A Heidelberg Holiday

At the time of this review, 24 people had rated this show a 10, and 11 rated it a 1. I wish the IMBD required some justification when rating. This was a pretty typical Hallmark romance introducing some new actors. And while filmed in a unique location, it hardly warrants scores at the extreme high and low ends. Enjoying the movie doesn't make it a 10 and not caring for it doesn't make it a 1.

I made it a point to watch it because I was stationed near Heidelberg with the U. S. Army many years ago and enjoyed seeing many of the same locations I had visited. Movie wise - it was predictable, pleasant and enjoyable, but not a 10 or a 1.

This was really good. I've loved Ginna Claire Mason since seeing her as Glinda in Wicked so it's great to see her in Hallmark Christmas movies. She's still a little green but worked really well with Frederic and the other actors. I like that Hallmark is investing in location shoots for these movies, especially for lesser known actors. The German backdrop was stunning and I love that this was cast locally and incorporated German traditions. Also appreciated the bilingual dialogue with subtitles.

I wasn't crazy about how they resolved the missing ornament issue and I wanted a bit more from the ending. What's next for Heidi? But other than that, this is a winner that I'll rewatch again.

Also note to Hallmark: There are lots of talented Broadway actors out there. Please spread the casting love because this is a trend I'd like to see continue.

In the beginning, Heidi is the typical American who is too aggressive for most Europeans. Arrogant, demanding and pushy. After a while she softens even though she still has a fair amount of energy.

The story is a bit different from the crowd even though it follows the basic flow of most Christmas movies where the two romantic leads are thrown together for a time and develop a relationship. There are no great highs or lows.

The acting is OK. The dialogue has good moments but otherwise is bland. The leads have some chemistry but nothing special.

A big draw of this movie for many will be the scenery and traditions. There is an amazing castle and views of the city from what seems to be miles above but probably only a few stories.

I often say that these movies often have trouble with realism. This one pushed it too far as far as the conflict and solution.

Your average made-for-television festive flick.

'A Heidelberg Holiday' doesn't bring major Xmas feeling though, it didn't feel as Christmassy as I'd want via my personal liking but what is produced is close enough. The German aspects are cool, especially for an American-made movie.

I thought the 'delayed delivery' side of the story was gonna pack more of a punch than it did, I was getting magical elf worker vibes but maybe that was my imagination expecting too much from a flick of this kind. The cast, meanwhile, all blend into one in my memory to be honest, Ginna Claire and Frédéric Brossier are alright leads mind.

It must be the mix of German and American actors that makes this film lovely. The acting is so natural (the children too) that it is a joy to watch.

The dialogues run smoothly and naturally -obviously it still is a Christmas film, so when the two leads are introduced to us, we know exactly how it's going to end.

But with all the extremely polished Christmas films around, where the production design seems to be the main character and every snowflake is personally checked and put in its place, this film is a breath of fresh air.

It's nice to hear a foreign language spoken too. The misunderstandings and miscommunications between Heidi and her German friends are very funny.