Expectations actually weren't very high watching 'Angel Falls Christmas'. While liking Chad Michael Murray elsewhere and feeling that he has come on a long way and liking quite a number of 2021's Christmas output, Jessica Lowndes (with a small group of exceptions) has always been one of my least favourite Hallmark actresses due to finding her screen presence very flat and wooden in most of her films. The premise was one that could have gone either way of sincere and sweet or weird and awkward.
'Angel Falls Christmas' for me was very half and half. It really does start off very rough and it has to be admitted that part of me did consider quitting, but didn't in order to be kind and having seen plenty of films where the film starts off badly but gets better. And luckily 'Angel Falls Christmas' is one of those. It is never a great film and could have done a lot more with its premise, but there are a lot of good things, the good intentions were noble and one aspect really surprised me in a good way. Not one of GAC's best thus far, but also not one of the worst.
There are plenty of good things as said about 'Angel Falls Christmas'. It looks lovely, especially the scenery which really does have a festive magic about it. Without being gaudy or drab. There has in Christmas films from Hallmark, Lifetime, UPTV etc been a real tendency to be over-scored and have music that drowns out the dialogue and is used too much, while nothing exceptional the music was pleasantly festive enough and has some nice nostalgia.
Once the film does get better, the dialogue flows well and has real honesty and maturity, while not being too overly serious. The story is well meaning and has real charm and touching emotion without being too sentimental. Was touched by the ending, even if the outcome was never in any real doubt. The messaging is sincere and isn't laid on too thick. Was very surprised by Lowndes, whose performance has a lot more range than usual and displays a charming personality that doesn't come over as flat and she is a lot more natural than usual. The supporting cast are solid.
Like others, this reviewer did find Murray very unconvincing, he just comes over as very robotic and unintentionally sinister. And this is one of the main reasons as to why the first act was not just very rough but very difficult to sit through. Thought the first act also suffers from a lot of very stilted dialogue, very stiff, static character interaction that would even feel out of date in a silent film, a very weird vibe, uneventful pacing and that the characters weren't interesting yet.
Did find the pacing too often too over deliberate and over-stretched, with the film needing more content for a gentle approach to the material to work. The Gabriel and Ally chemistry is too underdeveloped and phoned in, which stopped me from fully connecting with the premise.
Concluding, a lot to like but could have been more. 6/10.
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