Mystic Christmas

Overall, I thought the storyline was fine. It was very slightly different from the usual hallmark set ups. It was nice that the leads had social anxiety, though I don't always know that it was played true. For example, would a socially anxious person willingly draw attention to themselves at a costume-optional event by coming in costume? I also thought the mother was contributing to her problems. If a daughter calls looking for advice, I don't think it's healthy that the only advice that is offered is to not give up what you want for another person (I'm paraphrasing here, but that was the gist.). Sometimes what someone wants is that other person and deciding to want that doesn't always mean they're giving up everything. Her situation, as she points out, is not just about a guy. It's about her friends, her interns, and the offer of a great job doing what she loved and her mother should have heard all of those pieces before giving her any advice. I thought her father's advice was much healthier - figure out what it is that your gut/heart is telling you. What I liked about this storyline, however, is that it differed from the usual storyline of girl goes to some town, meets guy, falls in love in 5 days, and decides to give up a successful career in the city to stay with small town man not knowing whether they're compatible, where she'd live, or what she'd do for a living. That is a toxic message, the one in this movie wasn't. Lastly, the thing that bothered me the most is that a big message of the movie is that seals shouldn't be kept in captivity and that humans ruin everything for seals but the movie delivered this message by using multiple captive seals that had been highly trained to do tricks for human enjoyment.

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I'm not quite sure why "Mystic Christmas" isn't rated more highly. I had no illusions going in. I expected another standard Hallmark Christmas rom-com, but I was very pleasantly surprised! This one is a little different. The main character Juniper Jones (Jessy Schram) is an introvert. We're not talking "a little shy" like some of Hallmark's blushing maidens. We're talking full-on avoidance of human interaction whenever possible. Finally! A character I can relate to! The writing includes some very rapid-fire, very funny dialogue. I often had to back up my recording to make sure I heard what I thought I did: "How come everyone had a better time at my wedding than I did?!?" "Because you had a terrible date." "Oooh!" "Sorry." At this point, I knew I was onto a winner! If you have a sense of humor, give "Mystic Christmas" a shot. It had me laughing out loud in less than 5 minutes!

Having seen and enjoyed Jessy Schram in several other Hallmark movies, I was looking forward to this. However, I just couldn't get into this one at all. Her character wasn't particularly bad, but pretty much everyone in every scene talks so fast and frantically that virtual no interactions seemed natural. That was done by basically the whole cast which makes me think that the director told everybody to read their lines really fast. I assume that was supposed to make them all seem really quirky, but again, it just led to almost every interaction feel very unnatural. Also, the two romantic leads in this acted particularly uncomfortable around each other to the extent it felt like both were back in 6th grade when placed together. There was also one montage in a bookstore that was supposed to be funny and cute but was really painful to watch. Ultimately Jessy Schram was just passable in this and everyone else was basically a drag on this film. She has done much better in previous Hallmark films.

Marine biologist Dr. Juniper Jones (Jessy Schram) is a self-declared introvert who likes to travel around the world by herself. Her best friend Candice Adams (Patti Murin) needs her help back home. The only problem is that Candice's brother Sawyer Adams (Chandler Massey) is there. She claims that she declared her love to him in a school crush email. There is a dispute over the facts. Jessy Schram is always adorable. She does try to be awkward for this role although she could try harder. The comedy is right there for the taking. She needs to be more klutzy for the physical humor. She does do fine with the verbal vomit sometimes. She's a little too put together. Otherwise, I love her as always and the guy is a good match. That's all one could ask for in a Hallmark Christmas movie. It's certainly not drama.

Having seen and enjoyed Jessy Schram in several other Hallmark movies, I was looking forward to this. However, I just couldn't get into this one at all. Her character wasn't particularly bad, but pretty much everyone in every scene talks so fast and frantically that virtual no interactions seemed natural. That was done by basically the whole cast which makes me think that the director told everybody to read their lines really fast. I assume that was supposed to make them all seem really quirky, but again, it just led to almost every interaction feel very unnatural. Also, the two romantic leads in this acted particularly uncomfortable around each other to the extent it felt like both were back in 6th grade when placed together. There was also one montage like scene in a bookstore that was supposed to be funny but was really painful to watch. Ultimately Jessy Schram was just passable in this and everyone else was basically a drag on this film. She has done much better in previous Hallmark films.

I was looking forward to watching this one because I watched one with Jessie Schram last year & really enjoyed it. This one.....not so much. I couldn't even make it til the end. The first thing was that I didn't feel any chemistry between the two leads. I wasn't rooting for them to get together at all. I didn't even want them to kiss. Bad casting. I was so checked out I couldn't even tell you about the plot. I eventually just turned it off because it didn't keep my attention. I watch a ton of Hallmark movies and I like most of them, but this one is at the bottom of the list. To each his own though.

Great actors, but didn't love this movie. Can't place my finger on why. Not sure if it's because the actors weren't the best for these roles or they didn't have good chemistry or what. I couldn't really relate to the characters, and I'm an introvert. I feel like these characters were messed up enough that there should have been more backstory to explain their quirkiness. The main actor kind of gives a creepy vibe at times. Confusing story. I don't know if it was the storyline or the acting or what but the whole thing was just not very believable. It just seems to have a lot of holes or something.

7.5 stars. First impression after several minutes of puns, quick witted dry humor, and pithy remarks much too clever for normal humans...this was written by a 'Gilmore Girls' writer. So now I'm looking to see if these writers or director did in fact have any association with Gilmore. And the answer is: nope. To bed with that theory. So if you've seen Gilmore, think of the banter they share back and forth and back and forth ad nauseum and then swap Rory with a shy and hesitant seal loving blond named Juniper (Schram) and trade Lorelai or Melissa McCarthy's character with Juniper's best friend Candice, and then switch one of the more interesting and loquacious men of Gilmore (not Ventimiglia's character who was way too gloomy) with our lead male Sawyer, and that's 'Mystic Christmas' in a nutshell. Come to think of it, now on this soapbox, there were no men in 'Gilmore Girls' with any notable redeeming qualities. I digress. This will hold your attention mostly, although there are a few slow parts. The leads share a very skittish romance to say the least. They are both frightened of the concept of following through with love or commitment. Question: did the email get sent or not? You will find out, but it's a bit underplayed in my opinion. I liked 'Mystic Christmas', I hope they make a sequel, finger's crossed.

I enjoyed watching this one, even though I had read the reviews before diving in. Jessy Schram and Chandler Massey are both decent actors, have good chemistry, and I was drawn-in by the tour of Mystic, CT. The story is lacking, to be sure, but the leads and the scenery make this one an enjoyable watch. The seal isn't the star, but does steal a scene or two. The "made-up Canadian proverb" should become a new trope of this genre. There is a recent trend where these Christmas movies have basically no stakes. The characters start off liking each other, have very little competition for each others attention or affection, and we are left with kind of a waiting game until they finally get together. It works in this film because the real roadblock is their own awkwardness. The "big argument" here felt like a missed opportunity to bring the characters together through some heightened emotions, and showing that conflict doesn't always have to be a scary or uncomfortable experience. All in all, I'd recommend this one. It kept me watching, so it has something going for it.