Catch a Christmas Star (2013)

Just a feel good movie and I love the storyline. I wish Hallmark played it more!!

I enjoy Hallmark Xmas movies. Where an average gal can become a Queen yada yada. Always a stretch but such things happen. As for casting, Nikki and Chris have little on screen chemistry. Daughter Sophie shines and the all time star is Nikki's assistant Jason.Sadly this is a story without an ending. Would be different if it was titled Taylor Swift Becomes A Housewife. Chris and Nikki admit they live in two different worlds that totally clash, super star and ex high school jock who still loves visiting the old burger joint.Knowing the two must, in the end, be together the screenwriters decided to punt on the nearly impossible to wit: an ending that sees both worlds co-existing with one another. Instead, boy kisses super star and fade out with not a glimmer of any hope they can make it work without destroying his life or having her give up a lifetime of achievement and dreams.Could there be a 'happy ending'? Yes, with a decent screenplay. I could do without great thought. My ending: Fade-in to NYC TV morning show. Nikki is introduced as new co-host. Nikki greets audience and sends loving message to Chris and kids who live just across the bridge. Nikki sings the first of her daily songs to millions of fans. fade out.

Catch a Christmas Star is an average Christmas TV Movie about a music star who meets her high school sweetheart years later. It's a typically cheesy and predictable tale. Shannon Elizabeth isn't convincing as the music star Nikki and the lead male Steve Byers whilst suitably good looking is too wooden. To make matters worse there is little chemistry between them both which makes the story even less unlikely than it already is. To be fair there are a few funny moments and these are all provided by the singers assistant Carmine played by Christopher Jacot. He is easily the star of this film. One plus was that unlike many of these type of movies, the kids in the film ( played by Julia Lalonde and Kyle Harrison Brietkopf are actually quite good and aren't either sickly sweet or just plain annoying. There is nothing special about this film but it will have it's market and is moderately entertaining.

Romantic made-for-TV Christmas movies are a specialty niche that has plenty of fans. I am a man, and both my wife and I enjoy a well-made sentimental Christmas movie; we both often start blubbering when the lead romantic couple finally overcome their obstacles and get together. As of 2013, when A Christmas Star is being "released" on TV, we feel there has been a recent upswing in the quality of Hallmark Christmas movies - better acting, better dialog and better cinematography.Unfortunately, this recent upswing in production values somehow by-passed A Christmas Star. The biggest flaw in this film is its unrealistic plot twists and dialog. It's plot is built on music studio executives behaving like Mafia heavies because their recording star has done something very innocent and ordinary. And, there is a 10-year old daughter who is supernaturally wise and talks eloquently to her Dad as if he is a child and she is the adult. Even the climactic scene, which involves a Christmas Eve concert, progresses along an increasingly illogical and impossible course. In addition,the characters played by Shannon Elizabeth and Steve Byers, seem to have very little romantic chemistry. The combination of dialog and acting performances is such that many of the key actions taken by the main characters seem illogical and unrealistic. If you are an incurable romantic and huge fan of the made-for-TV romantic Christmas movie genre,then you might well enjoy A Christmas Star despite its many problems. But I found that my eyes were rolling frequently and that they never teared up. So, I suggest you might pass on A Christmas Star. There are plenty of better romantic Christmas films this holiday season.