User reviews

Hallmark produced 42 Christmas movies this season (including one for 'Christmas in July'). Naturally, some of these were going to get lost in the crowd as it were. I'm afraid, 'Christmas in Tahoe' is one of these movies. Don't get me wrong, the movie is entertaining. It is a lighthearted and fun story with some strong acting performances, though the musical performances are a bit of a mixed bag. The movie follows Claire (played by Laura Osnes) who helps manage the family's beautiful hotel in Lake Tahoe. While she loves working with her father at the hotel, a place she has fond memories of growing up, her passion is in the entertainment industry, and her dream job is a talent booker at the Resort Center Entertainment in Las Vegas. To make this dream a reality, all she needs to do is make sure that her Christmas Eve variety show at her family hotel is a success. However, the main act cancels and the show quickly falls apart. Meanwhile, her ex-boyfriend Ryan (played by Kyle Selig), the lead guitarist for Wild Lynx a popular band she used to manage, returns home to Lake Tahoe for the holidays. And so, our journey begins as we watch these two team up to save the Christmas Eve variety show (and potentially Claire's dream job) while (re)discovering their deep feelings for each other. Though formulaic and unoriginal, the storyline in this one is entertaining nonetheless. The writers do a decent job with the dialogue between Claire and Ryan, and Claire and her father. However, there is nothing about this story that makes it stand out in the crowd. It has no 'X factor', no real noteworthy quality. The closes we get to this is Osnes's performance, which was very strong, I thought. She has an air of sweetness to her performance with a touch of scorn (as those who have been dumped often do). As another reviewer put it, 'she is the IT factor' in this one. It took me a little while to get used to (or, rather, get over) Selig's youngish looks. Once I did, I started to connect with his performance, which was pretty good overall. I was also impressed with his singing at the end of the film; a pity he and Osnes didn't do a song together. The chemistry between the two was OK, I guess. They came off as close friends, which worked well on-screen, but I wasn't completely convinced of their romantic chemistry. Given the 'second chance at love' theme of the story, I will give them the benefit of the doubt in this one. Another aspect of this movie was the musical performances. As noted above, these were mixed. I thought Pat Monahan from Train was surprisingly entertaining as both an actor and musician. It was a bit amusing when Claire was speaking to Jackson (played by Monahan), trying to come up with a replacement act for the show. As others have pointed out, the acapella group wasn't very good. I'm not sure what the producers were thinking or, rather, listening to. Finally, the film had a decent Christmas vibe to it. For example, the decorations in the hotel were beautiful, and though not filmed in Lake Tahoe, the snow-covered landscapes were a plus. If you're a lover of Hallmark Christmas romance movies (with a touch of comedy), you should check out 'Christmas in Tahoe'.

There is some real life reality in this film where personal careers and goals temporarily take priority over Ryan (Kyle Selig) and Claire's (Laura Osnes) own relationship. The Christmas period is that magical time when forgiveness is on everyone's mind and reconciliation between estranged family and friends occurs more often than anytime of the year.

The supporting cast was just that, very supportive in their respective roles and to have the lead singer of Train, Pat Monahan, play Jackson, an administration assistant to Claire was a Christmas gift for all of us.

The only knock against this made for TV film was the producers and film editor decided to insert that irritating musical "bing bong Christmas tingle" interlude through most of the films conversation and I for one just get tired of hearing that cheesy bing bong twinkle background sound throughout. Never the less, I would recommend the film to both romantics and Christmas film lovers. I give it a respectable 6 out of 10 IMDb rating.

6/10 - I will admit to really enjoying the trope where one of the exes has made it big and is now super famous and this certainly captured the heart of that trope which made it stand out ever so slightly among the rest of the 2021 holiday movies.

Such odd casting! Pat Monaghan from Train..... George Lopez in a very small role as a bellboy. I agree with the others regarding the leads. The "rock star" was miscast and not a lot of chemistry. Oh and let's not say Lake Tahoe when it obviously is not.

Gaslighting booking agent, clinging fans, paparazzi, meddling mothers, unappreciative father, overly persistent guest. Isn't this fun. Don't forget schemes to get past security. Actually, some of those were vehicles for humor, but annoying isn't funny to me. Then there are the three top acts that cancel at the last minute. (What no broken pipes?) It does get better in the last half.

Beyond all the efforts to sign up acts, the story is pretty much the usual stuff. Finally after a while, Kyle Selig and Laura Osnes get a chance to show some chemistry.

There are a few musical numbers here and there, mostly in the closing show. I was disappointed that Osnes wasn't one of the performers.

Any movie with Laura Osnes in it is going to be great! She is such a talented actress and performer and shines her light in everything she does! She should have somehow been a featured singer in this movie with her beautiful voice!!! That would have been better than the other group who performed. But all in all this movie was lighthearted and fun. I do think if they put George Lopez in the movie he should have been a bit more involved. Pat Monahan from Train was surprisingly entertaining. 41 Christmas movies this year seems over ambitious for Hallmark. You either like the hallmark formula for their movies or you don't. This year some will be open to the goal of hallmark diversifying their storylines and some will not be. To each his own. But political views have nothing to do with the actor's performances and people should leave it alone.

