User Reviews

This is a decent Lifetime Christmas movie, not one of the best nor one of their worst this season. And it gives wheelchair users some representation on screen in this genre of film, which is a plus. In this one, a romance novelist (Izzi) heads off on her yearly Christmas getaway. Unfortunately, she has missed a deadline for her book, thus must spend her holiday finishing it. To her surprise, the owner's son (Matt) has taken over the Inn, and he happens to look like the protagonist in her book (on the cover of her books, that is). Shortly thereafter, the two start to develop a connection, a relationship as they take part in the towns Christmas festivities. It is a lovely romance story, and the movie does give off a warm Christmas vibe during the last 40 minutes or so. The script too was decent. There were a couple of scenes with some fun and entertaining dialogue (e.g., the scene where she complains about the floor not squeaking and meets Matt, some witty lines in that scene). However, I found the first 30 minutes difficult to engage with; i.e., the story did not pull me in. I had to stop myself a couple of times from multitasking. It was not until Izzi agreed to help Matt with the Christmas lights competition that I finally started to connect with the film. The acting, overall, was good. Ali Stroker (playing Izzi) had a very strong performance. I thought she had some very good dialogue and exchanges with Daniel di Tomasso (playing Matt). He had a strong yet gentle and sincere presence on screen, I felt. The chemistry between the two was also pretty good. As I alluded to above, I thought Stroker had a very convincing performance here. Her dialogue and exchanges came off as genuine and heartfelt on screen. The supporting cast was a bit mixed. Bill Marchant's performance (playing Bob, Matt's father and former Inn owner) was difficult to watch at times. His lines and exchanges often felt forced and exaggerated, which made for some awkward scenes, I felt. Melia Charlotte Cressaty (playing Matt's daughter), on the other hand, had a very cute performance. The scenery, props, and sets were charming and festive. As I noted above, the movie had a warm Christmas vibe to it, which is partly due to the cozy Christmas atmosphere at the inn and village. All in all, it is a pretty good Christmas movie, especially the last 40 minutes or so. Well worth a watch, I'd say.

This is indeed a very good effort. The dialogues and the performances were decent and natural, so was the chemistry between the two leading actors. The matter of diversity was handled with dignity and discretion. Well done! A must see for these holidays! Happy new year everyone!

I watch a lot of Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movies. So much so, I'm fairly jaded about them. Purely from the "TV Christmas movie" perspective, this is a decent one-time watch with a typical Christmas/snowy setting and appealing leads that had good chemistry together. The plot was minimal and unoriginal. A romance writer goes on a holiday retreat to help cure her writer's block. It turns out the inn's new owner looks just like the hero of her romances, as depicted on all the covers. He's also a single dad with a cute little girl in the mix.

This movie would have rated a 6/10 for me as a perfectly watchable TV Christmas romance. But it earned an additional star for having a female lead who is in a wheelchair. Interestingly, that never came up at all in the plotline. It was not a consideration in the romance or even mentioned by the love rival. I think that was a good call.

This movie will mean a great deal to many people. Thank you, Lifetime.

I have loved Ali Stroker since she guest starred on Glee & then she made it to Broadway in the revival of Oklahoma! Ali stars as a romance writer that is unlucky in love, but then stumbles upon a man that looks exactly like the artwork on her novels. Is this swooning hero for real? Cute holiday story!

The 2020 Lifetime Christmas efforts did vary and often veered between mediocre and slightly above average and were indicative at times of rushed productions. But there were enough of them that were still watchable and more (was pleasantly surprised by some) and were not amateur efforts. Actually think on reflection that the standard was of better quality than 2019's batch. 'Christmas Ever After' sounded promising and really appreciated its inclusion of diversity by having one of the main characters wheelchair-bound.

'Christmas Ever After' turned out to be very nicely done. Is one of the better ones and has one particularly big surprise that was not expected at all. Is it a great film? No, none of the 2020 Lifetime Christmas films are though in all fairness. Is it worth watching? Absolutely yes (as is enough of this particular batch), and one of the recently seen Christmas films that surprised me a lot. While not everything in 'Christmas Ever After' works, a lot does and very well indeed.

Am going to start with what could have been better. The plot is nothing special formula-wise and in terms of how it maps out. It's another film that is a bit of a slow starter, where it takes time to set up and the dialogue is on the awkward side.

Do agree that Bill Marchant is too over the top in his role and came over as annoying. The ending felt too hasty.

