It's a modern American mash-up of The Princess Diary, Roman Holiday and While You Were Sleeping, with remarkably little of the charm of any of those.
For a Christmas story set in part around a magic store run by a dedicated seasonal Santa Claus, it was sadly lacking in magic either festive or cinematic. The dialogue is no more flabby than usual in the holiday rom-com genre but the actors – with the mildly amusing exception of the older couple in their magic shop – have very little personality and absolutely no spark. The little homage to Brosnan's Thomas Crown Affair at the end had masses of comedy potential, all of which was left untapped. The romantic ending, of a man with a very busy life of his own dropping it all for a helpless woman he hardly knows, felt very flat despite the pretty alpine setting.
If you're looking for a heartwarming romance or a sparkling comedy this holiday season, look elsewhere.
For a Christmas story set in part around a magic store run by a dedicated seasonal Santa Claus, it was sadly lacking in magic either festive or cinematic. The dialogue is no more flabby than usual in the holiday rom-com genre but the actors – with the mildly amusing exception of the older couple in their magic shop – have very little personality and absolutely no spark. The little homage to Brosnan's Thomas Crown Affair at the end had masses of comedy potential, all of which was left untapped. The romantic ending, of a man with a very busy life of his own dropping it all for a helpless woman he hardly knows, felt very flat despite the pretty alpine setting.
If you're looking for a heartwarming romance or a sparkling comedy this holiday season, look elsewhere.