My Christmas film viewings over-time have been a very mixed bag. With some surprisingly good hits, where regardless of how predictable they are succeed in being full of charm, warmth and heart so succeeding in being light-hearted and undemanding fun. But also some quite big misses, where the characters are not likeable, everything is forced and shallow with implausibility too in some of the worst cases, the acting and writing being weak and basically with just nothing to them.
2011's 'Mistletoe Over Manhattan' is not one of the films bad enough to be in the latter category. It also has too much wrong with it to fit in the former one. Is 'Mistletoe Over Manhattan' a terrible film? No, with the acting lifting what could have been really lacklustre to something at least average (if it wasn't as well above average as it was it would have been in the former). Is it good? Again, no, with two aspects particularly bringing it down. Worth a one time watch for curiosity, but for me not much more.
There are good things about 'Mistletoe Over Manhattan'. The best aspect being the acting. Tedde Moore is a sheer delight and loved Mrs Claus as a character, great personality. Despite her character, Tricia Helfer also does very well with what she is given.
It looks good, not drab or garish or choppy in editing, with the scenery being particularly lovely. There is some nice nostalgia in the soundtrack and there are moments of heart and charm, namely with Mrs Claus.
As said however, there are a couple of things particularly badly done. The writing never sounds natural and the mix of humour and drama, neither component coming off successfully, is never a smooth sailing one. The humour is not that funny and the silliness goes well overboard to the point it induces cringing. The drama is also excessively over-sentimental and melodramatic. As said too, the two don't gel harmoniously with there being too much of a tonal disjoint. A bigger problem is Helfer's character, a prime example of very overwritten character flaws. Just hated how shallow and hypocritical she was and it was a major factor as to why the ending didn't work. Any romantic chemistry is underwritten and too subdued.
Furthermore, too much of the story is bland, there is not an awful lot to it and the film feels over-stretched and draggy as a result. As well as very predictable and contrived. Really did not like the ending, too abrupt and far too unrealistically neat to the point of being too much of a cheat.
Overall, average but worth one time watch. 5/10.