However, a lot is good. Ali Stroker's performance was courageous and heartfelt, as well as easy to endear to. Daniel Di Tomasso matches her in charm and his gentle warmth and sincerity help him come over as very likeable. Their chemistry is beautifully done, tasteful and sympathetic with no judgement and they are very natural together. Melia Charlotte Cressaty is adorable without being too cute. Lifetime have always varied when it comes to having characters that are interesting and worth caring for, 'Christmas Ever After' is a case of both.

Visually, the film is professional looking rather than looking on the cheap, the scenery is lovely. The music is not used too much and has an appropriate sound. The direction shows somebody at ease with the genre and while there is nothing innovative it's not routine or dull either. Furthermore, a great job is done with the Christmas atmosphere, where it does feel like Christmas and in an affectionate way. Some lovely Christmas touches, especially in the second half, and there are some very sweet, but not sickly, scenes. The script did have a nice mix of funny and poignant lines, especially the banter between the leads. The story may be thin but has a warm heart and charm and doesn't take itself too seriously. While the first quarter is not easy to get into at first, a vast majority of the second half is great.

Overall, well done. 7/10.

Ali Stroker is wonderful! She's a talented actress and a great singer. This year there is an obvious, and sometimes controversial, agenda of casting in the name of diversity, and they've struck gold here. That is NOT to suggest that the ONLY reason she was cast is tokenism, because she completely makes this movie. She's beautiful, energetic, funny and even with some weaknesses in some of the other cast, she makes this a movie worth watching. Well done!

The actors deserve so much better than this. I faithfully watch all the films of this type every year, but this one is just trying too hard and not succeeding. All the conversations bring up a topic that seems like it should move the plot forward, but then someone leaves the room and nothing moves forward. That is not banter. I quit 25 minutes in. It's just poor writing. I really hope Ali Stroker gets to be in another one of these (or that Broadway reopens). If you like the leading man, watch him in Chicago Fire or Major Crimes. This movie just doesn't work.

As someone who consumes these holiday movies - Hallmark, Lifetime and now Netflix, every year, I will say Christmas Ever After is definitely one of my favorites this year. Great diverse representation, cute story theme with an out-of-town novelist, and single dad, both in their own waves looking for an opportunity to experience or re-experience love. I enjoyed the quirky banter between Izzi (Ali Stoker) and Matt (Daniel di Tomasso) - I think Daniel did a great job of showcasing Matt's almost shy hesitancy to acknowledge his growing feelings for Izzi. The actress playing Matt's daughter was adorable and hilarious. Also, the fact that the movie featured a heroine in wheelchair without making that the center of the story was so well done. The only thing I thought could have been done better was the ending, it was a bit rushed or perhaps I just wanted to spend some more time with these characters. I have had this movie on repeat on my DVR and recommending it to friends as well!

Greetings, salutations, and a seasonal welcome to all you movie aficionados. Here are my considerations and recommendation for Christmas Ever After.

Story: 1.50/2 - Direction and Pace: 2.75/4 - Performances: 1.25/2 - Enjoyment: 1.50/2

Total 7/10

Christmas Ever After is a coincidental tale of romance and family. And having experienced plenty of chance meetings and fluke opportunities in my life, I have a warm place in my heart for this type of story, especially if the coincidences smack of truth, which these, on the whole, do. I also adored how the writers portrayed romance novelist Izzi Simmons. Though confined to a wheelchair, the only disability she has is the inability to choose the right man: Because Izzi is looking for perfection in Mr Wright. But, like I always say, "I'm perfect because I know my imperfections". Perfection is an impossible yardstick to measure by, but it's amusing to watch her try. Will she change her Mr Wright wishlist? When she meets the doppelgänger of the Icon of Romance himself, Matt, Izzi finally realises the truth of the human soul; we are imperfect, and that imperfection may be just what the author needs. The director has a marvellous talent for imbuing the picture with warmth, whether it's through relationships or visualisations; Christmas Ever After was a joy to watch. I especially like the typing scenes where the narration appears on the screen. The director chose the correct font to accent the romance and the right colour to tie in with the warm tones of Izzi's romantic writing room. It emphasises how much work has gone into the picture. And the exceptional work comes not only from the writers and director but also from the splendid cast. No one outshines the other, as they're on an equal skill footing. And for this style of story, it's perfect.

If you are looking for a charmingly heartwarming movie this Christmastime, you could do much worse than Christmas Ever After. It's witty, well thought-out, exquisitely directed, and marvellously acted. It's a fine film to cuddle up with your loved one while sipping a mug of hot chocolate on a cold and dreary day.

Please check out my HO! HO! HO! Christmas Belles list to see where I ranked the movie.

Take Care, Stay Well, And Best Wishes For A Merry Christmas.

