My Christmas Dream

Let me start by saying I have low standards when it comes to holiday films, as they all follow the same template while the actors are interchangeable. Also, I have a huge girl crush on Danica McKellar and have since I was a kid. I didn't think she could ever do wrong. Now I know even bias can't save My Christmas Dream.

McKellar's Cooper was downright unlikable, and unlike every other holiday movie where the character slowly evolves, she never quite got there. Haydn-Jones did a fine job looking pretty, but his role didn't exactly call for much other than being a father and love interest. The kid started out fairly whiny and annoying but eventually saved this film for me. So very cute! Not much chemistry there, but I really blame the lacking script. Their entire journey from introduction to reunion felt scattered and incomplete. It was almost as if they were only attracted to each other because they had to be...because it's Christmas and that's what good-looking people do. I don't really recommend this movie unless you have watched every other Christmas movie Hallmark airs.

Danica McKellar stars as the manager of a large department store trying to come up with the 25th annual Christmas display just twelve days before Christmas. She's also in the running to manage the new store in Paris, her dream city. She tasks a painter and local artist to help with the display and begins falling for him and his young son. Cute movie but with a theme that's been done one too many times.

Christina (Danica McKellar) is the top manager in a midsize town for a department store called McDougalls. Christmas is approaching and this pretty exec is a bit stressed. For one, she has to develop their annual Xmas window display but has been unable to hatch a good idea. Then, she gets word that the chain store's founder, Victoria (Deirdre Hall) is coming to look things over. Ouch. Thank the Lord for her bright and cheery assistant, Holly (Christine Lee). Normally a workaholic, Christina has no time for a personal life. As Victoria is arriving, Chrissy has an unfortunate accident with a can of falling white paint. The culprit, single dad Kurt (David Haydn-Jones) has been a great worker and instantly apologizes. But, Christina is miffed. When Henry, the custodial manager, decides to let Kurt go, she does nothing to save Kurt's job. This is not the Christmas spirit at all! Two other matters occur at once. Victoria announces that they are seeking a head honcho for a new store in Paris. A Francophile, Christina soon yearns for this job. But, first, she has to deal with an unhappy six year old customer, Cooper (Christian Convery) who gets to Santa's throne a few minutes too late. What's the little boy's wish? To make his Dad happy this holiday season! Christina promises Cooper that she will relay the message to Santa but, ho ho ho, it turns out Cooper's father is the fired Kurt! By hook or by crook, Cooper arranges meetings for Christina and Kurt, for the little lad is smitten with the pretty manager himself. Can love snow down on a Christmas match? But, wait, what about Chrissy's Paris hopes? This lovely film is a new entry in the glorious Hallmark repertoire of Holiday movies. Very welcome it is! McKellar and Haydn-Jones make good love vibrations, being talented and attractive, while Convery is simply a doll. Deirdre Hall never ages and is also very fine as the kind but demanding boss. Other wishes fulfilled are nice sets, costumes, a sweet script and a sure direction. How many fans are there for Hallmark romantic movies? It must be in the billions by now and they will like this one, too!

Hello, Hallmark, it's the 21st Century. And guess what? Copying films of the '40s and '50s is a little passe.

My Christmas Dream stars Danica McKellar who, at age 40, is still playing ingenues. And as far as I'm concerned, she's getting away with it.

It also stars handsome David Haydn-Jones and Diedre Hall who must have a hideous portrait in her closet.

McKellar is Christina, the manager of a department star, McDougal's, owned by Victoria (Hall). Christina is doing a terrific job and loves what she does.

Victoria arrives at the store and makes an announcement: The store is growing internationally, and they are opening a new store in Paris. They need someone to run it. Christina is perfect for it, having studied in Paris for a year and always feeling as if it was home.

However, in order to get the job, she is going to have to dazzle Victoria with the annual Christmas display, a part of the window always kept hidden until December 23.

In the meantime, she has met Kurt (Haydn-Jones) and his son Cooper. It's obvious that Kurt wants a commitment from her, but Christina shies away from it. Meanwhile she's having him help with the display and hoping it impresses Victoria.

We all know what's going to happen. It is possible to have a wonderful career and be fulfilled. It isn't one or the other nowadays. The previous film with Candace Cameron had the same theme. We see these women giving up these fabulous jobs (although Christina's is a good compromise) to stay with a man. Of course, he's going nowhere, why should he.

These Hallmark films can be boring or lovely, depending on your mood. My mood is particularly in need of mind-numbing since the election, so I would up watching this one and part of another. I understand showing romance. But this is the kind of movie my mother would have written because her generation was interested in one thing and one thing only: marriage and a family. And if you didn't have that, as far as she was concerned, you didn't have much of a life.

It's not a good fantasy for young women, whom I assume watch these things.

Otherwise, it's pleasant and Christmasy.

7.6 stars.

Let's get this out of the way first: the kid has all the great comedic parts in 'My Christmas Dream'. A tough act to follow. Of course, the director makes the young boy seem like an adult, way too smart for a 6 year old, and I'd venture to guess he's older than 6 in real life, but that's beside the point.

Danica McKellar gives us her usual stellar rendition of a female who can be hard and cold, but deep down is soft and tender. All of her roles are similar, featuring the same personality in most of her performances. She is driven, yet malleable, harsh when she needs to be, yet compassionate underneath it all, seemingly gullible, but sharp as a knife. I like this character in a Hallmark female, ergo, I like Danica's portrayal in just about everything. I think we are seeing her true personality in what she does on screen. Sure, it's limited to that, but I like it enough to give her a free pass. Yes, the story is not original, but you can taste the higher quality film that it is.

The rest of the cast take a backseat to McKellar and little boy, but it's a well balanced Christmas tale of what it means to treasure family and the dream of true love over career and aspirations.