rossmcfarlen
Joined Jun 2014
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Reviews46
rossmcfarlen's rating
This concerns the time HRC had her Tammy Wynette moment...
Both Eddie Falco and Clive Owen are outstanding in an episode that explores the essential dynamics of the Hill&Bill relationship ie. Her drive and determination into turning her wayward Bill into a POTUS to remember.
She did that alright!
In this episode Clive Owen rocks Bill with a perfect accent and in some scenes you can actually believe Bill is in the room. It's a nuanced performance and Clive gets it just right.
When you watch one episode every week over many weeks you can get the 'where is all this leading/going' feeling...but this episode makes the lead-up and the previous episodes ALL worth watching...I'm hoping the last two episodes have the same compelling power as Episode 8.
Both Eddie Falco and Clive Owen are outstanding in an episode that explores the essential dynamics of the Hill&Bill relationship ie. Her drive and determination into turning her wayward Bill into a POTUS to remember.
She did that alright!
In this episode Clive Owen rocks Bill with a perfect accent and in some scenes you can actually believe Bill is in the room. It's a nuanced performance and Clive gets it just right.
When you watch one episode every week over many weeks you can get the 'where is all this leading/going' feeling...but this episode makes the lead-up and the previous episodes ALL worth watching...I'm hoping the last two episodes have the same compelling power as Episode 8.
Within moments of starting to watch this slightly below average TV movie, I wished the film would stop and the TV channel put on the much superior Debbie McCumbers's 'Dashing Through The Snow' (2015) - clearly that film and its 'gotta get home for Christmas but there are major impediments along the way...' plot are the source material for this mediocre project from last year.
In DTTS we at least have two quirky charismatic characters played by two talented actors in Meghan Ory and Andrew W Walker - who engage in flirting and banter and some goofiness, whereas in this 2020 effort we have two characters who are poles apart in terms of personality, and the Emily character has got to be the most unlikeable lead I've seen in a long time. To call her charmless would be an understatement.
Endlessly looking at that phone; endlessly worrying about work & career; endlessly worried about getting home for Christmas to spend time with her equally annoying family. They're primarily annoying because they care so much for the overly self-obsessed Emily who clearly is a textbook narcissist.
The Clark Kent guy wearing the spectacles most of the time, is more appealing of the two - but since there is no chemistry between these two it's really irrelevant how he comes across. Also, that they keep bumping into each other is an over-worked plot contrivance and I lost interest in both the couple and the story half-way through.
Writing up Emily as a stuck-up, over-preening obsessive and then getting her to turn on her 'charm' just as she realizes she may have a thing for the slightly geeky mug she's running around in circles is a stretch in credulity that is a stretch too far. Seriously this Emily character is far too annoying to have a movie written about her. Only turning on the charm after Cupid's arrow strikes, only shows a phoniness that's very unappealing and makes this TV movie more shallow than similar flicks out there.
If you found this crud disappointing and you've already seen the film mentioned above (DTTS) I strongly recommend you look up the very superior 'Project Christmas Wish' (my review will get you there!).
PCW really is the high standard all these Christmas romance flicks should be aiming for...dash over there and away from here!
In DTTS we at least have two quirky charismatic characters played by two talented actors in Meghan Ory and Andrew W Walker - who engage in flirting and banter and some goofiness, whereas in this 2020 effort we have two characters who are poles apart in terms of personality, and the Emily character has got to be the most unlikeable lead I've seen in a long time. To call her charmless would be an understatement.
Endlessly looking at that phone; endlessly worrying about work & career; endlessly worried about getting home for Christmas to spend time with her equally annoying family. They're primarily annoying because they care so much for the overly self-obsessed Emily who clearly is a textbook narcissist.
The Clark Kent guy wearing the spectacles most of the time, is more appealing of the two - but since there is no chemistry between these two it's really irrelevant how he comes across. Also, that they keep bumping into each other is an over-worked plot contrivance and I lost interest in both the couple and the story half-way through.
Writing up Emily as a stuck-up, over-preening obsessive and then getting her to turn on her 'charm' just as she realizes she may have a thing for the slightly geeky mug she's running around in circles is a stretch in credulity that is a stretch too far. Seriously this Emily character is far too annoying to have a movie written about her. Only turning on the charm after Cupid's arrow strikes, only shows a phoniness that's very unappealing and makes this TV movie more shallow than similar flicks out there.
If you found this crud disappointing and you've already seen the film mentioned above (DTTS) I strongly recommend you look up the very superior 'Project Christmas Wish' (my review will get you there!).
