Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Halloween is over, so it's time for Hallmark to have a Christmas movie marathon. Um ok. Still, it does include a couple of my favorite Christmas movies -- not only television movies at that, including the title piece.  Charming leads, a good script and the fact it just clicks puts it on a higher level.  The last thing is what really makes it a repeat favorite.  Having a vet like Henry Winkler as the catalyst helps, but Brooke Burns [interesting bio; rather accident prone!], not such an acting pro, shines here too.  Cf. her supporting role in Pepper Dennis, a show that I wanted to like, but it just wasn't well written and put together.  This is, down to a fun fantasy / dream sequence.  Takes a lot to do that on all cylinders. 

Sure, it has some cliches -- oh, the dull and at times not very nice boyfriend, that we just know is there only to get rid of, check!  But, even there, it earns them a bit -- she's a single mom and already screwed up with the dad. Safe makes sense. And, when the fun guy (the weakest of the leads, but he does his job as a whole) starts to lay the Christmas cliches on a tad too thick, she let's him know WHY she is a tad anal.  There is a hint that it was a means to put order to uncertainty from childhood, her mom flighty, her dad out of the picture for some reason.   She earned it.

So, the basic idea is that she's a successful businesswoman/single mom, but is a bit of a control freak, loving lists.  Her more loose, down to earth  retired cop uncle comes in for Christmas and meets up with a more free spirit sort at the airport and pushes her to have him over for the night when his flight was cancelled.  The uncle likes the guy and thinks he would make a better match for the mom than her safe business man bf, who is so very boring (and deep down, shallow ... imagine a movie where the boring guy turns out to be the best fit?!).  Meanwhile, they prepare for Christmas, the guy growing on her and bringing some fun to the holiday. Cue the chemistry!

As noted, it is done in a nice light smooth way, the various parts, from the opening music to just one last time for that oversized wreath to fall, done well.  It promotes Christmas fun and togetherness and a broad view of family as well (a single mom, her young son, her uncle who was a surrogate father and some stranger who is taken in).  It doesn't hurt that the two leads are so young and pretty but they each have just the right spirit, Burns really making the picture, I think.  And, there is that touch of seriousness to add a bit of weight.  How they get the bike might not please certain people though!  Still, great holiday fare.

And, yes, it's still Hallmark.  Don't expect THAT much depth!