★ 7 / 10
Review: https://wp.me/p65txm-eMU/#MagicInMistletoe
Tiffany G
Review: https://wp.me/p65txm-eMU/#MagicInMistletoe
Review: https://wp.me/p65txm-eMU/#MagicInMistletoe
★ 6 / 10
Faries, but magic?
Jackbv123
For me the premise seems common with several others and the story doesn't really stand out. There are no great highs or lows or surprises.What does stand…
For me the premise seems common with several others and the story doesn't really stand out. There are no great highs or lows or surprises.What does stand slightly apart is Paul Campbell. He is not your soft cuddly leading man. "Prickly". Yes that describes Harrington and Campbell fits the part. So the relationship with Lyndie Greenwood's April is not quite typical. It is in some ways, but a little more complicated. The biggest difference is that the antagonism lasts throughout much of the movie. For a while it gets suppressed and things look good. The conflict that all romance stories need comes not so much from secrets or misunderstandings as from the character himself.I found the movie a little slow at times. Or maybe I should say deliberate. There is a place for that, but in this case, it didn't work for me personally. When the movie's story doesn't have any big hooks for me, I look to the relationship. In fact, in this genre, the relationship is always important. Because of the things I describe above, I didn't get invested in the relationship. Did I really want this for April?BTW pet peeve: no texts, but at least two significant handwritten notes are too small and too quick to read for anyone without great eyes or without pausing. Why is this fault so common?
Read full review
★ 7 / 10
Christmas with some Conflict
innerlooper96
I have read the other reviews so far, and I definitely understand why this movie isn't necessarily a favorite. A quick summary: Paul Campbell, known for his…
I have read the other reviews so far, and I definitely understand why this movie isn't necessarily a favorite.
A quick summary: Paul Campbell, known for his clever wit and affability, takes a more moody tone in this movie. Instead of being his usual laid-back self, he portrays a 'down on life' author, and is insufferably grouchy, though we understand his plight.
He lost his parents, and has become sour on Christmas as a result. On top of this, his infamous books (which struck me as Harry Potter-esque) have bloated his fame to proportions that make him feel overcommericalized and basically sick of everything.
His publicist is helping to save him from himself; she tries her best to do damage control, but he's slow to trust her and she is equally put off by him.
They find common ground by the end of the movie, although the chemistry (in my eyes) never forms. I don't know if PC is trying to stay out of really romantic roles; I understand he's happily married in real life, and I'm sure that there's some hesitation on his part to sink into these overly romantic roles. He does fantastic work with comic relief, and that is his strongest suit.
I missed the witty writing in this movie; none of the lines or situations were particularly memorable for me. What I did love was that we can all relate to imperfect relationships and feeling down on ourselves/life. Even when we have everything we need, or success as it is defined in society, loneliness and isolation are pervasive; in fact, it is often worse when we have reached success.
The hardest thing for me to write is that I find this movie somewhat dull. I wanted to love it, and the two leads are both attractive and brilliant in their skill. It just wasn't a good Christmas-escapism kind of movie. From the drama standpoint, this would be a good flick to watch if you feel a little blue, or have been struggling to make sense of well-intentioned people that inadvertently have caused you pain.
The movie touches on the reason for his sadness, and it's something most adults will experience.
The scenery was beautiful, including the properties they used; his house is perfection. I also loved the few scenes with children in them, especially when Paul's character is fielding questions and he dotes on the adorable little girl (the fairy!). He shines with children, and it's easy to see he was being completely himself in that moment, and also with Bree and Luca (the other children in the movie).
It's possible that the movie could be improved by a little more softness from the female lead; it was hard for me to feel any chemistry at all between the two leads, and this was mainly his doing (getting significantly miffed in two scenes), but she also had a sort of 'edge'. In real life, I would never expect these two characters to really connect romantically.
Read full review
67%
AUDIENCE
6.3/10
1.2K
