Starring Erin Krakow and Daniel Lissing
***SPOILER ALERT***
As a little girl, Olivia (Krakow) wrote to Santa, requesting her true love’s name. Years later, she’s an interior designer who’ll be hosting a Christmas home makeover special on TV. When she learns she’ll be working with Chris (Lissing), the producer of a cheesy series called Model Home, she’s appalled, and they immediately clash. The property they’ll be sprucing up for the holidays is her childhood home, and Olivia and her sister, Darcy (Jess Brown), find Olivia’s old letter to Santa hidden there. Before her very eyes, Santa’s reply to her question appears in glowing gold script: Olivia’s soulmate is named Nick. She’s astonished to meet three Nicks in quick succession, and to determine which one is Mr. Right, she dates each one. Soon, however, she discovers she has more in common with Chris than she realized.
PROS
Santa Tell Me was written and directed by Ryan Landels, who’s new to Hallmark. His talents lent this movie humor and a fresh feel. The actors’ performances were mostly good, and the film included a generous helping of Christmas magic, a quality lacking so far in this year’s Hallmark holiday offerings.
The three Nicks. Three delightful back-to-back meet-cutes occurred. First was Nick A. (Benjamin Ayres), a pediatric neurosurgeon Olivia met in a coffee shop; she thought he’d received her drink by mistake. She promptly spilled her coffee on Nick B. (Christopher Russell), a furniture maker. Then she almost stepped out into traffic, but Nick C. (Kurt Szarka), a fireman, saved her. The sudden plethora of Nicks had Olivia doubting her sanity.
On every first date, she inadvertently inflicted bodily harm on each Nick, a hilarious aspect of this movie. In a grand gesture, Nick A. rented a skating rink for him and Olivia, and when she uncorked some champagne, the cork struck him squarely in the eye. And at a Christmas market, Olivia lobbed a snowball and knocked out Nick B., who sustained a concussion. As for Nick C., he swelled up and was taken away in an ambulance after he ate a cookie Olivia had sprinkled with almonds. Funnily enough, the amiable suitors took these incidents in their stride. Later, the three Nicks dropped by to watch the filming of Olivia’s show, to be broadcast live. While chatting, they learned they’d all been dating her, and during the filming were seen in the background whacking each other with inflatable candy canes. All these incidents were pure slapstick and laugh-out-loud funny.
Olivia felt pressured to choose the right Nick, as another message from Santa stressed the imperative to decide before Christmas Day. And if she chose badly, she’d lose the love of her life. But all three Nicks fell short; Nick A.’s kiss left her cold, Nick B. was unadventurous, and Nick C. was too busy admiring himself.
Krakow and Lissing as Olivia and Chris. The leads brought humor and heart to their roles. When early on Chris questioned Olivia’s commitment, she quipped, “Every second I spend in this house makes me feel I should be committed.” It was the film’s funniest line. He insisted she demo the property on camera, and smashing into walls, she deliberately rained debris on him. Their animosity began to fade when they each spoke of a cherished childhood Christmas tradition. And to touch each other’s hearts, they gifted these traditions to one another—she decorated his outdoor tree, and he gave her a sleigh ride of sorts (complete with fake snow falling) when they sat in a sleigh from the props warehouse and drank hot chocolate. By then they realized they had similar goals; both wanted to create great shows and travel. The actors were sweet together and generated romantic sparks.
A mad dash to beat all mad dashes. After the filming fiasco, the men were upset with Olivia, especially Chris, who thought she’d ruined his big chance. He decided to leave town on Christmas Eve. Olivia and Darcy rushed to catch him, but the keys were locked in the car. Conveniently, a horse-drawn carriage appeared to whisk them to the train station! Just before the stroke of midnight, Chris was lingering on the platform when Olivia breathlessly arrived to say he was everything she’d ever wanted. And wouldn’t you know, his first name was actually Nick, not Chris. This was surely the most whimsical and exhilarating mad dash to ever grace a Hallmark movie.
CONS
Over-the-top outrage. Olivia assumed Chris was her driver and made the mistake of pouring out her objections about him to him. So before they even began working together, she was vocal about her resentment. During their first project discussion, Chris rejected her ideas and imposed restrictions, and she reacted emotionally. This was too much; no professional would have behaved that badly if they valued the opportunity. I wished Krakow had dialed down Olivia’s anger a few notches.
Peculiar reactions. Olivia was odd in some ways. Surprisingly, seeing her beloved childhood home in a decrepit state elicited absolutely no sadness from her. It was also surprising how casually she dismissed, then discarded, Santa’s magical message. Her lack of curiosity seemed unlikely. What unattached person wouldn’t be intrigued by such a message about their soulmate?
My grade for Santa Tell Me: B+
Caroline Kaiser is a professional book editor who specializes in fiction and memoirs, and she’s been guiding writers toward publication since 2007. Caroline is also the author of two ghostly mystery novels, Virginia’s Ghost and The Spirits of South Drive. Before she embarked on an editing and writing career, she spent many years working in a Toronto auction house as an antiques appraiser. Apart from curling up on the couch and drinking tea as she watches Hallmark movies, Caroline enjoys baking and exploring London, Ontario, the picturesque city she now calls home. Her website is www.carolinekaisereditor.com.