First of all, how do you NOT lead with George Lopez? He's not even mentioned in the trailer. Believe me, I would have watched this sooner had I known he was in it.

The best acting performances in the movie were by Lopez, Pat Monahan, and comedienne Alex Gullason. The other performances seemed to be from the Hallmark school of acting: pleasant, sincere, but without the authenticity of the great supporting players.

Given Monahan's involvement in the project, I take at face value the behind-the-scene workings of the music industry (if not the timeline). It was harder to accept Kyle Selig as a rock star. But then, this is a Hallmark movie and we're used to suspending disbelief.

It's worth watching "Christmas in Tahoe" for the great supporting cast.

My first issue is that Kyle Selig as Ryan seems way too young for the role. The acapello trio was not good. "Dad" was annoying. It was just hard to get through. I know Hallmark Channel can do better.

Don't get the poor reviews. Laura O is so likeable and good. Story could use a little editing, but it is like life - a little chaotic and often remarkable. Supporting cast was spot on, but please no more hater boy George Lopez. A nice addition to Hallmark Christmas 2021.

George Lopez makes a guest appearance for no reason and the concierge is the lead singer of the band Train.

This movie checks all the boxes: struggling inn, lost love, musical numbers, coffee cups that are clearly empty, one song by the band Train that is played several times, enough Christmas lights to give you a seizure, and, is that a knock-off George Lopez? No, it's the real George Lopez and he only slightly looks dead in the eyes.

Watch it with a drink in your hand and play a hallmark Christmas drinking game, but be warned it will knock you on your behind. Pour one out for the band Train and real George Lopez.

100% pure hallmark wtf gold.

I dunno there's times I enjoyed the film and other times I found d it annoying. Again a girl gives up her dreams cause her family wants her to stay like come on hallmark that is not the answer. It's an ok hallmark film at best.

I felt compelled to mention three reviewers actually had the nerve to mention that Laura Osnes is an "anti-vaxxer". Who cares? That's her decision and her right, yet some people actually have the audacity to judge her? Hypocrisy knows no bounds. Spoiler alert: the vaccine didn't even stop the spread.

As for the film, it is not bad. It is worth a watch. But as others have mentioned, you would never know this was in Lake Tahoe. Odd. Osnes is a very capable actress and entertainer. In fact, she needs better roles. She is talented. But what bothered me the most was it never felt as if anyone took a breath. Too much dialogue, especially at the start. Others also seem to not buy the romance due to the apparent age difference, but I believe that is overblown. The two leads did have chemistry in my humble opinion.

5.9 stars.

This movie is below average for Hallmark, which says: not much. I used to rate Hallmark movies on a different scale, but now after approximately 45 movies watched, they deserve the same consideration as any movies. Hallmark movies invariably fall within the 5.0 - 8.0 range, almost no exceptions, and... this one is no exception. Let me show you what I mean: Acting: 7, writing: 6, cinematography: 7, music: 7, editing: 7. All the right techniques are used, all the right feelings are aroused, everything goes according to plan.

Here's what it's missing: the wow factor, the pop, screen presence, chemistry, humor, and actual talented musical artists. Hit and miss for the on screen music. The on screen singers were abysmal, and ok, and good, and great, and ok, and even a "what was that"? I heard some 3 part harmony, and none of it was harmonious, it was awful.

The leads have almost zero chemistry. The guy looks 10-15 years her junior.

If you think either of them is eye candy, then have at it. I think they are pretty people, but it could not breathe life into this below average attempt to fit the mold.

I supposed, for large public and , especially, for Hallmark fans, a real nice film.

For me, a good return to familiar cliches , from the exboyfriend returning in town and the plot of mothers for resurrect the old fire between their children to the show in full crisis and the solutions of the final, in general happiness sauce.

But my problem is the apparent age difference of age between Claire and Ryan. Kyle Selig seems a teenager and in few scenes is not just bizarre to imagine Laura Osnes as his mother than his ex girl friend.

The music reminds a large basket with a lot of fruits in different states of freshness .

The charm is the result of the work of supporting actors in high measure.

So, a decent Hallmark.

Certainly enjoyed this one! Laura Osnes as Claire and Kyle Selig as Ryan were very cute together. Both have that boy/girl next door vibe going on and were believable in their roles as former high school sweethearts. I think I like these Hallmark(ish) Christmas movies better when they are on a quest to get something instead of a mission to stop a threat, i.e., the big developer who wants to destroy the town square. I also enjoyed the Christmas Cookie Catastrophe when they were trying to solve a mystery.

