A Christmas Detour

Candace Cameron Bure plays a writer who believes in vision boards and soulmates. She's engaged to a stuffy, insipid man and is supposed to meet his equally stuffy parents for the first time on Christmas. But bad weather stands in the way of her plans so she's forced to share a ride with a bickering married couple and a handsome bartender (Paul Greene) down on love. Along the way sparks fly, proving once again that opposites always attract in TV romcoms.

It's never a bad thing to see Candace Cameron Bure in a Christmas movie, even if she is playing a more obnoxious character than usual. It took me awhile to like the character as she's pretty much the exact type of person I try to avoid in my life. Eventually they do flesh her out a little and you grow to care about her some. I still wasn't completely enamored with her by the end. Which is saying a lot since I adore Candace and will sit through just about anything to watch her. For his part, Paul Greene is a step above the usual bland male lead these things tend to have. He's got a lot of charisma (and knows it), straddling that fine line between charming and cocky at all times. Candace and Paul have a nice chemistry together but, as fun as these two are, the real highlight of the movie is Sarah Strange and David Lewis as the married couple. They prove you don't have to have movie star good looks to be a compelling romcom relationship. In a perfect world actors like this could be the stars of the movie. As it is, we have to settle for them as supporting players who steal the spotlight. The guy playing Candace's fiancé and the actors playing his parents also do an admirable job with cardboard roles. I'm sure it wasn't easy.

Candace rarely disappoints with her TV movies. This one isn't among my favorites of hers but it is very enjoyable, despite a few flaws. It's predictable (as these things always are) but it does what it does well. If you're looking for a pleasant way to pass the time on a lazy Saturday afternoon, you could do a lot worse.

This was an absolutely fine Christmas rom-com. Granted I can't remember anything about it 2 days after watching it, but it worked perfectly as atmosphere and background noise while I was making cookies a couple of days before Xmas.

It stars Candace Cameron-Bure as an optimistic (and fairly annoying) woman on her way to New York to meet her future in laws for the first time when a snow storm grounds her flight. Seated next to her is Paul, he's going home for the first time in years since his brother hooked up with his then girlfriend and crushed his heart. Now stranded in Buffalo the mismatched pair decide to share a rental car to get to their destinations. Also long for the ride are Frank & Maxine, a long married, barb-exchanging couple who steal just about every scene they're in. These guys were funny and interesting.

The story then turns into a sort of road trip mishap adventure, where secrets are revealed and romance blooms. I did warm to Candace's character as things progressed and she shared decent chemistry with (the very nice looking) Paul Greene, although both of them felt wooden in their roles which I put down to the director. This was also very obviously not filmed in December or any other winter month due to the amount of fake snow and people sweating in winter jackets.

Despite my bitter sounding review this was an okay movie, Oh and I found out that this was shot during a heat wave in Langley, BC (Canada subbing as Buffalo) 12/22/15

Was not expecting an awful lot from the story, which from reading the plot summary was one that indicated that it was going to be a film of very few surprises or originality. Watched 'A Christmas Detour' anyway as there are some watchable and more Hallmark festive films, as well as some mediocre or worst ones. And it is not hard to see why Candace Cameron Bure is one of Hallmark's most frequently used lead actresses, even though her characters tend to vary in likeability.

Something that is evident here in 'A Christmas Detour'. Which on the whole is a worthwhile effort. To me, it wasn't great and far from flawless. As far as Hallmark festive films go, 'A Christmas Detour' is somewhere in the solid middle rather than being on either extreme of best or worst. It does suffer from some of the things that quite a lot of Hallmark festive films have, but again from personal opinion 'A Christmas Detour's' appeal is understandable.

Am going to start with what works well, which is actually a lot. 'A Christmas Detour' looks good, especially the scenery which gives off a nice Christmas vibe. An aspect that Hallmark festive films more often than not excelled in, regardless of their variable authenticity the scenery regardless looked good still. There are some pleasant moments in the soundtrack. The acting is better than average, especially from Sarah Strange and David Lewis as the most interesting characters. Paul Greene does well as Dylan, even if you are frustrated at Dylan at times. It is sympathetically and not too routinely directed.

The script is not too bad. Nothing to be wowed by but other Hallmark festive films do a far worse job at making one cringe. It can be cornball definitely, but there is less of a cheese overload and it doesn't seem too soapy, or at least to me it didn't. The story is engaging and doesn't take itself too seriously, with moments of genuine and not too sugary charm and light-heartedness. Will agree though that the Frank and Maxine subplot is more involving and better written than the main plot overall.

Bure has given better performances in other films however. She isn't bad and does her best with some zesty moments, but she does tend to overplay and her character is obnoxious due to the over-eagerness being overdone. Would have liked a little more spark between her and Greene, which was there but doesn't quite explode enough, and their relationship could have done with more development. Which would have solved the problems of changes happening too fast and decision making being more plausible and less out of the blue.

Other Hallmark festive films fare worst in the script writing, but some parts still sounded on the forced and corny side. There is very little new done with a very tried and tested formula, so the story's predictability particularly towards the end is borderline excessive. The ending can be seen from miles away and is executed pretty much exactly as one expects. Some of the soundtrack is pleasant, at too many other times it is too constant and loud (which is a general problem seemingly with Hallmark festive films and a common criticism for them from some).

In summation, above average and worthwhile but not great. 6/10

I Have Reviewed OVER 400 Christmas MOVIES.

On all Christmas movies BEWARE OF FAKE REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. Many reviewers have only have ONE REVIEW. When it's a POSITIVE REVIEW chances are that the reviewer was involved with the production. If its a negative review then they may have a huge grudge against the film for whatever reason. I am fare about these films. The only reason why I review them is to keep track of what "I have seen".

In this film

Two New York City-bound travelers find themselves inextricably linked when a snowstorm reroutes them to an airport hotel in Buffalo. Ever the eternal optimist and hopeless romantic, Paige desperately needs to find a way back home to meet her fiancee's parents before her forthcoming wedding. And it's somehow up to fellow passenger Dylan MacKenzie, who is permanently soured on romance following a recent heartbreak.

Candace limited acting range is very limited but she does a good job here. She doesn't have to stretch too hard for this film. However as much as I did enjoy this I think the film would have been much better had of cast "Alicia Witt" in this one.

Family safe but kids and most men will hate this.

Candace Cameron Bure is a sweetheart and even a better actress. Her on screen chemistry with her leading man Paul Greene also worked charmingly. What I had a hard time swallowing was the amount of air time in this movie that Paul Greene who plays Dylan Smith spent trying to convince Ms. Bure who plays Paige Summerlind if she was sure that she was marrying the man of her dreams, or the man who exists only on paper. In fact it is Paige Summerlind who has written one of those itemized lists in a popular women's magazine on 100 ways to ensure you have the right partner.

Mrs. Shullivan and I liked the theory of an unexpected road trip romance, but the constant bantering between Ms. Bure and Paul Greene became quite tiring until the films last 30 minutes kind of redeemed itself as the love/hate/love/hate/love relationship ended with a heartwarming climax.

I give this Christmas romance a 6 out of 10 IMDB rating mainly on the strong performances of the two (2) lead actors Candace Cameron Bure and Paul Greene.