'A Very Country Christmas' was one of those films that was part of my Christmas film completest quest that has been happening on and off over-time after it appeared as a recommendation here earlier this year. Absolutely love Christmas, have said this quite a number of times in my reviews in the past but am trying actually to not make it as obvious now unless when challenged if a review for any Christmas film is negative. Did sort of like the idea and the title was cute.
Saw 'A Very Country Christmas' actually with relatively mixed expectations, excepting at least some degree of heart and charm while not expecting a particularly great story or dialogue. Watching it, 'A Very Country Christmas' had its moments. But it was a film that pretty much delivered on not having a great story or dialogue (neither were even good) and didn't have enough heart or charm. Not unwatchable but quite bland with a number of things working against it.
There are good things here. Gresyon Holt was an amiable male lead and has the one character to have any form of likeability or development (while being generally thin on both). The music and songs are very pleasant and nostalgic.
Furthermore, the scenery is suitably picturesque and beautifully photographed. Some parts are cute.
Unfortunately, the bad things outweigh all of them. Bea Santos is nowhere near as appealing, actually found her annoying and self-absorbed as a result of her overdoing her character's negative characteristics. And this is a character full of negative characteristics and quite blatant ones with not many redeeming merits to balance them out, to the extent that one wonders what he sees in her. The rest of the cast overplay and all the characters are one-dimensional (outside of moments of development with Holt's) in a way that's irritating (the villainous boss for example) or dull. Both in the case of the female lead character.
In terms of chemistry, there is none between Holt and Santos. Quite cold, takes too long to get anywhere and then rushes through when it finally shows some sign of developing and too much of a mismatch. 'A Very Country Christmas' is very cheesy in writing to the extent that the pong that exudes from it leaves a bad taste in the mouth. The story is a major failing, it's paper thin and beyond bland that is excessively predictable and moves very slowly to chronic dullness. This could easily have been 45 minutes at the maximum.
Concluding, watchable for one time only but mostly a failure. 4/10.
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