In Christmas in Tahoe, our heroine was on a mission to find acts for the annual holiday variety show that is put on each year by the hotel her family owns. Ryan, who is part of a rock band, comes to her aid. For various reasons, he and his band can't play, but he helps Claire secure acts. I really enjoyed watching their shenanigans to get performers and how they aired their previous grievances and issues with each other while working together. At one point, Claire was Ryan's band manager while they dated. The band fired her, which contributed to the breakup. They never talked in-depth about what happened until now.

Another thing I liked about A Christmas in Tahoe was the music. There was a scene where Claire encountered Ryan while he was working on a new song at the piano. He only sang part of the song before Claire interrupted him. But he sounded so nice, reminiscent of Pete Francis. I loved that scene so much that I rewound it over and over again. The song went like: "There's a story that I was told/And I want to tell the world before I get too old/And don't remember it/So let's December it/And reassemble it...ohhh yeah...Once upon a time..." Then there was the final performance of this song and all of the performers. It was very heartwarming and gratifying to watch Claire and Ryan's work come together in the end.

Laura Osnes is likeable and the entire cast delivers a watchable movie. Pat Monahan sings well. But....., Christmas? Claire is a capable, ambitious organizer who wants to stage a great show, in hopes to land the job of her dreams. She gets help from Ryan, her old flame, and new sparks are awaited. The show happens to be scheduled on Christmas Eve and includes a comedian' s act and some pretty bad music. The clue is a number where 'Silent Night" gets totally butchered, while ecstatic fans cheer loudly. What happened to the time when people are inspired to be generous and forgiving, when families and friends reunite in wonderful traditions, when they celebrate with music that has warmed the heart of generations after generations? Hallmark has added another nail to the coffin of Christmas tradition, with a soulless presentation of materialistic holiday values.

One night before Christmas, in Oberndorf, a small village up the Austrian Alps, young Rev. Joseph Mohr and his friend, organist Franz Gruber, found divine inspiration and composed "Stille Nacht", perhaps the most beautiful Christmas Carol ever. They would feel mortified, could they see what is done to their immortal creation and what is passed for 'Christmas Spirit', over two hundred years later! Hence, enjoy the view, is you please, but do not call this a "Christmas " movie.

The story was good enough, had a couple of twists not obvious in the first ten minutes. The main complaint i have is that tahoe is beautiful but i doubt it was actually filmed there. Other than one line, this could've just as easily been christmas in kansas city, or albany, or anywhere. The few outdoor scenes were not in identifiable locations; the most tahoe the viewer sees is in the opening montage, possibly all stock footage.

Even though the movie was shot around the Vancouver, BC Canada 🇨🇦 Christmas In Tahoe is very magical. The actors were really funny, really made my day. I couldn't watch it on the Hallmark Channel because my cable doesn't have the support and because of my religious beliefs.

Right away I want to say how disappointed to see that this film didn't even attempt to look like it was really supposed to be in Tahoe. Living in Northern California and make numerous trips to Tahoe the scenery they show in the movie is misleading.

The two Ieads did not seem to have much chemistry together. The male lead looked like he barely was out of high school, and far too young to be part of a "successful " group. Pat Monahan would have been a better choice and definitely sings better.

Really wanted to like 'Christmas in Tahoe' so much more. Music is a big part of my life as a musician and any film that has a premise centered around music and saving music events is an instant attention grabber and potentially relatable. Also do like Laura Osnes as an actress and singer, despite her going down in my estimations earlier this year, she was no stranger to Hallmark and liked her a lot in the others. So it was hardly a doomed from the start sort of film.

'Christmas in Tahoe' just failed to deliver and falls flat. Even on the things that it was seen most for. It is not quite as bas as some other 2021 Hallmark Christmas films ('Boyfriends from Christmas Past', 'Coyote Creek Christmas', 'Christmas CEO', 'Christmas at Castle Hart') but alongside them it is down there with the worst from this block. Which did have some very good efforts, such as 'Christmas in My Heart', 'My Christmas Family Tree', 'One December Night' and 'Open by Christmas'.

It has a few plus points, with most of them being the lively turns of George Lopez, Pat Monahan and Alex Gullason.

Also thought that the scenery was lovely and complemented by the photography well.

Everything else isn't so lovely. The biggest casting debit is Kyle Selig, who gives a very anaemic performance that agreed does not scream rock star quality at all and had inexperience stamped all over it. He has no chemistry at all with Osnes, who tries earnestly but is pretty much wasted (as the film doesn't really play to her strengths, or use them even, and it was like those involved didn't know what they are). The rest of the cast don't register and the characters are not well fleshed out or have enough personality excepting the three actors singled out as plus points.

Musically, 'Christmas in Tahoe' is a failure. Not only because it is repetitive and annoying, as well as randomly placed at times, it is also terribly performed. We are not talking by a little, we're talking to a massive degree and listening to it was an embarrassment. The script is continually awkward and wouldn't pass for everyday conversation and the story is not just very formulaic it is also very thin and dully paced. The charm and heart factors are quite low.

Summing up, doesn't hit any high notes. 3/10.