet hardly in the story, the horny mother is creepy as hell, and Arvind is, well, I don't really know what Arvind is.

And then it just...ends. It feels like the writers or actors - or both - just gave up and said screw it, let's go home. Honestly, I wish they'd done that at the start.

Why are the 2 leads listed at the bottom of the cast ? It seems that since Ms Lisinska and Mr Damyon are the best of the cast they shoukd be at the top.

Great adult - mature dialogue! Underlying theme is integrity, something most of Washington Lacks! The two main leads have excellent chemistry. One of my top 10 favorites for Christmas season 2021.

Broadcast under the title: "A Match Made in Mistletoe", this movie is watchable, though far from shining. Let me begin with stating that I have liked Natalie Lisinska since she appeared in "Fairfield Road", over ten years ago. She, perhaps Damon Runyan and, especially, the girl, Tessa Kozma, are the only ones who get a passing grade, in my book. The story, not very original, could have been cute, but is rendered with plenty of stereotypes and lack of balance. The idea that the ambassador wants to stage a Christmas gala with no decorations, at all, starts the show with absurdity. That he turns around in a jiffy, speaks as an omen of poor mental stability. Arvid, his trusted advisor, constantly behaves like an over-the-top, hysterical grouch. To explain why he immediately attracts the morbid attention of Amanda, one has to accept she is a rabid nymphomaniac, as she acts out, and he is the only character of right age in the production. A convincing drama would have a villain with a little finesse. Big Dan, instead, looks and acts like a truculent, uncouth bouncer. Money or no money, why one would even conceive to associate with such jerk, it is beyond comprehension. Vera pops here and there, with a forced smile and over-emphatic gestures. Wonder if she is she on drugs or simply a bad actress. Even Emily's gala gown, elegant on front, sports a silly tail with lace that makes it look awkward. Different is, sometimes, good. In this instance, it is whimsically idiotic. In summary, if the production had been cared by somebody with a psychological depth above childhood, the film would have been a lot better. Lifetime cannot just get it right.