A Bramble House Christmas (2017)

The excellent story just carries the emotions in this movie. I was fully engaged the whole time even through the traditional elements (ice skating, ginger bread house making, tree trimming). Loved the movie. Willa the single mom was played perfectly by Autumn Reeser. I think this may have been a good role for Lacey Chabert as well. Finn (David Haydn-Jones) is an illustrator of Willa's son's favorite book. The interaction between the 3 was just perfect. The use of the sketching was effective. The cast also includes Teryl Rothery who was great in Christmas Getaway (2017). She is always a delight to see but in this movie she played the limping aunt of Bramble house maybe to the detriment of the movie. We also have 2 others who played in Cedar Cove. These 3 supporting cast roles is probably why I did not score it a 10.

This is based upon a book titled the same, which I haven't read yet but might do so next Christmas. They say that books are always better, so perhaps I need to check it out and put it on my list of goals since reading is one of my new year's goals and it would be perfect to read it before we watch it again next year. We all know that Hallmark repeats their previous year's movies unless it is Friday, Saturday or Sunday evening (premiere time) when they play their new movies (during the holiday season). But about the movie, it's worth a viewing and I might watch again next year as well.

Just as I thought watching Christmas films are over, only the real Christmas is what left to enjoy, I came across with this film. This is a last moment review written in the week of Christmas eve. The reason I liked was, it is another Christmas film based on the book of the same name. I think Hallmark should adapt books more often. The original screenplays are almost nothing. No innovation, not interesting enough. But literature based films like this makes a lot sense to watch. With an artistic presentation, the depth in characters and events, the story is well convincing.Well, the story is not new. We all know it, especially how it's going to turn out at the end. But that's not the issue. How much you are satisfied with the way it all were told matters. So apart from a good story, the actors and director too makes an impact. I think it all worked out well for this. Yet there was a small drawback that towards the end of the second act, the story dried up. I mean literally when all the important matter was sorted out, the rest of the narration till the final twist was simply a drag. A time killer with casual scenes.-xX] Look around you, and then close your eyes. Put everything you just saw into your brain like a picture. That way, you can keep it, even after we've gone. [Xx-Willa, a single mother and her young boy is all set to enjoy their Christmas in the Bramble house BnB. On the other side of the tale, Finn disappointed with his father who had died weeks ago, left nothing to him, but for a stranger, Willa. So he decides to find out the reason and confront her with a legal option. Now, on the eve of the Christmas week, they meet at the Bramble house and develop an unexpected relationship with mother and son. Once the truth ready to get out, what happens and how the story would end was told quite nicely.The character Finn looked good, but with a bad intention in his mind makes a villain, at least in the beginning. The actor who played it kind looked expressionless, even when he smiled. As the story went on, he looked better. Maybe I got used to it. Because slowly his behaviour has changed, leaving us to expect, how he would react at the end. You know without making something into a complicate, there's no end twist. In this, it was his identity and purpose of meeting Willa. That character makes this tale possible. But Willa is the one mysterious until she reveal about her life, particularly the secret about her son.One of the good Christmas films of this season I've seen. More importantly, it emotionally get us. That's crucial if the film is aimed for families. Of course not without romance theme, otherwise these things won't work, but it was not focused on that thing alone. Mixing the festival occasion, romance, and personal life was neatly done. So if you want to watch a Christmas film, this won't be a bad pick. But as I always say, this is a television film, so be compromised on the overall perspective of the product and enjoy.7/10

Sometimes a story doesn't have to have twists and surprises to be worth watching, especially if it is told well. This story has a somewhat unusual approach yet relies on some traditional plot devices. Some minor mysteries are revealed along the way, but there are no great surprises.Autumn Reeser, as Willa, is a special mom of a special boy, Liam Hughes as Scout. Willa has had to struggle both emotionally and financially as her young son has had a heart transplant from which he is finally fully recovered. Since she has no special skills or qualifications, paying back the bills has been a burden for her. Yet this quiet and kindhearted lady is special in that she makes the lives of people around her better. She did that for Mr. Conrad in his final days, and he rewarded her in his will. He gives her a chance to explore her future by taking away her debt and paying for a week at Bramble House.Mr. Conrad's estranged son sets out to prove that Willa has conned his father. Intending to confront her, instead he gets to know her and it's not hard to figure what happens from there. As the movie goes on we find out more about that estrangement and the wounds it has left in him.We find other characters worth knowing. There is Mable, the owner of Bramble House and her niece and great niece and a male guest. The story weaves them all together with Willa as the heart that binds them.There are some beautiful sets of Christmas decorations both at the Inn and around town. The acting is good.