Reviews

I come out other other end of this movie just a bit bewildered about the connectedness of the families portrayed in the movie. It's stellar cast did predictably well but the timeline jumps around. Is this the same house but different families over the years? How is the cop involved? So many foster children. I wish I had the time and the patience to watch this movie again just so that it all comes together a little more easily. Watching hallmark Christmas movies is like eating junk food - you can't stop at one, knowing there's several more out there, hoping the next one is a little bit better than the last. There's only so many hours in this life to watch all these movies once, so I'll close the book on this experience in a state of confusion, but Christmas on Cherry Lane was entertaining nonetheless.

This movie trends toward an "above average" rating, a story about moving on with life during an eventful Christmas holiday season following the loss of a spouse/parent (which is a morbidly popular theme in this years batch of Hallmark Christmas movies).

The protagonist tries to move forward in her romantic life, years after the untimely passing of her husband. It's complicated by having a child who is trying to deal with own grief. So, of course the process will be filled with highs and lows and self doubt and grieving and guilt all at the same time. That is totally believable. Hallmark could have wrapped up the movie by having Danielle finally receiving the closure she desperately seeks, and then eventually tying the knot with Pierce, ending the story all wrapped up in a Christmas bow à la Hallmark.

But no. After the final commercial break, the story line suddenly completely unravels! She kicks the new fiancé to the curb as her suspicions of her presumably dead husband's whereabouts are finally revealed as he appears at the father-daughter dance. Like... What the......

I'm not sure I remember a Hallmark Christmas movie that ends without the story line ending all wrapped up in a bow. This takes suspension of disbelief to a whole new level. Shame on Hallmark. This is a colossal fail and I want those two hours of my life back! I'm not sure what those writers were thinking.

I was really looking forward to this movie. It's feature actors were a pleasant surprise to come across, as there hasn't been much promotion of this movie on W network.

Most unfortunately, it appears Ms. Bowen has been typecast as the miserable, troubled soul that works hard to push away love and companionship for one reason or another, just as we witnessed for years on Nashville. Her suitor accepted this and was a real trooper, but this is Hallmark, so of course. Suspend your disbelief for a couple hours - even though a fellow with his looks, patience and personality wouldn't have hung around in real life.

The lies she told on social media are cringeworthy because you just know this whole act will end in a massively publicized flame-out, and in reality anyone who knows anything about social media knows the permanence of the internet and why it needs to be treated carefully.

I wanted to like this movie. Having watched hundreds of Christmas movies across all platforms, I am used to the suspension of disbelief factor. This movie has some big name actors. It's promoted by Netflix, which can get away with more in its content than Hallmark or Lifetime. So why does it shred all that goodwill and expectation with drivel, cringe and cliché?

Consider:

The fact that it's Christmas time has nothing to do with the plot. That concept disappointingly pops up every once in a while in Christmas movies, and leaves the viewer bewildered.

The fake snow, which appears to be blown-on and glued to every vertical surface is distracting, as is the fake hue to give the impression of a snowy landscape. Come on, you can do better.

The cheating relationship that develops is just not cool. It might be a real life concept, but that needn't be the edginess that Netflix banks on to fill a Christmas story line. Fail.

The immediate re-establishment of the father-son bond after decades of bitterness is simply not believable in any realm, so why try?

A child dies while decorating a tree for Christmas? Sorry. You cross a line when kids die in a story, and Netflix has shown yet again that absolutely nothing is sacred anymore.

Sleeping in the car? In winter? Leaving the lady behind outside in the car with the dog while getting reacquainted with your long lost dad? Manners! Was this written by a kid in grade four.

And so on...

It's mystifying why Bedelia and Hartley would associate with this movie. I get that they want to keep busy, but I feel so bad for them.

Dreadful.