I enjoyed this movie, as always, but it's my least favorite of the 2019 season.
It almost seems sinful to criticize a Hallmark Christmas movie, but I'm going to do it.
We turn a blind eye to all the plot holes, unlikely coincidences, and faulty time lines in these movies because we love it when loose ends are tied up in a shiny, red bow.
No one ends up with a broken heart. Everything works out in the end. It's a comforting formula. If only life were really like that!
With so many glaring issues with this movie, my rose-colored glasses couldn't filter them all. Did anyone else notice?
Learn How to Take a Picture
Merritt Patterson is a lovely leading lady, but since the entire "focus" is on her photography career, wouldn't you think someone would have shown her how to competently handle a camera? It would have helped her be a more believable professional.
She doesn't aim, set the stage, or adjust the lighting in any scene involving her and a camera. She seems bored with the camera and absent-mindedly presses the button as if she doesn't give a darn whether the shot is a good one or not.
The Tree Lot Scene
Have you been to a Christmas tree lot? If so, when was the last time you saw a family have a snow ball fight there? My guess is NEVER! Sophie, David, and Troy, however, act like it's perfectly natural to be the only ones pelting each other with snow, as onlookers seem not to notice.
Crazy Significant Others
Sophie and David test the relational water by having lunch together. His ex, Jodi Hall, bumps into him and asks him to call her.
Are there witches who would actually do that when their ex is clearly with another woman? How brazen!
Turns out, Jodi just wants to tell him she's engaged to someone else. Couldn't she have told him that when she saw him the first time? She could have said, "Hey! How are you? I'm engaged now. Nice running into you!" Have a nice life, etc. Did it occur to Jodi that David might have considered her lunch invitation as an open door to rekindle their romance?
A lunch date to communicate, "I've moved on and am getting married" would have been rubbing salt in the wound if David hadn't been distracted with his feelings for Sophie. It's like two people vying for the same executive position in a company, and Contender One invites Contender Two to lunch to drop the bomb One got the position and Two didn't. Lame.
Sophie's steady beau, Brent, also shows up out of nowhere. We learn he is photographing a music group in nearby Seattle, but in an age where people communicate constantly via text, why didn't he give Sophie advance notice he was stopping for a visit?
Marshmallow Face
Sophie fills in as Troy's nanny for a day, and they get their millionth cup of hot cocoa together. The marshmallows literally explode all over Troy's entire face, and they both laugh hysterically about it.
Even if Troy had stuck his face too far into the mug, marshmallow wouldn't have made it past his nose. Marshmallows contain no ingredients that would cause them to spontaneously explode and coat someone's face.
Clearly, Sophie has never been a parent. Moms do not find messes funny.
Is Grandma's Foot Fractured or Not?
The whole point of Sophie visiting her Grandma Louise is to take care of her as she recovers from a foot injury that impedes her from handling her daily routine.
Yet, Louise manages to cook dinner for Sophie, David, Troy, Brent, and herself one evening. Three young, capable adults are present, yet the injured old lady has to do the cooking?
Louise can't run the Toy Drive this year, but she seems to have no trouble attending it, watching the play, and hanging out with old Simon.
A Family for Christmas
Troy wishes for a family for Christmas, and he has the freaky card to prove it. The picture he "drew" of himself, David, and Sophie looks like an alien family from Mars.
Run, Sophie! Ready-made families work out sometimes, but blended families are typically
dysfunctional!
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Image: Crown Media, United States, LLC
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I Believe I Ordered the LARGE Gold Nutcracker
Did you notice the ginormous gold nutcracker on the porch every time the camera opened with a street shot? You couldn't have missed it because it was filmed a hundred times.
Hallmark must have wanted to make good use of their investment.
Let's All Go to Switzerland!
Sophie lands an important gig to boost her career, but it means she has to fly to Switzerland in January. David invites himself and Troy to accompany her.
David is SO an uncle. Moms and dads would insist Troy return to school after break and not blow off his education.
Since David is consumed by developing his new tech app, how can he manage to take off the time from work anyway?
Do normal people jet all over the world with love interests they've known for less than two weeks?
You Win Some, You Lose Some
With the high volume of holiday movies Hallmark cranks out year after year, there are bound to be some lemons. Hallmarkies take the bitter with the sweet.
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I really love this movie maybe they could do one werewere he follows her on one of her jobs
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