Christmas in Harmony
I had a positive feeling about this one going in, probably because it has an accomplished cast led by Loretta Devine, lots of singing, It's powered by Hallmark and it has an experienced director behind it in Rusty Cundieff. A director who has eternal instant credibility with me due to his first film Fear of a Black Planet. Until I saw this one. Oh well.
Harmony (Ashleigh Murray), is a hard working NYC record exec ready for her big promotion, until her jerkoff boss informs her that not only is she not getting that promotion, she's getting downsized. Some rigmarole about a merger and redundancy. Nobody cares. Harmony does NOT handle this bad news well. She let those clowns know that they are going to regret this decision! They are going to pay! Personally, I would've advised Harmony to tone that rhetoric a bit as folks in todays climate may take that proclamation the wrong way, thus resulting in a visit from the FBI.
Now all sad and stuff, Harmony heads back to small town North Carolina to get comfort and rest from Mom (Loretta Devine), where she hasn't been back since her dad died a few years back, but instead gets immediately put to work. Mom needs somebody to direct the church choir and it would seem her musically gifted but remarkably obstinate daughter would be perfect for this gift for the Lord. Eventually Harmony agrees because I personally haven't met many mothers who take 'no' as an answer from their children, but this is where she runs into him. This would be Kyle (Luke James), the guy who broke Harmony's heart seven years ago and left her stranded at the airport as they were both supposed to go NYC together and chase musical stardom. As fortune would have it, he too has been slated to direct the choir, and after some wrangling they decide to direct the choir together.
As you might imagine this collab doesn't go great as there is still a lot of animosity there. All from Harmony. Looks like Kyle still has the deep feels for the girl. He even executed the tried and true 'let me help you girl' move. You know the move, where you cozy up behind some woman to 'help' show her how to do some completely mundane task? This time it was kneading dough, but you can substitute Swing a Golf Club, Flying a Kite, Washing a Car, Using a Pencil, Changing the Channels with a Remote Control... so many things a man can assist a helpless woman with. So many things.
None of it is working though. And to be honest about it, Kyle seems kind of pissed off that nothing is working. Harmony did ask him why he stood her up at the airport way back in the day, but Kyle was like, 'let's forget about past and look to the future'. I think that could be worst answer I've ever heard. Besides, Harmony is angling to get her job back in NYC, especially since she is the main handler of the labels biggest star in Melody Star (Michelle Williams), and all she needs to do is write Melody a killer Christmas song and she's back in.
Now a lot of other stuff is happening, and I mean a LOT but what's important, I guess, is that Harmony used to sing but doesn't anymore and Kyle wants her to start up again. We also learn that it was Harmony's dead dad's idea that Kyle leave her stranded at the airport because he hated his ass. Or something to that end. I don't remember. What's important is that her dad was behind Harmony not having her man in NYC and Kyle went along with it. Worst still is that her cherished snow globe that her dad gave her, he didn't give her that at all, Kyle did and dead dad took all the credit! I'm kinda glad that dude is dead now.
Regardless, it all works out. Kyle forces Harmony, or whomever was stunt voicing for Ashleigh Murray, to sing at the gala, the homeless center is saved which was a thing, Michelle Williams shows up and does a Christmas duet with the vocal stunt double, Harmony calls her boss and tells him to shove that job, and Kyle and Harmony make out while the choir sings Hallelujah behind them. Or rather the stunt choir because that certainly wasn't them singing. Now Kyle is off to spend Christmas in Harmony. Which is the reason why I would've named this movie Christmas with Harmony. But that's just me.
You know, I thought I would like this one more. That means I had expectations, and no one should put expectations on any Hallmarky Romantic Holiday Movie, so I'm more to blame here than Christmas in Harmony. Expectations bought upon by seeing a beautiful and talented lead, a veteran cast in support, original music and an experienced director behind the camera. What I got was dialog that sounded like someone was reading off of Hallmark Mahogany cards, a story that was literally all over the place, and two leads that didn't seem to like each other at all, despite other characters telling me otherwise. And since I'm told Ashleigh Murray can actually sing, I am a little curious why they chose a stunt voice that didn't match her at all. I did like the magical stunt choir though because while outside caroling they had a full orchestral backing, even though I didn't see anybody in eyesight carrying musical instrument the first. And that's magic.
The vomit worthiness was pretty high though. We had lots of Christmas music, already mentioned the caroling, Harmony and Kyle went shopping for a Christmas tree and then trimmed said tree, we had what I believe could pass for a near miss kiss using mistletoe no less, I think I saw an ugly Christmas sweater, or maybe it was just a regular ugly sweater Kyle was wearing. I can't remember. No cookie baking but we did have Sweet Potato Pie baking which for Black folks is much better and thus a more than adequate substitute. We were just missing snowball fights and / or making a snowman. And maybe hot cocoa drinking. That might've been in there too, but I don't remember even though I just saw this movie hours ago.
These movies have a really low bar to clear, unless somebody foolishly raises this bar. Like I did. This wasn't one of my favorites, despite the high vomit quotient.
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