Christmas in Rome

Christmas in Rome (2019) - Hallmark

By Lisa Sue

First, a quick disclaimer:

Unlike the other movies in Chris’s blog, I make no attempt to watch these movies in their entirety. There are many reasons for this. Once you watch a few, most of the movies start to blend together. And due to the very formulaic nature of them, negates the need to actually watch all 90 mins. And lastly because Hallmark is now playing these movies 24/7 (as they did back in July, to cheer us up in a pandemic) I don’t have the mental resources or capacity to actually watch all of them. They are coming at me fast and furious, a different movie every 2 hours! I am an addict, who has Hallmark going on in the background all day and night, and thus catch enough endings to have some thoughts. Thoughts I was informed I should write down, to help curb my addiction. And also reach out to see if anyone else is in this same predicament. I mean, I can’t be the only one succumbing to this barrage, this onslaught of Christmas cheer when Halloween hasn’t passed and it’s like 80 degrees outside? This Christmas Movie bombardment is like if a Bones or NCIS marathon went on for like 60 days! And don’t look at me like that, you know what I’m talking about. Back in the day when TNT and USA used to air marathons of old Bones and NCIS episodes, you’d tell yourself “I’ll just watch 1!” And hours later, you’re still there on the couch immobile, thinking about what to eat during the next commercial break.

And speaking of something to eat, I’m sure there was delicious food in this movie, as seen in the trailer for Christmas in Rome. But that wasn’t in the bits I caught. We’ve seen Lacey play many jobs- a food stylist; a baker who opens an inn; even a cross word puzzle editor. But in this movie, she is…a tour guide! You may ask yourself what is an American from Seattle doing as a tour guide in Rome? For that, watch the movie people. Cause I don’t know the answer to that. What I do know is that she’s giving a tour to some dude, who in typical tourist fashion wants to see the highlights of Rome. You know, get the same pictures every other tourist is getting. But NO! That is not the kind of tour guide that Anglea is. She wants to immerse you in the culture, to live like a local! She understands you may get lost as part of this immersion; so she gives all her patrons a very intrusive GPS tracker that dubs as a broach. Which must cost a pretty penny, so no telling how much she charges for her tours…But anyways that tracker is very critical to the plot, because at the end the GPS will lead her to her one true love! She hops on a Vespa, the GPS tracker lighting her way to her Prince Charming. The Vespa is very Audrey Hepburn like- but because this is Hallmark, we don’t get the lovely shots of the Eternal City, although unlike most other Hallmark movies it was actually shot in Romania and Rome. Color me surprised people! If you’re asking yourself, why doesn’t she just call him? Plot twist- his phone is broken, he dropped it in a sink full of water. If he had watched those crime procedural marathons, he would know how to fix his phone. Say it with me people, RICE. Of course, had she picked up all the times he called earlier while his phone was working, the GPS would be totally unnecessary, and a broken phone wouldn’t be an issue. But it is what it is.

When she finds him in the large crowd gathered at the square for the Christmas Eve choir concert, she tells the guy (this businessman based in NYC goes by Sam) that she’s fallen for him, and that she is willing to give the long distance thing a try. He tells her he’s going to stay! So she (and him) don’t have to choose between their careers or each other, they can have BOTH! And thus with a kiss ends another Christmas Movie on Hallmark. Did I particularly learn anything from this movie? Clearly Vespas are the best mode of transportation in Rome to beat traffic. Also I feel it must be said that it was incredibly rude to do all of this soul bearing during the choir concert. Manners people, manners. I know the concert was outdoors, but still. These singers practiced a lot and deserve to be heard without interruption! And I’m guessing the rest of the audience didn’t appreciate the disruption to the concert. Love may conquer all, but it does have a time a place.