A Show-Stopping Christmas
Today our randomizer chose a movie, we heard on the grapevine, that was finished last year, but apparently wasn't good enough until Lifetime desperately picked it up this year to fill out their schedule. Color me a little bit concerned. A holiday romance movie about a Christmas hating curmudgeon trying to shut down (insert here) while two impossibly attractive people try to stop this person, while at the same time infusing this person with the Christmas Spirit, while at the same time falling in love with each other? And somebody saw this and said that this wasn't good enough? Hmm....
Riley (Jamie Perez) is the hard working director of her small town theater working on putting on their annual production of a Christmas Carol, and she is in desperate need of a Bob Cratchit. Fortunately for Riley, Handsome Sam (Thomas McDowell) has breezed into town, a very famous Emmy award winning actor and after he and Riley meet cute at the theater late one night, he expresses an interest in being her Bob Cratchit.
But why is Handsome Sam in town in the first place? Well, he's the nephew of the sour Miss Regina (Maureen Keller), who took over ownership of the theater after her beloved husband passed seven years ago, and who has decided to sell this theater to some evil land developers to build condominiums. Looking at the location of the theater it seems like an odd place stick some random condos, but then I'm not an evil land developer so what do I know? Anyway, Sam is here to help his aunt manage this deal.
Riley doesn't take this news well at all. I mean it is this woman's building, she says it's a money pit needing constant repair and she wants to retire so she should be able to do whatever the hell she wants with it, but Riley clearly hates freedom. Regardless, there is still a play to put on, Handsome Sam gets the part of Cratchit and now we can get down to the business of rehearsals. Mind you I didn't see much of any rehearsals, but I did see Sam putting all his best moves on Riley. I mean I'm looking at the same thing he's looking at so I completely understand, but we do have a play to put on dammit! Focus!
However, Regina and Riley continue to butt heads. Riley gives a speech at a cast caroling event, don't know where they found the time to practice this considering how good they sounded, and Regina felt Riley was attacking her personally during this speech, which she probably was. Then she hits Riley with the heavy stuff, that Handsome Sam wants this sale as much as she does. Turns out Sam is half owner of this theater and he gets half of the hefty 3.5milly when the sale goes through. Sam neglected to tell us any of this. Well whatever good feelings Riley had towards Sam is dashed on the rocks! Sam tries to explain to her was going to tell her, eventually, and that since he's been in town he's changed his mind on selling, but Riley isn't hearing it.
But my man Sam believes in action, not words and he tells Regina he's not selling! Not surprisingly, this upsets Regina greatly and she basically blames Riley and she puts locks on the door ultimately putting the kibosh on rehearsals and the play itself. But Riley one ups Miss Regina by calling the local news, bringing out a couple of orphan kids who are in the play and paints Regina as an Orphan Kid Hater. Who likes a person who hates orphan kids? Nobody, that's who. I should be giving Riley a hard time for using orphan kids as props for a means to an end, but Riley was also an Orphan kid, so I guess she gets a pass.
Regina calls Riley for face to face, heart to heart. She doesn't appreciate being called out on national TV as an orphan kid hater, and the truth is she's just been really sad and lonely since her husband died and the theater is a constant reminder of his absence. Riley says she understands (she clearly doesn't) and wants to help (she really doesn't). I know Regina is supposed to be the villain in this but Riley isn't all great either. So later that evening, with the chains off the door, after a play / dress rehearsal / food drive / shelter thing... it's unnecessarily complicated and confusing... Regina gets up in front of the audience and gifts the theater to Riley. Oh happy day! Then Riley and Sam slow dance by a Christmas tree and start making out... At Christmas.
Okay, so A Show-Stopping Christmas, or A Playful Romance as it was called last year isn't the best Holiday Romantic movie you are going to see, but it certainly isn't so bad where I can justify it sitting on a shelf for a year since most of these movies aren't really that great either. But I do have some Post Movie Questions. How does Riley plan to pay for the maintenance, utilities and taxes on this massive structure she's been given? Her salary as a small town theater director isn't going to cut it. I predict she finds those evil developers and pockets that 3.5 mil for herself. And is Sam going to quit Hollywood to do... I don't know... what? Apparently he's a regular on some sitcom and while I'm sure it's soul sucking, is going to quit that sweet gig just hang to out with Riley and help with her three productions a year? Don't fall for that game Riley, homeboy is outta there.
As far as the movie itself goes, admittedly it was kind of wordy. Lots of talking. As an unpaid Holiday Christmas Movie Consultant, I would've advised the director to throw in a couple of montages to break up the dialog overload I experienced in this movie. A cookie baking montage since nobody baked cookies in this movie, a snowball fight montage since there was a snow storm we were supposed to be dealing with, they did decorate a tree but they even talked while they did that. Could've just made that a montage too. And the obvious, a rehearsal montage. Alas all we got was more talking. These two even talked while they kissed.
Again, a show-stopping wasn't great but there is worst out there. Trust me on this. And not for nothing, and this has very little to do with the actual quality of the movie but still should be noted.... Jamie Perez is smoking hot. So, you know, there you go.
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