Fortunately, there is good casting (Luke MacFarlane 👍as Chris, and the lovely, Italia Ricci, as Avery, in "Catch Me if you Claus", which will help you, at least partially overcome a big stretch taken on the legend of Santa Claus. If you are a soIemn "believer" you will be saddened, here, that being Santa is a learn-on-the-job responsibility, no longer held by the Kringle family, and that Santa can take a joyride on his sleigh in the off-season (nobody notices?)...In another borrowed theme this season, you can guess, by the title, this movie will be a fast-paced adventure. Chris is failing his first trek, as Santa, delivering gifts - he mis-delivered a gift, and has half-the-world, leftover, to complete his duty
in less than 5 hours. Avery, on the other hand, has her biggest opportunity in her TV news career - anchoring the morning news, and yes, that's in a few hours. They get entangled in a criminal conspiracy involving the town mayor and a "Criminal Santa", who is actually an ex-employee, turned vigilante. Avery, who is well-aware of the APB out on Criminal-Santa, mistakenly apprehends Chris coming from her fireplace. He apparently has no Santa magic to break free, so the two of them, once she deduces Chris is the real-deal (he does have Santa's "sees-you", "knows-you", insights when convenient in the storyline) , team up to solve the crime. It's corny back and forth comical-action, but it does serve to draw our leads, Chris and Avery closer. It feels more like an endearing friendship is developing (a traumatic life-experience, together), but they get a long kiss in, under the guise of covering their faces to escape discovery by the mayor's henchmen. You can't fault Hallmark for venturing into non-exhausted plots; but this one, somewhat unique and whimsical, requires plenty of your attention for all of the scene changes. This pathway left me more relieved, than emotional about any good will or romance that could develop; therefore, as we draw closer to Christmas, I would move this farther down your watchlist...
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