PCW really is the high standard all these Christmas romance flicks should be aiming for...dash over there and away from here!
I rarely, if ever, score a film a ten but this one really deserves it!
Not finding the title nor the logline particularly eye-catching or appealing I began watching this flick with a prejudice that it would turn into mediocrity - in other words another forgettable piece of crud, in a genre that attracts too many average scores on here.
But this one took me completely by surprise...
Probably just as rare for me, is to refer to the acting, but on this occasion, it would be amiss not to mention the superlative performance at the HEART (how many TV films have a heart?) of this story proffered by the very gifted Amanda Schull - there are comedic, slightly goofy moments; and childlike banter with children and co-workers; romantic and melancholic moments that Ms Schull performs to perfection. It is rare indeed to see a fully drawn three-dimensional character in a TV film, so this is worth remarking upon here.
Her role is matched admirably by Travis Van Winkle (unrecognisable from that other festive gem 'Christmas Getaway' (2017) - there's a double-bill for the Christmas stocking this year, figuratively speaking as 'Getaway' is very good indeed! Clearly Mr. Van Winkle has an eagle-eye for above average scripts, and he is very good match for Ms. Schull.
He plays a prickly widower/father who is still recovering from the the loss of his late wife and mother of his young daughter, who (both) are struggling during the Yuletide - specifically Christmas festivities (which he banned for both of them because of painful memories).
This is where Ms Schull's character steps in and blows away the cobwebs and the 'bah humbug' from the lives of father & daughter. And of course romance ensues...but's it's a slippery path, surprisingly here, strewn with a few broken paving stones.
A Christmas-themed romance that's not afraid to look at the dark pits in the human soul - there is no cheap sentimentality here, but a strong air of authenticity, which is the hen's teeth of cheesy romantic dramas in general.
This film, as I've already mentioned has a big heart, and fortunately the cheese and the sugar are in short-supply, which gives this drama a very superior finish - despite the very starry and festive backdrop. - if there was one tree, one candle, one Christmas ornament this film would still work - the overly festive jazzy background not needed, but of course this must be included because of the genre for which it was made.
To reveal more would be to spoil; but do watch out for magic moments in the Gingerbread House (I didn't know they actually existed!) - a dreamy private household that a child (of any age) would want to dream in during the season of child-like escapism.
If you love the Christmas romance genre accompanied by a little bit of dreamy escapism then this movie is a must-see!
Not finding the title nor the logline particularly eye-catching or appealing I began watching this flick with a prejudice that it would turn into mediocrity - in other words another forgettable piece of crud, in a genre that attracts too many average scores on here.
But this one took me completely by surprise...
Probably just as rare for me, is to refer to the acting, but on this occasion, it would be amiss not to mention the superlative performance at the HEART (how many TV films have a heart?) of this story proffered by the very gifted Amanda Schull - there are comedic, slightly goofy moments; and childlike banter with children and co-workers; romantic and melancholic moments that Ms Schull performs to perfection. It is rare indeed to see a fully drawn three-dimensional character in a TV film, so this is worth remarking upon here.
Her role is matched admirably by Travis Van Winkle (unrecognisable from that other festive gem 'Christmas Getaway' (2017) - there's a double-bill for the Christmas stocking this year, figuratively speaking as 'Getaway' is very good indeed! Clearly Mr. Van Winkle has an eagle-eye for above average scripts, and he is very good match for Ms. Schull.
He plays a prickly widower/father who is still recovering from the the loss of his late wife and mother of his young daughter, who (both) are struggling during the Yuletide - specifically Christmas festivities (which he banned for both of them because of painful memories).
This is where Ms Schull's character steps in and blows away the cobwebs and the 'bah humbug' from the lives of father & daughter. And of course romance ensues...but's it's a slippery path, surprisingly here, strewn with a few broken paving stones.
A Christmas-themed romance that's not afraid to look at the dark pits in the human soul - there is no cheap sentimentality here, but a strong air of authenticity, which is the hen's teeth of cheesy romantic dramas in general.
This film, as I've already mentioned has a big heart, and fortunately the cheese and the sugar are in short-supply, which gives this drama a very superior finish - despite the very starry and festive backdrop. - if there was one tree, one candle, one Christmas ornament this film would still work - the overly festive jazzy background not needed, but of course this must be included because of the genre for which it was made.
To reveal more would be to spoil; but do watch out for magic moments in the Gingerbread House (I didn't know they actually existed!) - a dreamy private household that a child (of any age) would want to dream in during the season of child-like escapism.
If you love the Christmas romance genre accompanied by a little bit of dreamy escapism then this movie is a must-see!