Christmas at the Plaza (2019 TV Movie) User Reviews (63)

Great Hallmark Movie!

[trainsandchipsdan · 8/10 · 6 December 2019]

Come on everyone, this is a Hallmark Movie, not an Academy Award contender for Best Picture.

Hallmark does more than 20 movies alone for Christmas. They are usually shot in Canada, shot quickly, with a minimal budget and any "stars" are ones who are no longer in their prime, such as Bruce Davidson and Julia Duffy in this movie. This one they spent a bit more since it was shot in NYC.

It's funny on here when they ask if there's spoilers in the reviews. They all have the same plot and story line. Boy and Girl meet, the fall in love without realizing it, one of them is already in a relationship, they both make incorrect assumptions, about 2/3s of the way through the movie they say they can't be together/it won't work out/etc and in the end they realize their mistakes and live happily ever after.

Come on, they aren't too realistic in the first place. The day Jessica and Nick go to the Christmas store, they took his van, yet walked 10 blocks down 5th Ave by Rockefeller Center to see the tree and skaters,walked another 7 blocks south to Bryant Park, then walked down to the east Village to the store and then go back to the Plaza to talk to Reggie? Yet Jessica still had the time to go home to change into her dress for dinner with Dennis at 6, stop by and see her friend at work (in bright sunlight), get to Dennis on time, leave there, go to the Plaza afterwards and then go with Nick to his parent's house for the party? I'm exhausted just thinking about that day!

These are cutsie, holiday movies that are supposed to make you smile, not big blockbuster award contenders,

Something Always Happens at the Plaza

[parksidedrive · 7/10 · 30 November 2019]

Welcome to the world of the Plaza. It provides the fascinating setting for any story. As so many people come and go so do the stories of their lives. We get a glimpse of the Christmas story of Nick and Jessica. Jessica is a historian hired by the Plaza. Jessica's assignment of creating the Plaza's Christmas display featuring past tree toppers brings the past and present together to for a lovely Christmas movie. It is not complex, just enjoyable. Nick also has a part in the presentation. So they are thrown together indirectly on the project.

Bruce Davison brings a positive dimension to the story. Julia Duffy can deliver a comic moment like no other with a look or a pause. It was wonderful to see them in the movie.

Check into the Plaza for awhile and enjoy a nice Hallmark Christmas movie.

Hubba Hubba!

[adamjohns-42575 · 8/10 · 4 December 2020]

This is a lovely story. I like the historical interest tied in with Christmas as well as the blossoming romance. I'm not sure that she was totally fair to her boyfriend or that she was the most likeable person either, but he. . . He was beautiful, a deep voice and a gorgeous smile and face, probably with a body that rocks too.

Also, Bruce Davison is slowly becoming very popular with me. He works his arse off to be in all these films and I did like his characters arc in this one.

It's a charming story, with history and with traditional family values at Christmas, what's not to like?

Cheesy but nice

[peisweatergal-154-351580 · 6/10 · 1 December 2019]

I like this holiday movie. Instead of the two main characters bickering and fighting at the beginning of the movie, they are connected immediately. I found the chemistry between the two actors very real. I love the background story with the missing tree topper and the story behind it.

There's something at the Plaza

[hjlsantos · 7/10 · 18 April 2021]

Notwithstanding the oft-mentioned thrown in reference to Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece "North By Northwest" (1959), the movie's nod is clearly to such pieces as "Grand Hotel" (1932) and "Week-end at the Waldorf" (1945) in which the buildings almost take on the form of real characters. Although in unassuming Hallmark territory, that aspect gives this entry a refreshing change of pace, aided by the casting of a newcomer to these proceedings (Elizabeth Henstridge, in a sweetly unaffected performance) paired with a solid and likeable regular (Ryan Paevey). A good one to re-watch.

Not my type of movie, but had fun!

[noorea-85147 · 29 November 2019]

I don't usually watch Hallmark movies, they aren't fro me, but I watched this one because I am a fan of Elizabeth Henstridge, and she is actually good in it, everyone else isn't trying. Overall I had fun laughing at all the corny stuff in it and I recommend it for anyone who wants a fluffy movie with a good lead actress.

