Original Release: October 30, 2021
Network: GAC Family
Starring: Susie Abromeit & Torrance Coombs
Synopsis: After Haley Lloyd has been burned by countless suitors, it's refreshing when shy but handsome Claud falls for her, unaware of her true identity: However, when that truth inevitably comes out, it puts their budding Christmas romance at risk.
Rating:
Review: I have been a HUGE Hallmark movie fan for years but to be quite honest, the quality of stories coming out from them lately has been mediocre. To say that I was happy that a new network was coming into the movie game is an understatement. I didn't know what to expect from GAC Family but I was pleasantly surprised to say the least. GAC Family premiered their first original Christmas movie on their brand new channel on October 30, 2021 and boy did they come out with their guns blazing. I'm not sure if all movies will be of the same quality but if they are...the viewers will definitely be the winners in all of this.
Susie Abromeit (Haley) stars as the lead actress in this movie and she is absolutely charming. She plays an heiress to her mom's dynasty and she is so down to earth and an all around charitable and lovely young lady. She plays opposite Torrance Coombs (Claud) who is a shy, charming Marketing executive. Admittedly I have seen Torrance Coombs in a couple of Hallmark films before (Romance in the Air, Royally Ever After) and haven't been overly thrilled with his performances. Because of this I was not expecting much but I was pleased with him in this role. He was quirky, charming and an extremely believable male lead. His performance was solid and I thoroughly enjoyed him in this role. The chemistry between Claud and Haley was phenomenal right from the first time they met at the hot cocoa stand. Watching them grow in their relationship throughout the movie was delightful and I truly thought they were meant for each other.
The scenery of this movie was outstanding. The sets, decorations, and wardrobe all screamed Christmas to me. Even Hayley's little shop was cute and festive. You can tell a lot of thought and design went into the sets and costumes and it did not go unnoticed. I really felt this was a Christmas film which often you don't in some of these films that are made so quickly.
The plot wasn't unique by any means but it totally worked for me. Hayley's mother was rich but her personality certainly was lovely. So unique from typical movies where the rich person stereo-typically the bad person. She actually had a fantastic relationship with her daughter and really only wanted what was best for her. I loved that. How everything unfolded and how Hayley's secret was found out, plus the eventual reconciliation of Hayley and Claud actually flowed really well. Often I find the "issue" in movies is so overly dramatic and reactions are so not warranted. But this one worked really well.
If you have not seen this movie yet I highly recommend it. Welcome to the Christmas movie season GAC Family! I'm so excited to see what else you have in store for us this Christmas season.