“Maybe You’ll Get Yourself a Hometown Christmas Miracle. I’ve Never Seen One, but I’ve Heard Stories.”
When I was looking at Hallmark’s Christmas movie offerings, A Carol for Two caught my attention, not because of the stars, but because of the fact that singing was going to figure prominently in the plot. I thought it sounded fun for that reason. Unfortunately, the actual plot disappointed.
Violette (Ginna Claire Mason) has landed her dream, a part in a Broadway touring production. So, just before Christmas, she leaves behind her small town in Idaho to head to New York City to start rehearsals. However, when she arrives, she learns the production has been canceled. No idea where to turn, she approaches her aunt’s best friend, Hazel (Charlotte d'Amboise), who owns a restaurant. It’s filled with Broadway hopefuls, and she regularly gives her staff chances to shine.
It's there that Violette meets Alex (Jordan Litz), a fellow waiter who is upset by the preferential treatment that Violette is getting. But she’s caught the eye of Alex’s cousin, Brad (Gino Anania), who enlists Alex’s help in winning Violette over. What could possibly go wrong?
Yes, I did have to laugh at this twist on the Hallmark formula. While Violette isn’t leaving anyone behind her, the small town girl going to the big city to find true love was fun for something different.
And, as expected, the singing was wonderful. The cast is filled with some Broadway stars. Okay, I didn’t recognize most of their names, but they definitely brought their talent to the production.
Sadly, they aren’t supported by a solid script. First, there’s the fact that the writing is just poor overall. Some of the dialogue is cringe inducing. The cast makes the most of it, but I feel for them. And some of the characters are introduced so haphazardly, it’s hard to follow who they are all until well into the film.
Then there’s Brad. Obviously, we have a Cyrano de Bergerac love triangle going on here. I thought that could be fun, but it wasn’t, and it was because of Brad. He’s obnoxious. Honestly, how Violette didn’t see through him in two seconds stretches credibility. He’s supposed to be funny, but he just isn’t. I’m not blaming the actor. Again, it’s the writing. I spent much more time cringing. It even gets in the way of me enjoying the true romance between Alex and Violette.
Finally, I have to ask, is a Broadway musical about Christmas really something people are going to put on? Yes, I know, the entire thing is really fantasy, but that kicked me out of the movie.
In the end, I think this is a movie to skip. Yes, if you want to hear great renditions of Christmas carols, you’ll find something to like. But, overall, I don’t think A Carol for Two is worth it.
This movie is part of this Christmas movie DVD collection.
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