Usually, one should expect that a christmas movie will be cheesy, but this was beyond cringy, sometimes even laughable. The story is cliche and predictable and it feels like the actors are trying too hard. The whole thing also seems poorly done.

I don't know why they bothered to put the main character in a wheelchair and then put her in the middle of such an inaccessible town! From the inn with stairs and no wheelchair ramp, to the boxes blocking her access to the Christmas tree, to the lack of ramps around town, whoever created the scenes had no consideration for people with disabilities. There aren't many scenes of her doing things adapted for her disability, like putting on a coat. I'm also disappointed that the location where it was shot didn't jump at the chance to be made more accessible. The plot was cute, if a little schmalzy, I was just so distracted by the flaws that it took away from the story. And I'm an able-bodied person! I don't know why more people haven't seen what I see.

Good for lifetime to make a film staring a women in a wheelchair I wish more films had more diversity in it especially hallmark films. The problem is the acting it's just awful and there was no chemistry between the leads. I'll give the film props but it's so bad. I also get covid was a factor but the last kiss at the end was just bad.

Okay, she's in a wheelchair, so when visits the Lodge/Chalet I am constantly looking for wheelchair ramps, cause she is EVERYWHERE. It's winter & snow, why is everyone walking around without gloves on, especially someone pushing a wheelchair, shouldn't the wheels be cold? Speaking of she is an accomplished writer, why doesn't she have an electric wheelchair? When they went for a walk, why didn't Matt push her. At one point holds her hand while she pushes with the other, uh I don't think so, not that simple no matter how long been in chair.

On another note I just love movies, cute guy & always single. Lady comes in town 1-10 days & they fall in love. What makes her so special?

Its awful. Omg dont watch it. The acting is poor. The best acting in my opinion came from the young girl. I cringed a lot whilst watching it.

This movie had humor, romance and enough holiday spirit for anyone to love. It is rare to see a movie where the lead actress is in a wheelchair and I loved seeing that. It's so good. I've watched it over and over since it premiered!

I nearly bailed on this one quite early on, as I recognised the lead female from Glee and remembered hating her, but actually she was almost bearable in this one. I also felt some affinity with her as a writer in this film. It helped to keep me interested when the lead male turned up and was very handsome and a nice guy to boot too. He looks very good topless.

I wouldn't say that I gave it my full attention as I played games at the same time as watching, but this type of film is made to be easy watching. We all know how it's going to end and we all know how they're going to get there. Even with that said, I think there could have been a bit more depth, as there was potential for it to have quite a lot of sentiment, but like a lot of these films it seemed quite rushed or like some of it was skipped or edited out completely.

It's got the seasonal setting and the festive activities, but it just lacked a bit of heart.

Not top of my list, but I might watch it again in a few years.

The story has some familiar themes. A writer, Izzy, needs to clear her head so she can fix the ending to her latest novel so she returns to her favorite B&B for Christmas. The former owner's son, Matt, is taking over and he's fixing things in the inn that Izzy has grown fond of. Initially there's some friction as a result, although it is fairly tame as early story friction goes. The story includes some of the traditional activities like cookie decorating and other holiday festivities and contests.

There is a little mystery with big implications but the reveal of it is well before the climax. The conflict is the usual misunderstanding over something seen from afar. The ending is predictable.

Many reviewers have commented over various holiday networks improvements in diversity of cast. Well this is the first Christmas rom/com I've seen where that diversity includes a female lead in a wheelchair, at least one where the wheelchair is not at all an issue in the story. We don't even get Izzy's backstory. Bravo to Lifetime. And double Bravo to Ali Stroker. Izzy is a very likeable. She is attractive in a not waif-thin sort of way. She sings. She bowls. She's quirky. She's confident. Her acting is upbeat and good. She has chemistry with Daniel di Tomasso although his acting is not quite as good. Same goes for most of the cast with the exception of Matt's sister and daughter, who each do a decent job. The girl with a crush on Matt is distracting because the actor always looks unsure of herself.

BTW: I was taken aback by the way Stroker handles her wheelchair. She whizzes and spins so effortlessly that it doesn't look real, but it is.

Without Stroker, this movie is probably 5 or 6 stars.

It's a classic Xmas romance movie with fun writing and great disability representation. It is definitely worth the watch with good storyline. The set is a fun Christmas town. Most Christmas movies like this are overly corny but this one is an easy watch. The music is pretty good too. There is much conflict which is perfect for this type of movie. It will definitely be one to watch again each year. I would recommend this to my friends and family to watch too. Great cast and a few surprises in the plot that are great addition to movie. Check it out. You will not regret watching this movie this holiday season.