Baby, It's Cold Inside

source: Baby, It's Cold Inside

'Baby it's Cold Inside' was hardly one of those doomed from the start kind of films. Despite it being a familiar scenario, that has been used in some of Hallmark's previous Winterfest films, hotels are always great to see on film and have been used to memorable effect many times (i.e. The Plaza Hotel in 'Home Alone 2'). Have seen the leads in other things and when the material is good they are too. Despite mixed expectations, there was some potential. Potential that is not really lived up, which did annoy me as somebody that hates wastes of potential of all else when watching film and television. 'Baby it's Cold Inside' is not an irredeemably terrible film, haven't said that yet for any of Hallmark's 2021 output, but it to me was very weak and never really grabbed my attention in most areas and as an overall film. Hallmark's 2021 output was hit and miss, but not as bad as it could have been considering the difficult circumstances, but 'Baby it's Cold Inside' is one of the misses. Am going to begin with the good. The scenery is spectacular and even more magical is the character of its own that is the hotel. One of those places where a stay during winter would be strongly considered. Steve Lund does a good job with what he has to work with, charm comes very naturally to him. Jocelyn Hudon however came over as very bland as a character that doesn't have much development or personality. She and Lund lack chemistry, which needed a lot more playfulness and charm than what was given. The romance wasn't realistically developed and plays second fiddle to the events going on in the hotel, it takes too long to find its groove and then rushes its way to the finish line with not enough time to go. The supporting cast are stuck in typical Hallmark cliche roles and are not very memorable. The story goes at a rather sluggish pace and has too little content to sustain the length. What there is just follows a basic and done to death formula that is familiar ground for Hallmark, and does so in a run of the mill and characterless way. There is just nothing to it. The conflict with the hotel manager makes little sense and feels thrown in, not enough is done with it too, while the ending is rushed and abrupt. Furthermore, the script is cheesy and mundane and can sound awkward. Didn't care for any of the characters other than some moments with Lund and the music is over-scored and over-used. The direction is routine at best and plods at worst. In summary, weak. 3/10.

Favorite scene with Hannah Fisher (Jocelyn Hudon) - The Snowshoeing/Tour scene, getting lost, warm hospitality and a Glass Making lesson.

It's odd this was part of the spring line up and seemed more fitted for winter. Beautiful ice castle, some fun facts about ice thrown in, and a different story from the traditional template. I've always wanted to stay at this ice castle in Quebec so it was cool to see it and experience it through this movie. Didn't know every year the ice castle has a completely different design! Worth a watch!

I really like the actors in many of their other performances and while this was not bad it was just a little slow- the actors showed chemistry which matters but I always was expecting it to move- Emile ullerup made a very similar movie at the famed ice castle which is a little better; I would say I would eat hit again but not for at least 6 months- it's a shame because really liked from friend to fiancé and have watched that at least 4 times- at such a great place make a great story and yes I k ow hallmark movies are similar- don't rush them just make it move especially when you have quality leads.

This movie hit right in the middle for me. It was good, but not that memorial for me. I did enjoy seeing the inside of the ice hotel which I found out is a very real place and dream of staying there some day! The ice slide was a fun scene. What the main female character was "struggling" with didn't seem like it should've been a big deal to carry around for so long and hold her back. So that seemed a little strange. But overall, glad I watched.

...and stay for not much else. This movie was amazingly bad. Jocelyn is certainly lovely to look at, but in every role, she's like a gerbil on caffeine spitting dialogue out as quickly as she can. It makes one dizzy. Then there's the awkward dialogue, unnecessary best friend B storyline, and lazy script/direction. It's literally as sloppy as Hannah's consistently wild gesticulations. It's a shame that Canada is so full of itself that it doesn't care to get details correct about America (or literally any other country), which is a repeating pattern in all of their productions. The worst offense was with their "Nordic" food. They literally stacked a pile of drizzle-frosted pancakes and called that a Kransekake. For those who don't know, this is a Norwegian ring "cake" which eats like a cookie--it's a dense almond paste batter baked in special ring forms, NOT pancakes. And it's pretty solid when assembled, but placed in a plastic bag for transport. It's laughable about how it was magically transported in the back of a vehicle with no protection over bumpy mountain roads, but it was the skis causing its demise. And the Danish aebleskiver??? Ben literally said that all meals were provided in town at a restaurant and that the kitchen was sparsely stocked. It's highly unlikely they would have had a cake pop pan to sub for an aebleskiver pan, which wouldn't have worked anyway because aebleskiver are cooked in the special pan on the STOVE, not baked in the OVEN which the cake pop pan would have required. And you certainly don't serve aebleskiver in the shape of a croquembouche!!! I mean, seriously, it should be a drinking game every time a Canadian production gets a fact wrong, but then you'd pass out before even finishing the movie. Don't get me wrong--it was a delight to tour the ice hotel, just torture to get through the rest of the movie with a dud script, sloppy details, and no chemistry between literally EVERYBODY. It feels like those involved with this production just phoned it in, which was disappointing given the breathtaking locale.

Why does Hallmark cast Jocelyn Hudon? She sucked in Friend to Fiancé too. She's a great cheerleader. BTW - Aebleskiver are from Denmark ... not Quebec Canadian. Nice try Hallmark. Second movie from an ice hotel. Find a new location.

I don't usually get bored during HM movies. I gave up within the first 30 minutes and that included the commercial. No chemistry between the leads. And actually, this movie was the same ole, same ole. I don't usually give up on HM movies, but I had to. Oh yea...the music, what were they trying to hide? Too loud and repetitive.

This is a predictable story with very little tension. There isn't a lot of plot but the writers and director do the one thing I frequently complain some movies don't do enough- they throw the leads together almost every possible chance. Jocelyn Hudon is a young lead where many of the Hallmark leading ladies are nearing or past 40. There's nothing wrong with that except it limits the studio when trying to make stories about younger couples. Hudon has been doing work for Hallmark for several years now, although not as much as I would like to see lately, although perhaps Covid has something to do with that. Hudon is just right for this role and she has great chemistry with Steve Lund. Hudon does a good job dealing with the back-and-forth in her confidence and that is one thing the script does well. I said predictable, and it is for broad strokes, but I was a little surprised at how one character acted toward the end.