Before I get into the review, here are my ratings for the movie.
The story gets 1.5 out of 2:
The Direction a 1.25:
The Pacing receives a 1.25:
While the Acting gets 1.25:
And my Enjoyment level earns a 1.75 out of 2:
This brings the total for My Christmas Love to 7 out of 10.
This is the second time I've watched this film. And, I enjoyed it as much this year as I did three years ago.
There's a lot to enjoy about this story. The writers, Garrett Frawley and Brian Turner, present the viewer the superlative Christmas Chick in Cynthia. She is the forever hopeless and eternally hopeful romantic. After being dumped at the start of the story, she resorts to inviting her employee to her sister's Christmas wedding. However, while they await the big day, a present arrives at her father's house from a secret suiter. The gift of a Partridge in a Pear Tree sets her on the mystery chasers road to find her anonymous admirer. Of which, she believes there are many.
While all this is going on, Cynthia additionally has to help her sister, Janet, with her wedding doubts and fears. Support her father this festive season, after the passing of their mother the previous year. And, try to complete her latest children's' book.
I have to say, Frawley and Turner do a magnificent job with The Twelve Days of Christmas Gifts. Worries were surfacing as I remembered six geese a-laying, seven swans a-swimming, and eight ladies a-milking. I mean, Cynthia had hitherto received a live and cooing partridge in a pear tree, two calling birds, and the three French hens. You can't help but be concerned with her storage facilities for the forthcoming beasts. But, don't worry, Frawley and Turner come up with a decent and realistic outcome. Cynthia's Chrimbo doesn't turn out like Frank Kelly's Christmas Countdown - Check it out on YouTube or Spotify.
It could have been so easy to lose control of a story that possesses so many elements, but the writers handle it expertly.
As does the director, Jeff Fisher. Though the story is told in your standard point and shoot fashion, it works well for the tale. Fisher allows the scenes and the cast to create the atmosphere and feel of the piece. He scarcely adds extra warm lighting to set a heartwarming and cosy mood. He doesn't need to. The cast works so decorously together that they have the feel of a real family. It is acclaim to the actors and actresses skills and talents, and the director's choice to use this method. Not including any lighting effects delivers a more lifelike tone to the film.
Since so much is packaged into the hour and a half, Fisher had to sustain a swift pace. On the whole, this works well to retain the attention of the audience. However, there are a couple of scenes where we required a smidgen more. Chiefly, this is to do with Cynthia and her search for her gift-giver. For example, she concludes that it's her ex who is sending her the gifts. That's fine, but it would have been delightful to note how she got to her conclusion. The first we see of him is when she calls on him unexpectedly. More here, would only have added to the story.
As stated above the cast are excellent in their roles. Everybody contributes their best, and there are no small parts in this movie. I do appreciate a film where everybody is as great as everyone else. It's another element that helps make an improbable story believable.
I loved Meredith Hagner as Cynthia. She's gorgeous and charming and was the ideal choice for this role. She handles the romance with the same panache as she does the comedic scenes and ditsy-blonde scenes.
Megan Park, who portrays Cynthia's sister, Janet, is just as perfectly cast. She adds a bittersweet depth to the story. Janet is the strong sister who stayed behind to make sure Dad was okay after Mother passed. But, she's concealing the fact that Mum's death affected her strongly too. All this is subtly evident in Janet's mannerisms and persona.
My Christmas Love is one Christmas movie I'd recommend for everybody to watch, at least once. It's an enjoyable and thought-provoking story of love in many forms, and the effect it can have on our lives. I've seen this flick twice now, and I enjoyed it just as much the second time around as I did the first time: and I'll be delighted to watch it again. The film is an enjoyable way to waste an hour and a half.
Now, jump on the back of one of the Leaping Lords and leap on over to my Ho! Ho! Ho! Christmas Belles list to see where the Love landed in my ratings.
Take Care & Stay Well & Merry Christmas.
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