A Kismet Christmas

I wasn't expecting too much from this movie at first, but the story of a family legend was carefully introduced in stages, in a way that was not shlocky and not predicable, and which also incorporated some nice story twists. This set up an engaging movie with two very likable lead characters who were animated by some good acting. Both characters seemed plausible, real, and natural.

The movie was a pleasure to watch all the way through, and was not shallow fluff. I felt real joy for the characters at the ending.

This would be a good movie for kids and adults to watch together. It works well at both levels.

This is one is of my Top 10 favorite 2022 Christmas movies of 2022. You can see my other favorite 2022 Christmas movies by clicking on my profile link above; then look for "2022 FAVORITE CHRISTMAS ROM-COMs" under "Lists".

'A Kismet Christmas' (2022)

Opening thoughts: Have for a few years now been on a roll watching as many Hallmark Christmas films as possible. It has generally been an interesting and worthwhile project, while also very inconsistent. 2022's Christmas output is no exception, being as variable as the rest of the seasonal blocks. The story for 'A Kismet Christmas' didn't sound particularly mind blowing, but that wasn't enough to put me off.

The previous two 2022 Countdown to Christmas films 'Noel Next Door' and 'We Wish You a Married Christmas' already saw inconsistency in quality, the former was quite good but the latter underwhelmed. Luckily, 'A Kismet Christmas' (very different to what was expected, was expecting a Christmas story centered around the musical 'Kismet' for some reason) was closer in quality to the former and actually one of the better 2022 Christmas films thus far from Hallmark. Not perfect, but with a lot of good things.

Good things: Those good things will be started off with first. Sarah Ramos and Carlo Marks are engaging and nuanced leads with a subtly quiet yet charming chemistry that didn't feel rushed or aimless. Zesty Marilu Henner steals every scene she's in and Rubi Tupper is charming and sincere in a type of role that easily could have been played too precociously. The characters were interesting and easy to root for and the relationships feel real and honest on the whole.

It is also an attractive film visually, with beautiful scenery and colourful decorations. The music fits at least and is easy on the ears. The story is very charming and moving, not feeling dull.

Bad things: Having said that, it is also very formulaic, doing nothing new with familiar elements, and there is a conflict that is very artificial and lacking in sense. Some may say that thank goodness it didn't feature much, for me for it to have made sense more it did need more time to be fleshed out, it did feel also too rushed and throwaway.

While the script is not as cheesy or schmaltzy as many other Hallmark Christmas films, it is too talky and too much of the talk rambles and not all of it served much point.

Concluding thoughts: Overall though, quite nice.

7/10.

This is a combination of two fairly common premises. Sarah is a famous writer (after one book) with writer's block and a tight deadline for the next book. He grandmother has been making magic cookies for years. The magic cookies help people dream of their soul mate. (OK, this one is less common.) Sarah had a crush on Travis, but the older Travis got married to someone else and Sarah never returns to town, until now.

Sarah Ramos presents an appealing Sarah (the character). She and Carlo Marks have quiet chemistry and she also hits it off with Rubi Tupper who plays the Travis' daughter Jasmine. I agree with another reviewer in hoping that Ramos appears often on Hallmark.

The story has no great highs or lows or surprises. The climax is predictable. Dialogue is good and so is acting.

This one was a bit careless with some questionable plot points. I was hopeful and curious to see Sarah Ramos, because I remember her as Lauren Graham's daughter on Parenthood. Carlo Marks usually gives a likable performance.

Sarah is a best-selling children's author who has to return to her hometown to reward the winner of a contest promoting her new book (which she is having trouble finishing.) It turns out the little winner is the daughter of the boy next door she had a teenage crush on. After humiliating herself by bursting into to his wedding declaring her love, she has never returned. Yeah, it was pretty embarrassing.

Here's the first problem. Her beloved grandmother Mia (Marilu Henner) still lives in the house across the street. Are they telling me Sarah never went home to visit her when she is supposed to be so devoted to Granma Mia? A return to a hometown after years and years, only works if you don't abandon your family in the process.

She meets Travis and gets to know his little girl,(who hugs everyone all the time. I've never seen such a huggy little girl) and a rekindled romance ensues. But where is the wife? Is she dead? Divorced? On vacation? On a break? I was expecting her to pop up any minute. We find out after half the movie is over and a lot of flirting has gone on that they are divorced, but she travels with her band a lot.

What did that boring bear story have to do with anything?

And why did Grammy stop making the beloved Christmas cookies again? She taped up the recipe after Sarah ripped it up. When Sarah wanted to test out the magic and made 12 "Kismet" cookies, how could there have been "a line out the door" for them? Especially when 4 were already spoken for.

Also, there was a fake conflict at the end which was more fake than usual and made no sense. Why did Sarah run away when Travis suggested she stay in New Britain solve the house going out of the family problem and explore their relationship? There was no reason. Her agent points out the obvious that she already knew and crisis averted. At least it was short in duration.

This was the story of an author who goes back home to New Britain where we learn in a fit of rage she tore up a special family recipe as a teenager.

She is having trouble writing the next book in her series and her next door neighbor and childhood crush helps her by shutting her up in a cabin with no distractions to write and it works...only the start of their story is they were friends and she baked kismet cookies with her grandmother that are supposed to help you dream of your soulmate...she asked her grandmother for one and she told her no, but she took one anyway. She dreamt of the neighbor and when she ran over to tell him she interrupted his wedding to someone else. In a fit of rage she came home and in front of her grandmother tore up the complicated recipe. (I would have beat her silly!)

When she arrives back in town after all these years the neighbor has a daughter and is divorced?!?!

There are so many things that I didn't like about this film...I love Marilu Henner, who was her usual wonderful self and I enjoyed the idea or legend behind the kismet cookie. The rest I could do without. Not a recommendation from me. Carlo Marks Is also fabulous.