VividSimon Simply Perfect

Pluskylang Great Film overall

Stevecorp Don't listen to the negative reviews

Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

A_Different_Drummer Courtesy of the Great Canadian film factory (which, as explained in my other reviews often masquerades as production companies from other parts of the globe), we have this soppy entry, a strange take on the X-mas fantasy classics from the 1940s.The good news? Alicia Witt. Witt is not only a singer but a comedian and actress of special merit. This reviewer first noticed her in a season of Justified where she stole the spotlight from several dramatic actors more seasoned.And speaking of "seasoned," this Xmas effort even with its many flaws could have been a lot better than it was were it not for the criminally inept casting of Donald Faison as the fantasy husband.Folks I understand the benefits of political correctness in the modern age (even though as a youngster I did not go to a "snowflake" university) but there are some things more important than political correctness, such as writing, casting, directing and acting. For starters.Witt is not only competent, she delivers some very awkward dialog like she means it. Not so with Donald Faison. He seems to think he is in a slapstick comedy instead of a romcom and keeps mugging for a laugh. It would help if there was even a smidgen of chemistry between the two. THERE IS NOT. Worse, the writer/director makes a major faux pas and actually takes this lack of chemistry and tries to turn it into a plot arc.Ugh! Other than for Witt fans, not recommended.

leplatypus This time magic was gone : I was lucky to have 2 Christmas movies with Alicia in one week but this one is really not interesting : Alicia plays a sort of Scrooge who turns from bad to good by Christmas spirit but her transformation happens in a stupid tale : without knowing it, she has a black husband and two teens as child ! The small town is supposed idyllic but we don't see it ; Christmas is supposed to be a family Holiday but here it's rather belonging to a community (remember the Kranks ?) and the big drama is about a play ! So there's nothing to keep you awake and happy, with a crying eye and a moved heart ! The wardrobe and cinematography and the usual dynamism and smile of Alicia are worthy but sadly, this movie won't be a classic !

SanteeFats Alicia Witt is a producer who goes to dream land. There she is married to Donald Faison and she learns they have two kids, a boy and a girl. It is a fantasy but hey it is a Christmas film. Putting on a Christmas play for the town she tries to get the cast together but there is some division among the kids. The mayor, who is a physical copy of her old fiancée, comes on to her even though he is married. Christina Milian plays a spirit who is trying to set Alicia on the right path. As the Christmas play goes on in rehearsal egos come out and some of the kids kind of blow up. Then the mayor serves a notice of eviction on the family home. Seems he has bought the woods from a local man that includes the house. The man has sold because no one seems to be into preserving the past. Alicia now tries to raise the equivalent sum so the woods will stay as they are. Then there is the Christmas play by the kids. The man who sold the woods if also the guy that played Santa. Thinking he is out of the play he shows up as Santa and donates enough money to save the woods. So Witt comes too on the set and having learned the true meaning of giving goes to her boyfriends house. Here she discovers that Faison is not married and has no kids. Chistina Milian turns out to be Faison's passed mother. At the end she is very happy when Alicia and Earl Faison finally hook up.

R B Though it rings of Family Man as many have pointed out, it bares a stronger resemblance to Nancy McKeon's Comfort and Joy. The film twists and turns in ways that are sometimes more frustrating than entertaining. However, the acting is good and the lighting is good and so is the sound. 2013 has not been a good year for sound and lighting in these types of holiday films. In particular kitchen scenes have been riddled with reverb, but not this film. They came through. The overlap with prior Snowglobe films is apparently coincidental more through casting than the story. There is no connection other than the name and a shared actress. It definitely tightens up at the end and makes for a good watch.