Un Noël givré

38 year old Kevin Mc Garry plays 32 year old hockey player Scott Briggs. He's stuck playing in Idaho Falls, light years away from the big time he longs for. Kim Matula is Ashley, a New York real estate agent who is home for Christmas. They have what is pretty much the opposite of a meet-cute, then it is discovered their debit cards were switched at an airport kiosk. Both suffer embarrassment as a result, then discover Briggs is actually staying at her family's guest house. Matula shines in the Hallmark movies with her strong yet vulnerable characters in addition to her attractiveness. She's every bit as good as she was last year as an angel. McGarry is well-known to Hallmark fans, but not one of my favorites, although he is good here. I'm noticing a lot of new faces in the supporting casts this year, probably to fill the gaps of those who have fled to GAC. Some are better than others. This movie is a step up, if only because Matula is so good. There are some funny moments, especially if you like hockey, and warm ones as well. It's a 7, but Matula makes it an 8.

Kevin McGarry has mastered the role of an easy going and likeable male lead in a slew of Hallmark movies (although here the first impression of his impatient bell ringing character Scott Briggs is awful). Scott arrives in Idaho Falls (a real town with 68,000 people) around the same time as Ashley Durreau, played effectively by Kim Matula. She learns, at the airport, that her boyfriend poached one of her clients (she's a commercial real estate broker) and learns he is not joining her for the holidays. Thankfully, we only get exposed to the boyfriend for the minute it takes Ashley to break up with him. I've grown tired of the ex showing up unexpectedly later in the movie to make some misguided grand gesture. Not here. I didn't know Kim Matula until I watched her in one of Hallmark's top tier movies ("Ghosts of Christmas Always" which came out in 2022). She's quite lovely and was as engaging in this movie as she was in "Ghosts." Ashley and Scott have some good "getting to know you" scenes and, refreshingly, never fight with each other. They're both at a crossroads in their respective lives/careers and it all seemed believable (although it sounds like Hallmark blew it on accurately depicting Idaho Falls). I just wish Hallmark didn't always force their stories to fit into an unrealistic compressed time frame. Hallmark couples invariably meet, hang out, fall in love, overcome a huge obstacle, and make life changing plans all within a week. Ugh. Kevin McGarry actually starred in a rare deviation from the compressed time frame formula last year in "My Grown Up Christmas List" (with his fiancé Kayla Wallace). But that movie was a rare exception to the "jam everything into a week" rule. This movie would have been better if it covered two holiday seasons (with one of those "One Year Later" transitions). Aside from that pet peeve, the only other glaring contrivance was the credit card incident. Most people have more than one bank card and cashiers never do two transactions at the same time. I also noted a filming error when Ashley brought her luggage to the car at the airport. No one puts her luggage in the car before closing the back hatch. Those are all relatively minor complaints. This was a very pleasant and enjoyable movie with an appealing couple to root for. I was also intrigued by the story of 32 year old Scott Briggs going to Idaho Falls to play for a mid-level minor league team, while living in the shadow of his estranged NHL legend father. I thought the hockey part of the story was especially well written and, at times, quite heartbreaking. This was a better than average Hallmark Christmas movie enhanced by good acting all around. And I really like Kim Matula.

Kevin McGarry has mastered the role of an easy going and likeable male lead in a slew of Hallmark movies (although here the first impression of his impatient bell ringing character Scott Briggs is awful). Scott arrives in Idaho Falls (a real town with 68,000 people) around the same time as Ashley Durreau, played effectively by Kim Matula. She learns, at the airport, that her boyfriend poached one of her clients (she's a commercial real estate broker) and learns he is not joining her for the holidays. Thankfully, we only get exposed to the boyfriend for the minute it takes Ashley to break up with him. I've grown tired of the ex showing up unexpectedly later in the movie to make some misguided grand gesture. Not here. I didn't know Kim Matula until I watched her in one of Hallmark's top tier movies ("Ghosts of Christmas Always" which came out in 2022). She's quite lovely and was as engaging in this movie as she was in "Ghosts." Ashley and Scott have some good "getting to know you" scenes and, refreshingly, never fight with each other. They're both at a crossroads in their respective lives/careers and it all seemed believable (although it sounds like Hallmark blew it on accurately depicting Idaho Falls). I just wish Hallmark didn't always force their stories to fit into an unrealistic compressed time frame. Hallmark couples invariably meet, hang out, fall in love, overcome a huge obstacle, and make life changing plans all within a week. Ugh. Kevin McGarry actually starred in a rare deviation from the compressed time frame formula last year in "My Grown Up Christmas List" (with his fiancé Kayla Wallace). But that movie was a rare exception to the "jam everything into a week" rule. This movie would have been better if it covered two holiday seasons (with one of those "One Year Later" transitions). Aside from that pet peeve, the only other glaring contrivance was the credit card incident. Most people have more than one bank card and cashiers never do two transactions at the same time. I also noted a filming error when Ashley brought her luggage to the car at the airport. No one puts her luggage in the car before closing the back hatch. Those are all relatively minor complaints. This was a very pleasant and enjoyable movie with an appealing couple to root for. I was also intrigued by the story of 32 year old Scott Briggs going to Idaho Falls to play for a mid-level minor league team, while living in the shadow of his estranged NHL legend father. I thought the hockey part of the story was especially well written and, at times, quite heartbreaking. This was a better than average Hallmark Christmas movie enhance by good acting all around. And I really like Kim Matula.

