A Mistletoe Match/For Christmas (2022) -

This might have been the perfect opportunity to make a story that wasn't sooo obvious who was going to end up together. There were some definite references to 'Love Actually' (2003), because it didn't entirely focus on the main couple at the beginning and it could have been a way to show that sometimes even we don't know what or who we want by having them trying on all sorts of people before finding the one.

A dating/matching service like the one shown here and happened upon by random people could have shown a story that was new and fresh.

The Producers/Writers however decided to go for the "Undercover journalist has to lie to someone they fancy, because they've got in too deep" option which has become very tired.

It was fine as these covert writers at a Christmas event films go, but it was nothing special. There was nothing that made it stand out at all really, but I stuck with it for Ryan Bruce in the role of Thomas, who was cute.

It was initially hard to warm to Olivia played by Elena Juatco though, because her headstrong journalist character was quite officious, she also took a while to mellow out.

Thomas' daughter Erin was not acted very well at all by Tessa Kozma. Apart from the fact that she was too old playing too young and her glasses seemed really wrong, she was just too much of a stage school brat and didn't seem to know how to act for film/TV. I felt that she jarred as Ryan Bruce's supposed offspring.

Other than that a lot of the fellas at the matchmaking event seemed a tad gay to be looking for love with a woman, which may be because I'm out of touch with what makes a modern man, but certainly seems to have been a regular feature for the guys in this genre of films lately. I'm not sure that's how these stories should be working. They are traditionally boy meets girl romances after all and it just doesn't work if the leading man has more chemistry with his assistant or future brother in law. If you're going to make them gay then do it, I need more films like that, but don't muddy the waters otherwise.

And the Made For TV Christmas Films have certainly made the most out of the soundtrack song - "Favorite Time Of The Year" by Anton Du Preez this year. I must have heard it ten times in numerous films.

As you would expect, the two leads, reluctant at first to participate in the dating in the first place, found that they did in fact enjoy each others company and Olivia grew to love Erin as well as Thomas, before there was the obvious bump in the road between the lovers. So as I said nothing new to report.

While it was fine and I wouldn't say that I'd never watch it again, there were some issues and something about the final kiss that seemed very wrong.

5.83/10.

The overriding plot of this movie is the one where a pushy editor sends an investigative reporter to do an expose, in this case on the Mistletoe Match event. Unfortunately, this common plotline runs predictably through the entire movie. There is a subplot which is essentially the common fake boyfriend/girlfriend theme. Another common subplot involves Mia and Alfie and for semi-spoiler reasons I won't elaborate. There is also a struggling arts program. The meet-cute is a case of mistaken identity with a cute gag at the end of it. The story includes at least one other romance. It also includes a plucky teenage daughter played by an actual 15 year old, Tessa Kozma.

By the end of the movie there is a lot going on. Otherwise there are no great highs or lows. The acting is OK. The dialogue is mostly average with a few good moments. The chemistry between the leads is fair. There are a few scenic shots of NYC.