This is ION's second original Christmas movie this 2020 season. I am happy to report that it is much better than their first (i.e., better than A Royal Christmas Engagement). However, it was still a disappointment, nowhere near as good as, for example, last year's the Best Christmas Ball Ever, which was a wonderful ION Christmas movie. The plot was ordinary and predictable, though, to be fair, so is much of the TV movie (romance) Christmas genre. That said, the story was sweet and warm. There were a few odd scenes and strange lines here and there (e.g., Mason not knowing where the circuit box was in his own home or his lines in response to Ava when she commented on him taking notes). Indeed, at times, the script and dialogue were quite dull. The acting, overall, was rather mixed. Marc Herrmann's (playing Mason) performance was the weakest link in this one. His performance was often dull and stiff (to be fair, he did smile a lot). More specifically, his performance as a father was unconvincing; it was not believable at all. First, he looked more like an older brother than a father of an 11-year-old. The writer/director/producers were clearly aware of this, as they added some lines/dialogue at the start of the film where Ben (Mason's friend) tells him how young he looks. I laughed, as it was clearly intended to deal with this issue; I suspect it was only added to the script after Herrmann was cast in the role. The other issue was that he simply did not come across as a father. For example, he never touched his daughter; there were no kisses, hugs, acts of affection at all really, other than his lines and a shoulder bump. It was a strange performance in this regard. Anna Marie Dobbins (playing Ava) was much better; she had a pretty good performance overall. Her dialogue with Mia (the daughter) was very strong. I know I am being a bit harsh, but it is a pity that she got stuck opposite Herrmann in this one, as she has talent. The chemistry between the two was rather lacking. This is partly due to the acting and partly due to the script. Regarding the latter, they simply did not have much time on screen together. The supporting cast was decent, though there were some awkward moments here and there. What stood out for me was Rylie Coe (playing Mia) and Vivica Fox (playing Deb). They both had great performances (they kept this one afloat, along with Dobbins). The scenery, props and sets were festive. And I have no complaints about the music; the music and music editing was good. All in all, it is an ordinary Christmas movie with a cute and warm story. Not one ION's best nor is it one of their worse.
