Pretty Good

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Not only is the love interest in this movie extremely difficult to root for, but the heroine contradicts herself constantly and ends up choosing the wrong man! In other words, parts of The Sweetest Christmas is just like real life.At the start of the film, we're introduced to Lacey Chabert and her boyfriend Mar Andersons. He's too focused on his work and seems to only value her work ethic and contributions to "the team", so she breaks up with him. Then, she's reunited with an old flame from high school, single dad Lea Coco, and sparks fly. The only problem is Lea also lets work take his first priority, and he also only appreciates her inner qualities, like how she interacts with his son and her ambition and creativity at work. I got the distinct impression that the audience isn't really supposed to notice the similarities. It is realistic, though; how many times do we find a new main squeeze who's exactly like our ex and we claim that "this one's totally different!"? There's absolutely no chemistry between Lacey and Lea, and the only good part of the movie is the best friend and comic relief, Jonathan Adams. He's absolutely hilarious and even ad libs when Lea spills his coffee on him during one scene. To top everything off, Lacey utters the corniest, most ridiculous line in Hallmark history: "I have to show him how I feel, the best way I know how: with gingerbread." Trust me, you don't have to sit through this one. Watch Family for Christmas instead.

There is really nothing bad to say about this movie. Lea Coco looks like my dentist...all I could really think about. Things fall into place. I can live with the baking theme. Lacey Chabert is cute enough and all good. Good all around cast. Setting..typical...Ralphie is a treat.

I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 400 Christmas MOVIES.BEWARE OF BOGUS REVIEWS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW. WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE PRODUCTION. NOW I HAVE NO AGENDA! I AM HONEST! I REVIEW Christmas MOVIES AS A WAY TO KEEP TRACK OF WHAT I HAVE SEEN!Hallmark seems to cast the same ladies in their films. I think its great. It seems every year they have Candace Cameron, Alicia Witt, Erin Krakow, & Lacey Chabert in a Christmas film. To me Lacey always has a film that I enjoy watching. SHe is now like an old friend you see during the holidays. Here she shines again in this drama that plays to her strengths. In this film: A struggling pastry chef Kylie Watson (Chabert) learns she's made it to the finals of the American Gingerbread Competition, she thinks her competitive spirit has finally paid off and hopes the publicity will help her jump start her new café. There's just one problem — the oven she's supposed to use breaks down right before the contest. Determined to enter, she reaches out to Nick Mazannti (Coco), her old boyfriend from culinary school who gave up his dream of being a pastry chef to take over his family's pizzeria. The film is one of those movies that you just sit back and enjoy. I love the fact that this film was logical on how people would react in real life. Worth Watching

TV Guide this week labeled Lacey Chabert the current holiday champ of Christmas leading ladies and she doesn't hurt that reputation in this movie.This movie is filled with the clichés of plot devices. 1) A contest the protagonist must win to either seed a business or pay debts; 2) The protagonist is invited to a special dinner where she expects a ring but doesn't get it; 3) The lady falls off a ladder into man's arms; 4) Snowball fight (2 in this one); 5) High school sweethearts parted for their careers; 6) A kid with an absent mother that one of the protagonists befriends. And so many more. But wait. The movie laughs with us at some of these. The best example is the aftermath of the failed special dinner - one potential suitor explains to the other why Kylie was mad when she left the dinner.The story teases us with what we think is predictable, and is to a certain extent, but then slightly twists it. Yes it's Hallmark and yes it is a Hallmark ending, but it is still worth watching.I loved Jonathan Adams as Ralphie. He added so much humor along with sage advice. I criticized Lara Gilchrist is All of My Heart: Inn Love, but I loved her here, again with Chabert, as Kylie's wise sister. Kylie and Nick are almost comical in their sad behavior and they definitely need wise heads beside them. I wish I could say I thought Lea Coco had great chemistry with Chabert, but to me it was just slightly above average.