Leah's Perfect Gift

Leah's Perfect Gift was also her nightmare. This movie made me uncomfortable in a way that few made-for-TV movies can. The storyline was borderline abusive to our dear Leah who took unrelenting verbal blows and slights from her prospective mother-in-law. Leah, dear Leah, run! Don't walk. Run from this awful family and their terrible mother.

Leah, a fully-grown Jewish woman with a real career and undoubtedly many other prospects, is dating Graham, a Christmas-celebrating person (we don't actually speak of his religion). Maybe not wanting to work at the bank is a religion? Graham invites Leah to his childhood home with his horror movie mom Barbara. Leah, despite living in New York City, is amazed by seeing what might be her first-ever Christmas decorations and trees. Apparently she's never walked on any street in the winter in NYC.

Leah is game for going to Graham's torture house because she thinks Christmas is cool, like in the movies. It does not go well, but it's not for lack of trying by Leah. She's great and would be a lovely addition to many families, but to join Graham's family, she'll have to deal with mom Barbara. Don't you dare call her Barb, or there will be blood.

Barbara is a witch. She's uptight, mean, cold, pretty dumb, uncaring, oblivious - with absolutely zero redeeming qualities to root for. She controls her children's behavior, down to how they unwrap gifts. She's a terrible cook, basically starves her family, schedules every moment of Christmas and is always dressed like she's going to the country club to gossip with the other kept wives.

Leah should have called it quits on day two. There is absolutely no plot development between the first 70 minutes of this movie that could possibly justify the last 10 minutes. It's insulting.

I took so many notes while watching this car wreck, but I feel defeated as a human and don't want to give this movie any more of my time than it always has. So I'll keep my many thoughts to myself.

Please don't watch this movie. Run away, like Leah should have.

Measuring Christmas Magic: Barbara is a certified witch, so I guess that was magic.

Cast Kudos: Give me more Tricia (who isn't even listed as cast on IMDB). She's the friendly clerk at the Christmas/convenience store who sells snacks and doles out life advice. I want more of Tricia.

Alternative Titles: "Leah learns that Barbara will ruin her life and she dumps Graham" Is that too long?

I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. I thought Leah and Graham had chemistry. You could tell they really loved each other. I loved the sister too. She brought in some comedic timing that was needed. I loved mixing the Jewish and Christian traditions. I would agree with other reviewers that Graham's parents were over the top and rude. I don't know why Hallmark does that and then in the final moments they change. It's not believable. I really felt Leah's performance and how she didn't feel like she fit in with Graham's parents. He played both sides well. Maybe he could have listened to Leah better but that is where some of the conflict lyes. The ex girlfriend could have been left out. She really brought nothing to the table. Overall I really liked this movie.

I am not sure what was going on in the writer's room when they were writing this movie, but someone must have skipped food and turned in a hangry script. I really like Leah, she was the best part of this film. The rest of the characters are just plain awful. No woman with her amount of education and humor would stay with a milk toast man who did not stick up for her and let his mom be so condescending and just mean. Most of the movie the acting is over the top or just dull. I think with less snakiness from the mom, the over the top and stereotypical nasty ex girlfriend, and a strong leading man this could have been something. This one misses the mark.

7.6 stars.

A lot of fans were horrified by this film. I can't blame them. The lead male's family is atrocious. Mainly the mother is a real piece of work. The whole atmosphere had to be staged just so, in order to make it as miserable as possible for the audience. I think the Director had the idea in mind to make it as realistic as possible, but only monsters truly act this way in reality.

This is an anti (you know what) story, no doubt. You cannot miss the blatant disregard for two different religions/cultures. I'll let you guess which. This is anti-both of them and it's disgusting. And the features of the lead female? Why do people assume that those people all look like that? They don't all look like that, it's such a cliché that they (Hallmark and many other studios) try to convey to the world that this culture/people has a particular visage and quirky way about them. I could go on and on down this rabbit hole, but I'll stop here. This movie is not subtle about it and I think Hallmark needs to be sued or something. This is so NOT cool.

Funny thing is, I like this movie. Let me explain why. About 30 minutes in, I realized this is that kind of story, you know the kind you see every so often about social injustice, equal rights, and all that jazz? Well, if you come at this film from that perspective, you will actually have a more fulfilling experience. I was quite pleased with it at that point. The lead female is quite the heroine. I was rooting for her at this point, and I had a great time watching her humbly dismantle this abomination of a matriarch and her buffoon of a husband.

This seemed like a cute movie, the main actress was great she was funny, cute and did a good job, but halfway through I had to stop watching take a deep breath and remind myself it's not real. It's a movie they are not real people. Because the way they treat this poor girl in this movie was so hard to watch it was giving me anxiety! Was the mom supposed to have a mental illness(ocd) and it just not be talked about? Because she was so bad and even in the end when she was being "nice" I couldn't take her seriously I was waiting for another put down from her and even the mean ex girlfriend I was thinking wow they really just threw in nice moments that fell flat. A rewrite for the mom and maybe a different actress to play her and I would've loved it! The main actress is the only reason I watched the whole thing and am giving it 5 stars.