This movie is one of those examples you share with someone when trying to make a point on how even mediocre scripts can be plummeted by extremely bad acting. I'm really not sure what's more to blame here: extremely flat characters, or even flatter acting.
After finishing it, I was surprised to find how much the reviews were pummeling Carlos PenaVega. The man is definitely no Marlon Brando, but I still found him to be miles above what Adelaide Kane was bringing to the table, which was disappointing acting at best. You'd think that a few years as the lead in a CW drama would strengthen her acting chops, but she entirely failed to deliver in this movie. Her acting was underdone, with barely an emotion in sight, and perhaps most annoying of all, was the strange way she carried herself, as if there were always an invisible catwalk underfoot -- the sort of way an amateur might behave when hyper-aware of the camera on them and wanting desperately to make sure that all their best angles were on display. There were even times when it sounded like she fumbled her way through lines, and even though she certainly wasn't given the best script in the world to work with, her portrayal of Mia was seriously underwhelming. There were points when a cardboard cut-out would've been a viable stand-in for her.
To make matters worse, the two leads had absolutely zero chemistry with each other, not that the movie was trying very hard to give them some aside from a half-hearted slow dance and a few random conversations about their life aspirations. Their final kiss at the end of the movie looked unbelievably awkward; they were both stock-still, barely one step above two siblings being forced to give each other an apology kiss.
Still, the most laughable part of the movie was undoubtedly the execution of the plot. The idea of two people finding love while planning a New Year's Eve party? Not a bad idea. How it could wind up so convoluted is baffling. The characters spend the beginning of the movie worrying over being able to plan the party in under a week, but they hardly seem pressed for time once they actually get to work, which doesn't seem to involve any stress beyond driving to one store a day and ordering flowers/food/music. If planning this party was a difficult ordeal to take on, the movie definitely should've worked harder to make that clear. What sort of party planning business needs a massive office space (always stocked with food)? Why was the couch-ridden brother barely able to help plan the party despite the fact that the majority of the work could've been done with the help of a cell phone and the internet? Was there really any point in the movie when love interest and party-planner-stand-in David was actually needed to get the party on the road? Did Mia's mundane filming of a snowglobe and a family unwrapping presents really make her seem like a moviemaker with potential talent? And was the client's juvenile hissy fit over not getting the fireworks she wanted for her party really reasonable for a grown businesswoman?
And lastly, as a nitpick, this movie could have seriously tried harder to convince the audience that it took place in the wintertime. The short-sleeved dresses, open coats without scarves, and legs without pants or tights were all glaring reminders that this movie was shot in warm weather.
