Holly wants everything to be perfect, even while her own life is not. And when I saw this movie, it was given the title "A Perfect Christmas", the message that department store window kept trying to drive home.
I like the formula, but that's what this is. Claire Coffee is pretty and plays a driven executive who can't seem to have what she thinks is perfection. And by the end of the movie, she may be on the way to finding what the audience wants her to have. Holly is likable enough and has a nice smile.
I know Ryan McPartlin from several roles. In only one of them, a major role in a series that lasted several seasons, did he show intelligence and range. Here, he's just what he needs to be--good-looking, charming, but shallow and lacking brains or emotion. I don't think the audience is supposed to want him to end up with Holly.
More likable is photographer Milo. Jeff Ward does a good job and shows somewhat more range than the others.
Another standout is Annie Quinn, the secretary who can't seem to do anything right but is adorable, and she looks great at the office party where she provides what less-informed people would describe as music. She has a potential romantic partner in nerdy co-worker Paul Elia.
As the best friend, Gabrielle Dennis can be likable, and she can be shallow and annoying. But she has some good scenes.
I think Matt Riedy and Robin Riker are Bo's perfect parents, who are so funny, especially when they show how they were once models in ad campaigns.
Megan Stevenson is too perfect looking and nasty. Every movie like this needs someone like her.
In several scenes, Aketza Lopez is the dashing Latin lover who is perfect and constantly reminds you of this. Why does she not like me, he wonders? Well, there are reasons. And unlike Bo, he is not perfect (in the way Bo is, which of course isn't perfect).
I have to say some of what was happening in this movie was too unpleasant and a possible way out is the phenomenon of a character hitting his or her head. While the movie works either way, things got so bad that I was hoping that Holly hitting her head meant this was all a fantasy.
The Christmas carolers who appear in two scenes are wonderful. There wasn't a lot in the way of Christmas music in this movie, and certainly none at the holiday party. There is some good background music but two scenes and the party have this loud obnoxious noise that no one in his right mind would call music.
Family friendly? I don't think anything is that bad. Kids might be bored. Bo and Holly don't actually do anything but given what movie characters often do on the first date, we can assume what happened when we weren't watching. Or maybe Bo is too much of a gentleman.
We've seen it many times before, but I always enjoy these movies.
