Good Morning Christmas! Plot Summary
Two quarreling television hosts feign civility during an assignment to report on a small town's Christmas celebrations, but something genuine starts to develop.
Starring: Alison Sweeney and Marc Blucas
Image: Crown Media
Sweeney & Blucas Are Great Together
There is absolutely nothing new to see here in terms of plot and merrymaking. There are town Christmas contests, a tree lighting, ugly sweaters, ice skating, gingerbread houses, and a sleigh ride. Brian (Blucas) has a girlfriend, and the deputy mayor, James, has his eye on Melissa, so "light jealousy" is also on the menu. Despite the echoes of so many past movie elements, Sweeney and Blucas have enough chemistry together to make their distinguishable from all the rest.
Blucas could have a career in broadcasting--he's a natural.
After working together on their daily show and never getting along, Brian decides to call it quits, leaving Melissa to search for a new co-host. His departure will be announced on their program's last night of shooting in Mistletoe--the charming town that won the contest, Deck the Town with Merry & Bright.
As Melissa leads Brian to experience the wonders and joys of Christmas for the first time, he helps her become less scripted and more spontaneous. When the cameras aren't rolling, Brian opens up about the hardships of his childhood; his dad's job loss meant going without presents, never baking, or delighting in the holiday activities most of us take for granted. Christmas reminds him of that dark time in his formative years. Melissa works too much. She once missed out on a huge career break by focusing on love and not working hard enough to achieve her goals, and she's determined it won't happen again.
Both Melissa and Brian see each other in a new light and realize they are good together, both on and off screen.
Jilted Girlfriend
Hallmark is comical in the unrealistic way they portray jilted girlfriends, like Christy. Christy is an actress who has invested an inordinate amount of time and energy into developing a reality television program which a network accepted. The premise of the show involves following a famous actress and star football player as they move in together, get engaged, and attend parties and events.
When Brian breaks the news to Christy that his interests have changed, she is unmoved.
Like that would ever happen. In real life, Christy would be clawing Melissa's eyes out and hysterical that the man she loved and planned to marry was kicking her to the curb. Just watching her careful planning for their TV show burn to the ground would be enough to spiral her into deep depression.
Instead of reacting like any hot-blooded, broken-hearted female would, Christy acts flippant, stating she has a back-up plan, and then tells Ben goodbye like he's a stranger she just met.
Invasion of Privacy
When the producer of Today with Bright & Merry senses Brian and Melissa are going to have a romantic moment, she has the crew turn on their mics to capture the conversation. Even worse, she sends the cameramen to secretly film the entire encounter! Brian and Melissa bare their souls to each other in what they think is a private moment of truth, and just laugh it off when they realize it's all been captured and broadcast to a live audience.
Wouldn't most people be fuming mad at the unethical violation of privacy?
Best Movie Line
As Brian wrestles with indecision, he admits to Stan, the owner of the inn, that his perspective is changing. Stan delivers this thought-provoking line:
Sometimes, when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
Good Morning Christmas! might be another movie about not seeing what you want has been right in front of you the whole time, but Sweeney and Blucas make it fresh and enjoyable.
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