Rediscovering Christmas

Just to say now, in my view not all Lifetime's Christmas offerings are bad. Actually was pleasantly surprised by some, which has been true of my film viewings of Hallmark/Lifetime etc Christmas films in general over-time. The concept is not really very exciting and is quite more of the same (if you see one Lifetime Christmas film and then you see 49 more or something it's like seeing one film fifty times), but there have been Lifetime Christmas films that still work in spite of that because of having charm and good enough acting.

Lifetime have sometimes done well with the Christmas offerings centering heavily around saving businesses, including in 2019. 'Rediscovering Christmas' is not one of those films. Of a very mixed to unimpressive year, 'Rediscovering Christmas' is by quite some way one of the worst of the 2019 batch for Lifetime if not quite the worst. Not completely unwatchable, but 'Rediscovering Christmas' fails more than it succeeds. Though there is some credit due for a component that is usually a weak link in their films is one of the best things.

'Rediscovering Christmas' has a few good things. The scenery is nice. As is the music, which is easy on the ears and is not intrusive or over-used. The final song is single worthy.

Best of all is Jessica Lowndes. Am usually not a fan of Lowndes and usually find her a weak link in her films, just find her performances lacking in variety and expression and don't find her at ease. Here she is completely at ease and is the most charming and nuanced she's been to me.

It is however a performance that deserved a much better film. The rest of the cast are the complete opposite, with BJ Britt being both charisma-free and annoying. Not only does he and Lowndes not have any chemistry together in a very under-developed romance, they are very mismatched too and his appeal to her escapes me. Didn't care for the characters other than Lowndes, everybody else are walking ciphers. The direction is only functional at best and has little spark.

The editing can be sloppy and the photography has nothing distinct to it. The script is like a cobbling together of over-familiar cliches, and then there is the overkill cheesiness and schmaltziness to the awkwardly flowing lines. The story is not just a tired variation of a done to death scenario but is also very, very thin, which does affect the pacing. Which tends to be pedestrian. It also has no charm and takes itself too seriously. 'Rediscovering Christmas' has some truly cliched character writing, that gives the characters like one or two character traits and not much else.

Overall, pretty weak. 3/10.