Sharing Christmas (2017)

Great Film overall

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

This is the 2nd Christmas movie I've seen with the lovely Ellen Hollman- The Perfect Christmas List (2014) and that one was a little better with some humor, but not that good. Also saw Bobby Campo in My Christmas Love (2016) which was not good. My complaint is there was no creativity or depth in the story. I enjoyed the first 30 minutes with the festive colors and such. My wife and I both fell asleep at the 60 minute mark. The title of the movie should have been "The Christmas Shop" because that was the focus of the movie. Ellen Hollman just was just not suited for this role as the happy Christmas Shop owner. The scenes where she was not happy with Bobby Campo were the best. Cynthia Gibb has had small parts in many of these Christmas movies as she did here (not that good). She stars in one of my favorite Christmas movies "Mary Christmas (2002)" which had an excellent story. She needs another starring Christmas role.

It's not that great of a store. I feel I know a little too much about the real estate market in New York. At least there is no ice sculpting. I have no idea who Dave Koz is....that was kind of funny. Ellen Hollman is fine...the leading guy is a little weird but tolerable.

This Christmas movie which is new in 2017 uses a greatly overused premise. The pretty young lady, Stephanie, is about have her family business of 40 years evicted because of a new owner that wants to renovate. The handsome guy she just met and might have just a bit of romantic interest in is the one who will handle the renovation and thus is responsible for her eviction. One slightly different take is that this guy, Michael, immediately sees how precious the store is both to Stephanie and to the community. However, his boss is adamant about not finding a compromise. This last bit doesn't ring true since otherwise his boss appears to be fairly reasonable and has at least some motherly affection for Michael, and she is leasing new businesses anyway. The story doesn't progress much beyond developing the relationship between Stephanie and Michael, and further demonstrating what has already been made plain, i.e. that the shop is precious and even a little unusual. It only remains to be seen which overused plot device will be found to save the store since it is hard to believe that a Hallmark movie could have an unhappy ending.Ellen Hollman and Bobby Campo make an attractive couple as Stephanie and Michael. It is a bit unusual that they hit it off immediately without the usual conflict we usually have between the two that are obviously destined by the writers to be together. David Starzyk, as Stephanie's father, provides a few humorous moments, but seriously Dan, couldn't you be just a little quicker getting away with something without your wife seeing it?While the characters are charming, the story is flat so I recommend this movie only for those who are truly addicted to Hallmark Christmas movies.

'tis the season for Hallmark Christmas movies, which provide an enjoyable respite from the current climate of unpredictability in the real world and its current 'love' stories. At this time of year in the cable channel's world, you can depend on seeing a beautiful setting for a light chaste romance between a male character and a female character, both of whom are introduced early so there is little doubt they will end up together. It's the specific situation and its 'tension' to be resolved that make each movie different. The couple's relationship - and the story - will be consummated with a (many times first) kiss and their happily ever after is presumed.Sharing Christmas (2017) is not as formulaic as most I've seen of this 'genre': the relational tension between Stephanie and Michael is minimal from the start - there are no ex- or current boyfriends or girlfriends dispose of before they can be together. Their tension has to do with Michael's boss Helen, whose investors have purchased the building where Stephanie's Christmas Shop is a tenant; Helen plans to tear down the existing 'mall' to build a new mixed-use complex. While Michael is assigned to prepare and ultimately evict the tenants - including Stephanie, who's just assumed ownership of the business her parents established over 40 years - he actually becomes a quasi-employee of the shop while 'courting' Stephanie and trying to help her relocate or otherwise save the store.As their relationship develops, each has a confidant to discuss its progress, but a solution to Stephanie's business problem doesn't appear possible. While many of these Hallmark films telegraph how the 'tension' will be resolved, this one was a total surprise "out of nowhere" to the viewer: it introduces a new character at the last minute to save the day.