Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

Absolutely the worst movie.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

"A Christmas Kiss" is a comedy-romance that can lay a legitimate claim to being a Christmas movie. It's all about and around Christmas. It has a stage performance of "The Nutcracker" in production. The heroine and her Scrooge of a boss are designing a Christmas theme party from Dickens's "A Christmas Carol." The plot is about Christmases past and present, and the streets of Boston are alive with Christmas carolers, tree lots and decorations. Of course, the film wasn't shot in Boston but in Richmond, Virginia. This film probably appeals mostly to young females. The three roommates in the film hardly look to be much beyond their teens, and the film is somewhat sappy in the girls' romantic ruminations. But, the story has just enough interest, and Laura Breckenridge does a superb job acting and carrying the life of the film. Her Wendy Walton is very likeable. One other standout in the film is Elisabeth Röhm who plays the villain. She is Wendy's boss, Priscilla Hall. She is a thoroughly unlikable witch. In her earliest scenes her makeup has her with high pointed eyebrows that clearly are meant to give the impression of a witch. The movie has some oddities. Wendy and Adam Hughes (played by Brendan Fehr) share feelings about traditional Christmases, yet when they are riding in a horse-drawn carriage the background music is a slow, jazzy rendition of "Jingle Bells." That struck me as weird. The music didn't seem to fit in a number of places. Still, for Breckenridge's performance and all of the cast who gave it their all, this is an OK Christmas romance.

The movie is immediately reminiscent of Working Girl- young women wants to make it, works for successful status-seeking boss who steals her idea, then makes a move on would- be fiancé. Not a terrible movie, decent acting, predictable, but I could not sit through it again. The supporting cast are weak actors, feels like a lifetime move at times. I found myself rooting for the "bad guy " because I couldn't understand the main actress- she's feisty, inquisitive, intelligent, but allows her work to be stolen and goes along with it. Not buying it.

I remember seeing this movie at least twice last year late in the evening on ION television. I really enjoyed it. Good production values and acting by all was in the spirit. Even the extras seem to be having fun. Director John Stimpson came through with professional blocking and just right touch that enhances the Christmas Theme. The movie stays within its limits and does not go off on tangents to try to reinvent itself and become more than the original intent, which often happens with seasonal-themed story lines. Laura Breckenridge was just right in casting, although at first I thought she was a little young for "the Handsome Stranger played by Brenden Fehr. Also good to see movies, like this one, that the young ones can watch without worrying or cringing what may happen next. Don't know if it will be on any local television stations in the east U.S. coast, but see that it is out on DVD. Good stocking stuffer!

1. When first in lift, Adam reached to steady Wendy before the lift jolted 2. If Adam didn't live in the building and Wendy had left Miss hall's joint...where did Adam come from? 3. Miss Hall can't pronounce Chrismiss (Christmas) 4. When miss hall called after Adam was talking about his Grandmother whilst decorating the Christmas past tree, Wendy stood up to eavesdrop and posed putting a bauble on a branch that already had a bauble on it. 5. Adam's facial expressions made him look like he was constantly constipated, i thought maybe it was the figgypudding, but he had it from the beginning. 6. When he phoned about the ring return/exchange policy, he just happened to know the phone number in Italy off by heart. 7. Do folk in the US not have coffee making facilities in their homes? because it seems visitors have to take their own with them. 8. Wendy wore clothes that did not do her justice, she looked so frumpy most of the timeYet, I've loved watching it, heaven knows why...a guilty pleasure or I am a soft touch for romance.