Christmas Joy

A really nice way to spend a couple hours. Good story but its the leads who make this one so charming.

First off the good: The lead actress was adorable. Picture perfect for the role. I was definitely interested pretty quickly in her story line.

The problem was there was ZERO chemistry with the leading man, and I saw no hope that there ever would be. I am sure the actor is fine, but the character he was playing - well: he had no guy friends, his friends were his parents and little old ladies (including Joy's aunt), he likes to bake, decorate, do interior designing and party planning, making ginger bread houses, and talking a lot about feeling and memories... He didn't seem to have any hobbies, interests or passions that would be considered traditionally male oriented. He just liked to hang out with the old ladies and do their kind of things. uh... well he did drive a pickup truck, so umm I guess he could be interested in a woman... maybe... Platonically. I don't know why they have him in the flannel shirt on the cover, because I don't think he wore anything other than fitted sweaters and slacks the entire movie. I seriously cannot even imagine them ever sharing a bedroom.

I often root for the nice guys and feel bad when they get jilted for the rich CEO or childhood sweetheart in these movies, but I honestly found myself hoping this guy was just a placeholder until the local fireman or outdoorsy neighbor guy took notice of her and her stunning beauty. No such luck...

She did say all her romances just fizzled, so maybe she is just saving time and going with no flame right from the start.

So much potential... Oh well. I hope to see her in more of these types of roles.

I would crawl over a pack of McVitties chocolate digestives for Danielle! She was lovely in this. It was so nice seeing her give up a big city job for the prestigious cookie crawl. North Carolina is finally portrayed in a wholesome way and not the opium addicted place we know from the news. Christmas garlands for all. Even Matt who was very slow to move even when her dough was stirring.

Familiar formula: girl goes back home and while spending time there she reconnects with people and with the place she grew up in. I can understand why people may have find this a little bit boring and slow.

I liked it. I have seen Danielle before and I've always enjoyed watching her act. Matt, however is new to me. And their chemistry was amazing. Honestly, they lack the "perky" trait we are so used to in these movies, but the relationship seemed real. The storyline is plain, nothing surprising. I mean, do these events really happen during Christmas in real life?

Danielle and Matt's acting made Joy and Ben's personas believable. And that was appealing.

The basic virtue - the three ladies : Beverly Elliot,Susan Hogan and especially the adorable Danielle Panabaker. Second - the simplicity and high predactibility of the story. Not the last - something giving toMatt long credibility as Ben Andrews. A so familiar Hallmark Christmas film giving the presence and performance of Daniele Panabaker as the inspired sparkle.