I've wanted to see Eloise Mumford and Sean Faris together again ever since I saw them in Christmas With Holly in 2012. I'd hoped for a sequel as it's one of my favorite Christmas movies with a great cast and story. I was very happy to finally see these two actors on Hallmark again, however was dissapointed overall.. This movie had potential to be really great, not just good.
Hallmark has a formula it rarely changes and all of the expected pieces of that formula were in this movie. The almost kiss, the ex returning, the misunderstanding that causes one person to leave in the last ten minutes of the show, and then the quick make up and end on a kiss. The Christmas movies often have lead characters ice skating and it looks obvious when the actors aren't actually skating. This time the skating looked real. Yet, the entire scene became plain ridiculous and was ruined by the ex girlfriend doing the championship spin. I felt I was watching a movie for a young teenager. Plus she did not look like an ex of a judge and pillar of the community. I was dissapointed Faris's character was made to be so nerdy. It also went overboard on all the child advice. I don't think it came anywhere close to reality having a young girl confiding her fears multiple times to a stranger. I'd have liked more depth from this movie.
Hallmark needs more military themed movies. I'd have enjoyed this if it was more focused on the military aspect. I kept thinking a search and rescue operation might happen to convince Mumford to stay. The two characters had good chemistry, which is another problem with many of Hallmark movies, they recycle the same actors over and over all year. Many have zero chemistry. These two are not typical Hallmark actors and their talents were under used in this movie. I gave it higher marks based on the actors not the script. Loved the dogs! And showing the connection between a dog and it's handler. Also the difficulty transitioning back to military life.
I think it's time to add more actors and change up the formula. The movies feel like I'm seeing the same thing and people over and over. The fake snow and sets have been worse. If it's cold or snowing, I don't believe it. When it's freezing outside, cold air (fog) should show when a person is breathing. Most the time, no one acts cold when it's suppose to be. This year has had the worse sets I've seen. I could ignore that, if the storyline kept my attention. This movie wasn't bad, but it could've been so much better!
Hallmark has a formula it rarely changes and all of the expected pieces of that formula were in this movie. The almost kiss, the ex returning, the misunderstanding that causes one person to leave in the last ten minutes of the show, and then the quick make up and end on a kiss. The Christmas movies often have lead characters ice skating and it looks obvious when the actors aren't actually skating. This time the skating looked real. Yet, the entire scene became plain ridiculous and was ruined by the ex girlfriend doing the championship spin. I felt I was watching a movie for a young teenager. Plus she did not look like an ex of a judge and pillar of the community. I was dissapointed Faris's character was made to be so nerdy. It also went overboard on all the child advice. I don't think it came anywhere close to reality having a young girl confiding her fears multiple times to a stranger. I'd have liked more depth from this movie.
Hallmark needs more military themed movies. I'd have enjoyed this if it was more focused on the military aspect. I kept thinking a search and rescue operation might happen to convince Mumford to stay. The two characters had good chemistry, which is another problem with many of Hallmark movies, they recycle the same actors over and over all year. Many have zero chemistry. These two are not typical Hallmark actors and their talents were under used in this movie. I gave it higher marks based on the actors not the script. Loved the dogs! And showing the connection between a dog and it's handler. Also the difficulty transitioning back to military life.
I think it's time to add more actors and change up the formula. The movies feel like I'm seeing the same thing and people over and over. The fake snow and sets have been worse. If it's cold or snowing, I don't believe it. When it's freezing outside, cold air (fog) should show when a person is breathing. Most the time, no one acts cold when it's suppose to be. This year has had the worse sets I've seen. I could ignore that, if the storyline kept my attention. This movie wasn't bad, but it could've been so much better!