Involves a decent amount of heart

[r96sk · 7/10 · 20 December 2020]

Just about enjoyable.

'Christmas at the Plaza' gets slightly uninteresting in parts, but I largely had a solid enough time with it. I enjoyed the hotel setting, as well as the heavy Xmas vibes. Elizabeth Henstridge is good in the lead role, her (Jessica) and Ryan Paevey (Nick) have suitable chemistry. I also liked Bruce Davison as Reginald.

The story is a pleasant one, which involves a decent amount of heart. It's, albeit narrowly, worth a watch.

Oh, pleasant quarantine fodder...

[emortland · 6/10 · 12 April 2020]

Well, if you're stuck in the house doing a Hallmark binge, this fills the void. It's easy to blow this particular one off as too anemic, but c'mon - no one sets out to make a bad movie, just go with the flow & appreciate how we can sit around and watch this stuff. The Plaza is an icon, and I'm always fascinated how UK actors like Ms Henstridge here nails her American accent. Mr Davison is still around? Cool. Mr Paevy & Mr Oliver the director are apparently Hallmark stock staff, and you kind of sense they mailed in their jobs before getting the script. Jeez, they probably didn't need a script. Well, okay then. Not the best film you'll ever see, but certainly not the worst either.

Beautiful and fun with a twist

[kahast · 9/10 · 1 December 2019]

Using the Plaza as a setting was a great idea... it was beautiful! A pretty solid story too... one of the best Christmas movies I've seen so far this year. The only thing I would have changed was to have more of the history of the Plaza and finials in the movie. ❤❤❤

Nice couple but story could have been more interesting

[phd_travel · 7/10 · 15 December 2019]

Agents of Shield star Elizabeth Henstridge acts as a historian researching decorations at the Plaza Hotel. Of all things to make a topic decorations aren't terribly interesting. With the history of the She has a boyfriend academic who doesn't seem that in to her. Anyway she meets a decorator played by Ryan Paevey. And they work together and the inevitable happens. They look quite nice together and she smiles sweetly. She doesn't seem to fall to easily at least.

Meh ...

[dtassell-27431 · 3/10 · 2 January 2020]

Love Ryan Paevey. Would watch any Hallmark movie with him and that is why I watched this one and finished watching it. Otherwise it would have been shut off in the first 10 minutes. This one has a good and sweet storyline. Unfortunately, the two lead characters had no chemistry and I don't believe it was Ryan's fault. Elizabeth was just so stiff, robotic and unlikeable. The interaction between the two just seemed off. She made it really hard to watch.

Finally an interesting story!

[Becky145 · 10/10 · 7 December 2019]

-Hooray! This was not the typical person losing their job or going from the big city back to their small town or a business about to be lost or sold that gets saved at the last minute. That said, there were a few typical cheesy Hallmark moments/story thrown in there. I still found it very enjoyable. I really liked the storyline of the history of Christmas at The Plaza. -I have never heard of the actress and she had a quiet demeanor but I thought she was fantastic. She was serious but still came off very friendly and sweet. I thought there was chemistry between the two leads. I thought it looked like they wanted to jump on each other the whole time but were holding back. A lot of it being said with looks in their eyes. Some actors can't get that right or there is no real chemistry. The way they fell for each other while working together felt very realistic. Speaking from past experience... -The break up scene with her longtime boyfriend definitely could've been handled better. They were together almost 2 years and just poof! Very quietly, they were done. He basically said, "OK. I kind of expected this would happen one day. Buh-bye. Merry Christmas." What?! He seemed really into her in the previous scenes. It felt terribly disingenuous. -I also wish Hallmark would drop the misunderstanding that always happens near the end of the movie and then five minutes later the misunderstanding is cleared up and they go on to live happily ever after. Does there always have to be a misunderstanding? Why can't they just get together? It doesn't add anything to the anticipation. We already know how it's going to turn out. So just give it to us without the silly misunderstanding. -I appreciated that the conversations felt real. They felt like things people would actually say in those situations. There was no giggling from the actress that sometimes happens in other movies. I love those other actresses but the over-giggling gets to be too much. There was no forced stammering and stuttering like we get in other movies. This one just felt very real. The storyline felt mostly real and not overly contrived. -I also appreciated that her house interior was not overflowing with Christmas decorations. That is another miss with Hallmark. Usually the scenery is just crammed full of Christmas decor. I've never seen anyone's house look like that. I actually did that at my apartment one year about 20 years ago and people thought I was nuts. It looked like a Christmas store and I never did it again. -I don't understand the bad reviews or knocking of the main actress but we all have different opinions. No, she is not the normal Hallmark, bubbly, bouncy, giggly actress. I like those girls but I appreciated this lady for what she provided. Her character is a classy, NYC lady with a PhD, not a soccer mom. The demeanor she gave off was perfect for the role. Ryan Peavy gave off his usual hot vibes and was great. (can I get a spritz of water?) I thought all of the supporting actors were amazing as well! -I almost forgot... there were no children. This was an adult movie! So there were not the typical corny scenes of trying to get to the festival and do all of the things like making a gingerbread house or ice-skating, etc. -I thoroughly enjoyed it as being something different from the Hallmark norm. This is one I would watch every year and I would look for it to record it to be sure I don't miss it. Thank you to Hallmark and all the actors and crew!

