Hallmark's Christmas output is very variable and 2018 was a mixed year for them. Some though are above average level and there are some surprisingly very enjoyable ones amongst the average and less films that there is a good deal of in their output. Along with my love of Christmas and that it was one of the films in my Christmas Hallmark/Lifetime film completest quest, my main reasons for seeing 'Road to Christmas' were because of liking the concept and having liked the cast in other things.
'Road to Christmas' may not be an exceptional film and has shortcomings. Yet it managed to be to me a quite charming and enjoyable film and in the surprisingly good category of Hallmark's Christmas output. Of a very mixed bunch, 'Road to Christmas' is towards being one of the better Hallmark Christmas films overall and one of the better ones of 2018. A festive cracker it may not quite be, but it's not a humbug either and overall this is a road worth taking.
It is predictable story-wise with a lot of familiar Hallmark tropes with not much fresh done with it. It does get treacly in spots, a common problem with Hallmark well before 'Road to Christmas' and just as bad and perhaps even worse now.
Do agree that it maybe could have had fewer characters, which would have helped give development to the characters that were actually crucial to the story.
On the other hand, 'Road to Christmas' is very professionally filmed and the locations are simply beautiful. A lot of Hallmark's Christmas films suffer from being over-scored, meaning being too constantly used and too loud. That isn't so big a problem here. While the characters are not meaty or original, none of them annoyed me and nor did they bore me. They also had personality traits that appealed and any negative traits were not exaggerated, which can be a common problem with female lead characters in Hallmark's Christmas output.
The acting is well above average, with charming performances from Jessy Schram and Chad Michael Murray. Their chemistry always looks natural and is easy to get behind. Teryl Rothery steals the show in my view as the most interesting character. The dialogue can be treacly, but it did generally make me smile and didn't take itself too seriously (while not treating things as too much of a joke either). The story is light-hearted and heart-warming, even if originality pretty much goes out the window. It isn't sluggish and it is not as contrived as other Hallmark Christmas films. The messaging is sweet and didn't find myself being beaten around the head with it.
Summing up, nice film as long as not too much is expected from it. 7/10