This movie is probably typical Hallmark fare if you've never been to Idaho Falls, but as someone who grew up there (and someone who's watched plenty of Hallmark movies), I gotta say that this movie exemplifies what people don't like about the genre. They make Idaho Falls look like a blend of Jackson Hole and Park City with the giant hockey arena and people who have a guest house. Neither of those things exist in IF (except maybe at Frank Vandersloot's house). If you're gonna set a movie in a real place, don't just throw a dart at a map-use its actual character. If you set a movie in New York City, you don't keep referring to a Griffith Park; that's essentially the setting sin this movie makes, the kind that fully takes you out of it. If they set this in a fake place, most of that problem takes care of itself. Also, for all the Idahoans out there, can we learn to say Boise correctly? Pretty please?

7.9 stars. I'm having a bit of difficulty pinning down 'Checkin' It Twice' into a standard rating scheme. In other words, it's overall a great experience full of entertaining interactions and a really nice family feeling like any Hallmark, but I get the feeling there is more to the story. The whole big extended family of hers is present throughout and they make him feel at home. He is staying at her families' spare cottage on the property while he plays hockey for the local team, hoping to someday make it to the NHL. She is a big shot real estate agent in New York City, come back home for the holidays. Of course the leads fall in love, it's not rocket science. The key question: how original and imaginative is the writing that takes our leads from acquaintances to falling in love? It was a slightly different sort of journey for me, the ride is not the usual one. I think the acting was different somehow, as if the director allowed them to go off the main path or something. There is a lot to the story, many people are involved in the journey, from his teammates to extended family and friends... It's a refreshing movie, that's for sure. I will watch it again possibly next year. This has a lot of potential for a sequel and you won't catch me complaining about it if we see another one on the horizon. The cast are wonderful together, it just feels right.

Now that the Christmas season has begun, I'm hoping we'll get a new lot of romance movies. This just came out and the first is many season movies I'll be seeing. This movie captures the same old formula, but it's an interesting and new plot. Not typical for this genre. I think the beginning was cute, the middle was a little thin and felt drawn out, but it's got moments of developed background history, which add to its charm. The lead female is a fresh personality on the stage and we always love this male lead. Because this movie steps out from the cookie cutter mold enough to catch my attention, I've rated this Hallmark romance movie a star higher than most their movies.

Quietly over the last few years, Kevin McGarry has become one of Hallmark's most reliable male leads, and he cements his place at or near the top of the (Christmas) tree in Checkin' It Twice. Loved the hockey pun in the title and the hockey-centric storyline as well. McGarry's Scott Briggs is a minor league hocket player traded to Idaho Falls, with designs on taking a step up to the next league. He starts off as somewhat brash and self-centered and by the end is a better human being. It was a good character arc. McGarry and Kim Matula (Ashley, a New York City real estate agent who, of course, is home for Christmas) have very good chemistry. The presence of lack thereof makes or breaks these movies. They are thrown together when Scott is billeted in Ashley's family's guest house. That family group is well-cast and likeable. The movie has it's moments where you know what's going to happen and there's always a tree lighting and a plethora of other Christmas activities and situations (lets just say, you'd probably win at Hallmark bingo pretty easily if there was such a thing - and, dang it, there should be!) but it moves along at a pleasant pace, and is enjoyable. That was enough for me. All in all, Checkin' It Twice was very good debut for the 2023 Hallmark Countdown to Christmas.

I loved Kim Matula in the Hallmark movie, Ghosts of Christmas always. She is witty and funny in both of these Hallmark Christmas movies--really love her. This movie was very enjoyable with both characters at a turning point in their careers. They have a meet cute at the airport with their credit cards being switched and get acquainted while getting their cards back from the merchants. The hockey scenes are funny with very enthusiastic small town fans. Kevin McGarry is convincing as a hockey player and coach to local kids. Kevin and Kim have a nice chemistry and the family who welcomes Kevin's character is adorable.

The 2023 season of Countdown to Christmas kicks off with all the usual plot lines including the predictability of the climax and ending. Both of the romantic leads are in town supposedly to be leaving again soon. Ashley is taking a break from her big city job and bad break-up and flees home to recharge. Scott's story is a bit unusual for a Christmas movie but still it fits in seamlessly. The meet cute turns into embarrassment as each tries to use the other one's switched credit card, but it brings the strangers back together. Scott is forced into holiday projects by his new team's traditions. Scott is annoying for a while. It's a bit of a contradiction with his character's arrogance vs his seemingly natural ability to coach both peers and kids. Ashley is much more likeable. The subplot of the kids' hockey games adds a good element without making this into a sports movie. Despite the predictability and tendency to check off the Christmas movie plot lines, the movie had a nice flow. Scott and Ashley develop a nice relationship. The acting is decent as is the dialogue. There are no great highs or lows or surprises, but there is also nothing really negative about the movie. If you are a Christmas movie fanatic, or new to the genre, you will probably enjoy this.

This movie was great! The story had both the leads struggling with their futures and what they really wanted in life, instead of just the female lead typically deciding between city and small town life. Kim Matula is a breath of fresh air as the female lead, and Kevin McGarry was excellent, as usual! They both have expressive faces that add a lot to their acting abilities. So many funny moments, which made the movie even more entertaining! The egg nog scene was especially funny, and the movie is almost worth watching just for that. I truly loved this movie and I have watched it more than once already. I highly recommend it.