A bit more than the typical Christmas cheese...

[paul_haakonsen · 6/10 · 7 December 2021]

This 2019 Christmas movie titled "Christmas at the Plaza" was definitely watchable. Sure, it was cashing in on the sugar-coated sappy formula that the vast majority of Christmas movies tend to do. So if you enjoy the traditional semi-romantic movie wrapped in Christmas décor, then you will most certainly enjoy this movie from writer and director Ron Oliver.

The storyline told in "Christmas at the Plaza" was actually interesting, though it tended to fall into the troves of sappy romance. But the historical aspect with the yearly tradition of the tree topping was actually rather nice, and it added a good layer to the movie.

While the storyline actually was fair enough, I must say that the movie wasn't exactly oozing with that particular Christmas-feeling and Christmas-cheer that you usually get from many movies of the same ilk. So on that account, writer and director Ron Oliver didn't really land a touchdown.

"Christmas at the Plaza" has a good ensemble of casted actors and actresses, with the likes of Elizabeth Henstridge, Ryan Paevey, Julia Duffy and Bruce Davison. So there are some nice talents in the movie and some familiar faces.

I found "Christmas at the Plaza" to be watchable, although it is not going to become a Christmas classic in my household. It was watchable enough for a single viewing, but that was about it.

My rating of "Christmas at the Plaza" lands on a six out of ten stars.

What a waste!

[jroyals-04341 · 4/10 · 29 November 2019]

Not sure who cast the lead actress but she was awful. She had no appeal whatsoever including a fake american/canadian accent and cold demeanor. It's unfortunate since the rest of the cast was stellar, particularly the hunky Ryan Paevey. However the female role called for someone with at least some warmth and acting ability.

Did the intern produce this movie?

[Kijofreg · 29 December 2019]

I watch A LOT of cheesy Christmas movies, and this one was just SO boring. The male lead was believable enough, but the female lead sounded as if she was just. so. depressed. with. every. single. word. she. said. Annoyed the cr*p out of me. Everything she said and did was without any sort of enthusiasm AT ALL. She didn't even feel like finishing her job, just because she didn't get the help she'd expected. And the uncaring boyfriend trope is a little overused in Hallmark movies. And the ex-girlfriend swooping in and not really causing any problems, what the duck was that? Also, why do they add music before cutting the scenes? It's usually a problem with these kinds of low budget movies, but this was a really bad case. There was this one scene, in which they made the music fade out, but they didn't cut until we'd heard a split second of the next music fade in. Did they let the intern produce it? (My apologies to the intern, if this was their first try.) Nah, don't waste your time on this.

not all bad

[kauling · 7/10 · 5 January 2020]

I enjoy new blood working Hallmark movies and Henstridge provided that newness. Not sure this was the vehicle for her, but it was a different venue than she had worked in prior Agent of Shield shows. Paevey is a Hallmark regular and seems to play the same type of character in each Hallmark role, that being a man of few words with limited outside interests. The Plaza was a great backdrop for the story itself, which I found entertaining.

