Christmas Bride

source: Christmas Bride

Story line seems quick and not very well planned. Nothing in this movie even resembles the Blue Ridge Mountains... I understand not using actors who can't fake a southern accent, but at least use a local town. I only gave this a 2 star, because it wouldn't save a one. I couldn't even finish watching...

The movie is actually ok, but just ok due the the lack of chemistry between Benjamin Ayres and Rachael Leigh Cook. Individually I like them both, but together, it just didn't work. I think it was because both actors have sort of a terse way of speaking, very serious, very matter of fact, unless Cook is playing a more comedic role (i.e. Frozen In Love). The acting is good here so I feel it's still worth watching

If I'm totally honest, I probably didn't give this one much of a chance. The two leads did not grab my interest and it didn't look like they were ever going to either. Basically he wasn't hot and she seemed a bit annoying. The situation also didn't seem like it was going to be anything new to me or stand out as particularly special. I can't score it, because I didn't see it all.

Yes, it is one of the same old tired storylines that Hallmark likes to do but it did have some different twists though, which I appreciated. It made it appealing and I actually like this movie's version of the storyline better than most. I really liked what felt like real conversations that people would have and family moments. The mother and daughters giggling and hugging each other. The sisters on the bed dipping cookies in milk and having real sister moments. The father daughter conversations. All of the acting was done well including the little girl. For a child actor she was really quite good. They all clicked well and were believable in their roles. I said I wanted to hang out with the mom, after she introduced her daughter in the diner. She just seems like a cool, fun mom! The main characters were a little slow at " falling in love" but they were busy with the inn and working on the wedding. I didn't mind because the story was interesting enough and I knew they would get there. This might be the first Hallmark movie were there was no silly "misunderstanding" at the end that almost splits them up but they find their way back to each other, after clearing the air. Thank you! Finally! Those misunderstandings in all those other movies are just silly and unnecessary. There were a few misses in there. The usual overload of Christmas decor and what was up with so many people milling around the front porch and driveway? It looked like a five or six bedroom house. If the father and daughter each had bedrooms, then that left three or four guest rooms. There should not have been that many people going in and out with luggage. Like I said earlier, I enjoyed this version of a storyline that's been done many times but it was different enough to make it very enjoyable. I did not realize Rachel Leigh Cook was in it until it started and I got very excited to see her! I would definitely watch this again.

I'm not really sure where to start but I will start by saying - this movie was awful!! Absolutely ZERO chemistry between main leads, I've never seen the male lead and I have no clue who he is. I know who RLC is - I've always enjoyed her performances but not this one... she appeared stiff!! This movie was so hard to watch but I continued on so I could write a review about the entire movie, not just half. I'm thinking RLC had some work done which is fine but it's a little distracting when the only thing moving is her mouth. I will not give any additional details but in my opinion, oh boy did this movie disappoint.

"A Blue Ridge Mountain Christmas" manages to invoke the intended comforting effect many made-for-tv Christmas films strive for: the feeling of familiarity in setting and hope for positive change. We enjoy films like this often in spite of how unrealistic they are. I can't think of a more prominent recent example than this one. That the movie manages to entertain this in spite of its miscasting is impressive. For a film set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, no one is overweight or speaks with any kind of southern accent. The actors are miscast in that they do not reflect the setting of where these people live. The movie is enjoyable if you disregard the title (how unfortunate that "Blue Ridge" is there) and watch it as a story of two burdened people growing closer over a shared project. Rachael Cook stars as a hotel manager from New York returning home to Virginia to help plan her sister's wedding. Cook plays this Willow as a focused woman who doesn't ever slow down. She proposes the idea of having the wedding at Eagle Ridge, a hotel her family used to own. The family later sold it to the Lyndon family lead by widower David (Benjamin Ayres). David works at a local law firm and likes to repeatedly mention he is about to make partner. Willow enlists his help to turn the hotel's barn into a wedding venue ostensibly so he can sell the hotel to a buyer who wishes to use it as a wedding venue. Ayres portrays David seemingly with a sense of world weariness. I don't know if it was intentional or if it was due to the actor's disinterest in the role. Regardless, I found the performance fit his character well. As a result of his wife's death, he seems to have foregone the possibility of doing anything besides working as a lawyer. Willow acts somewhat similarly to him though less tragic in her backstory. The lack of a "spark" as other reviewers mention fits these two characters. Neither is bereft of emotion and love slowly develops between them. The main actors often wear contrasting red and green outfits. It puts us in the mood for Christmas. Otherwise, there is little about the film that reminds one of the holidays. The bride walks through a beautiful Christmas wedding arch. It's so visually interesting that the director shows it twice. The panoramic view of the decorated hotel are beautiful. Watch the film for those moments even if you don't care for the story. By many measures, Blue Ridge Mountain Christmas should be a failure. The actors play their characters just right and the visuals are interesting. I give a cautious recommendation.

Although we've finally found a couple of the 2019 Hallmark Christmas movies that we really enjoyed, I can't include this one in that list. I didn't feel any chemistry between the leads, and their stories were more of the recent spate of Hallmark cliches, so there was no drama -- no tension about what decisions they'd make. (The big corporate job always loses. LOL) The acting overall was flat, with just no real energy, and that's also been an issue with many of these Hallmark movies the last couple of years.

Yikes! Forget sparks-Rachael Leigh Cook and Benjamin Ayres have a bad vibe going on. Ms. Pushy & Mr. Busy/Disinterested are a bad match from the first. "I'll do everything!" She insists, twice. He makes her repeat it. Then we're hit with the montage of her in-your-face involvement and time swallowing. Did Hallmark think this was cute? Willow is entitled and overbearing. David offers stammered half-objections. Both mannerisms would be annoying from characters 10 years younger. Trust us HMC; this is way too much wedding detail for anyone to care about. The 1 star goes to Cook for trying with this missed lasso. In the same way David is checked out with the inn, Ayres seems to be dialing it in from another set.

The Hallmark movie delivered its standard fare with Blue Ridge Mountain Christmas. The actors were older and throughout the movie learning to be wiser. Complications arise on do I take a job or not and move away from a perfect town and join the rat race. By the end of the movie wiser and in love is the answer for characters Willow and David. They represent a mature couple needed, but seldom seen in Hallmark Christmas movie- and it definitely works. However, with that being said the movie is mediocre. I just did not feel that Rachael Leigh Cook was committed to the role.