GAC Family is committed to family friendly entertainment. Often, they are doing this, in my opinion, at the expense of the story. For example, so many of the movies they have premiered lack any real villain, large or small to create tension. This movie is an example of what I am saying.
For starters, the story looks on paper like a grab-bag of many of the usual Christmas formulas. Angie lost her mother last year and everything this year is to honor her, especially her goal to win the tree decorating contest. Meanwhile, David is in town only for a short while and has to get back to Florida for his job. David has an absolutely adorable 10 year old girl, Gabby. There is the usual meddling bff. The word play around "it's a date" was way overused. There are snowmen and tree decorating.
Beyond all that, the story is very simple with no real highs or lows. One might call it a twist when Angie does something special almost at the end, but then that was closely tied to a problem that has been running through most of the movie which all the viewers knew would somehow be solved. And as I alluded to, there is almost no tension. The conflict gets blown up around another thing even the characters knew through the whole movie.
So what about Abby and David's relationship which I often say is what I really watch for? Yawn! Any chemistry between Samantha Cope and Ross Jirgl was extremely quiet at best. I think much of the responsibility for that is with Jirgl because he played David so laid back and reserved. I liked Cope's Angie, but she isn't in a class with some of the more perky actresses. There was definite chemistry between Cope and Eliza Donaghy's Gabby.
The background music was often distracting. Not because it was loud, but because it was noticeable. I have found that to be the case in other GACF movies. In this case, it might have been because that background was Christmas Carols in such a way that the melody stood out and competed with the dialogue.
This movie will be enjoyable in that there is no reason to expect things that aren't for the whole family. The story, the acting, and the dialogue are all acceptable, just not sparkling.