Christmas at the Plaza

[JoBloTheMovieCritic · 6/10 · 7 December 2019]

6/10 - interesting look/commercial at the famous hotel with a romance sprinkled on top

Worth watching for the continuity howlers!

[dianeebden · 7/10 · 28 November 2020]

She arrives at a party and takes off a black coat yet leaves in a white one, magically reapplies lipstick when the camera changes angle and so it goes on! Pur Christmas schmaltz - which i love ;)

Very Well Cast Romantic Drama

[glanners-70803 · 7/10 · 2 January 2021]

This was a nice romantic drama, excellently made, very well cast with engaging leads, especially Elizabeth Henstridge. It centres on an historian hired to create a Christmas exhibit at a large hotel. There's even a lovely cameo by Bruce Davison.

Amazing two years in a row.

[mvisser-48384 · 9/10 · 14 January 2021]

I enjoyed this movie in 2019 and again in 2020. The movie has a story about the history of the Plaza and relationships. The cast is believable in their roles and they all do a remarkable job in telling the story. I liked the costumes, the settings, the characters. Well done.

The only thing I didn't like was the ending. I wanted more romance. Jessica and Nick should have had a romantic dance at the Plaza on Christmas Eve and then I would like to have had a scene the next day with Jessica enjoying Christmas with Nick and his family.

Typical Hallmark Christmas movie

[mlgreenwood-38778 · 7/10 · 29 November 2019]

It's a standard Hallmark Christmas movie. It's cheesy, it's easy to follow, it's light and fun, exactly like it's supposed to be. Other than some really weird continuity in one scene with Jessica, the only complaint or hard criticism I have is with the male lead. They chemistry between the two is fine, the acting is fine, it's literally just the dudes voice. IDK maybe it was just my TV but he sounds like my 16 year old cousin when he intentionally makes his voice deeper to sound more mature. It's was really distracting.

Terrible actress

[hillbabe-89736 · 1/10 · 30 November 2019]

I hope Hallmark never uses this actress in another Hallmark Christmas movie. Ryan Paevey deserves better!!!

Reminder You Can Find Love anywhere or anytime !

[Amdorman-18-719818 · 9/10 · 22 December 2019]

No matter the time, season, or place. You never know when your going to find love ! Cheesy, but so sweet and cute ! Worth the watch and reminder LOVE will always exist ! You never know !!

The Plaza and Ryan Paevey really shine in this Hallmark Holiday romance.

[cgvsluis · 7/10 · 21 November 2023]

Elizabeth Henstridge plays Jessica an archival historian who is hired to do a Christmas installation at the storied The Plaza Hotel in Manhattan. She is given the help of Nick Perrelli (Ryan Paevey), their newly hired Christmas decorator. These two don't exactly hit it off at first, but then become a good pair and much better suited for each other than Jessica's current self absorbed boyfriend who belittles her job.

The Plaza has a special place for my husband and I as we spent our tenth anniversary having high tea there. It is a gorgeous hotel, you couldn't ask for a more beautiful backdrop to tell a Christmas story...and I liked the incorporation of some vintage romantic stories. Her installation ends up strangely connected to the kind door man played by Bruce Davison (a hallmark regular and one of my favorites as he looks like my father-in-law).

"Nothing unimportant ever happens at the plaza."Reginald.

And they christmased happily ever after....the end.

I recommend this to anyone with a fondness for The Plaza like me. You will love all the footage both inside and out. Also, I love Ryan Paevey and he is excellent in this romance as the romantic lead.

Terrible main character

[dyoung-30 · 2/10 · 29 November 2019]

I had to stop watching after the first 16 minutes. In that short time, the main female character was insecure, lazy, incompetent, rude, and whiny. As a Ph.D. myself, I was insulted that someone that awful and, clearly, unable to do her job, would be portrayed on the screen in that manner. Clearly, no one with credentials worked with the writer to ensure that this character was portrayed accurately. I rarely miss a Hallmark movie, but this one just made me angry, especially when I was looking forward to learning more about The Plaza!!