'Tis the Season for Love

I actually had very low expectations about this movie. The title didn't make me excited, a neither did the plot or the few images I saw. I thought the same thing the first 15 minutes of the movie, but as it continued I found myself enjoying it. Both leads do a pretty good work, and so does the supporting cast. It's not the best Hallmark has made, and the end is very predictable, but it's a lovely movie to enjoy in a boring afternoon.

Fact: The actors who play Barry and Dean perform as brothers in Hallmark's "Chesapeake Shores", and I think this was shot before or during the production of the show so it was nice seeing them, even though they are not goofing around.

This movie really is nothing new - it is realistic enough, but too dull, seen it all in these movies before. The worst part was when the lead told the children they 'did not miss a note' when they were off with the piano. I wouldn't intentionally watch it again, because I prefer more contrast / variety in these stories and there's nothing unique here to merit a re-watch. However, there are still a lot of good points regarding decision making and it might just give a bit of clarity when there's big decisions to be made. I also like that the lead was realistic about where she could afford to live - often homes in movies are too expensive for the characters' situations. I just wish they'd shown her two ideas of life in parallel and joined them together again at the end for a more original format for this genre - a bit like Sliding Doors but all-age friendly.

The lovely Sarah Lancaster stars in this predictable but enjoyable Hallmark Christmas movie. Sarah plays a struggling actress who returns home for the holidays to the small town she left years before. She returns having never realized her dreams of stardom and discovers her ex now has a happy small town life, married with adorable kids. This makes her wonder if she made the right choice leaving all those years ago. Then there's some weird stuff with Santa Claus and you'll just have to see the rest for yourself.

I really like Sarah and will pretty much watch anything she's in. I can't say I loved this movie but I also can't say much against it, since my expectations are generally low on TV movies. Every now and then you watch a Hallmark movie and feel like someone just mashed together a few previous Hallmark movies and came up with something that seems to be new but doesn't really feel like it. That's what we have here. But even the weakest of scripts for these things can often be saved by the charisma of the leads and how well the romance works. The problem there is, while Sarah is certainly beautiful, she just seems kind of bored in this. There also isn't much of a spark between her and love interest Brendan Penny. It's not a bad seasonal romcom by any stretch, just not particularly great. If you're a fan of Sarah Lancaster, you'll probably like this fine. Otherwise you might find yourself trying to put together the puzzle of which Hallmark movies you previously saw the different pieces of this one.

...lifted to another level by the presence of the lovely and engaging Sarah Lancaster.

I've seen SL in quite a few TV movies and she has the knack of making average fare thoroughly engaging with her relaxed acting style - she seems to fit into roles with great ease and never ever seems to be acting, which is an extraordinary gift. Never underestimate charm in actors - some have it, and many don't. Ms Lancaster has it in spades, and it's underpinned by a quality of humility which again some actors don't seem to have.

...and children seem to really enjoy her company which explains the sheer ease (for the viewer) with which she works/acts with them in this flick.

The story is average but the setting is very nice - there's a scene on the ice rink which is thoroughly delightful visually...I'll say no more.

I could watch this again without any complaints.

'Tis The Season For Love' is a movie with a good heart. The main theme that seemed apparent was 'choice'; the far reaching ripple effect on our lives, from simple decisions made early on. Nina Weinmans story evolves with a perfectly timed pace and the main character, Beth ( Sarah Lancaster) is portrayed with honest sincerity, while her journey to become her authentic self unfolds. Terry Ingrams vision is very well executed, with beautiful cinematography – wonderful colors and rich set detailing make for an enjoyable visual experience. The attention to detail set this movie apart, placing it in the top tier of the TV Holiday Movie genre (which I must admit, I love). Brendan Penny (Dean) creates a believable love interest and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop on screen. This movie is about love, family and the importance of community and how the surface appearance of success can actually be a mask covering doubts and insecurities. The musical score by Hal Beckett is heartfelt and playful; twinkly and sparkly in all the right festive places. He perfectly accents the intimate romantic moments with his delightful piano and string moments and the fun woodwind motifs really make those light comedic scenes work. Heartwarming stuff indeed.