Watching such movies is like shopping at Dollarama. Once in a while, one can find a true gem in a pile of trash. But this is not it, it's way on the trashier side. Back in December, this movie ruined my festive bliss big time, so let me explain why.
It's not just poor acting (acting is BAD and a few reviews here are pretty accurate). It's the message this movie sends: no matter how desperate a woman is, there is always some "old friend" to prey on, nevermind he's in a committed relationship. His partner's feelings do not matter - just be pushy and manipulative, add some phony festive joy, and he's yours. I wonder if they're having a sequel next Christmas when this half-witted stallion is poached by some other woman who's even more aggressive (and maybe younger)? This story gives such an unpleasant aftertaste and is very much off the holiday spirit.
Some people mentioned the leads' relationship status. Who cares? Maybe some Oklahoma housewife will find this cute. I've seen their short promotional video and it's so cheesy and off-putting. He clearly has been her plan B and she's a way better actress in her personal life than in movies, at least the one I've seen. They're some no-name celebrities who are trying to speculate on their relationship to promote mediocre content. Their personal relationship doesn't add any value to the movie and doesn't make the acting better. It's not relevant. Also, this industry is infamous for short-lived romances and shallow personalities, for viewers watching this movie a few years from now, it might be not relevant at all. No need to bring this up, honestly.
While I was watching, I kept thinking why this James character seemed so strikingly familiar. Bingo - the actor is a waiter/bartender at a rather popular Italian restaurant in Toronto's Yorkville. I've seen him many times in the course of a few years - I guess that's how he makes his living. The venue is very popular for the TIFF crowd, so maybe that's how he's got his foot in the industry. I looked him up, he's not a professional actor, just some random dude who's trying to capitalize on his physique. This is not sustainable but might be quite appealing to some fans, even if he keeps being a talking head in the movies. There are a few amateur interviews with him on YouTube taken by some unsightly women drooling over him on air. Check these out, way more entertaining than the movie. He's such an attention seeker, it's hilarious.
Another thing that I found off-putting was the female lead's unnatural makeup. I understand they were trying to make her look younger to keep a youthful vibe appropriate for a rom-com and also more appealing than her rival (it didn't work, the original fiancée is way more likable and organic), but the result looks grotesque. And this orange-y complexion! It reminds me of... you know whom, lol. It's funny how heavily they photoshopped the poster, but the camera doesn't lie, and too much makeup just makes it worse: wrinkles, skin imperfections, and an overall tired look.
I looked up the lead actress as well: a small town born with a complicated family background (homelessness, addiction and stuff), at some point she switched from sketchy/X-rated content to rom-coms and horror movies. Some of her works from about a decade ago would direct you to explicit content websites, no kidding. Help yourselves with your discoveries, just make sure kids are not around. I've seen enough. She isn't my type in the first place, she has no class. But this whole background story adds to the movie's unpalatable aftertaste.
Anyway, as you have likely figured, I don't recommend this movie (unless you are an Oklahoma housewife, of course). On a serious note, I'm appalled that my home country (it was filmed in Ontario, Canada) production industry keeps investing in such rubbish in these challenging economic times, while many well-written films with talented casts might never get a chance. Very sad.
