A Family Christmas Gift (2019) -
As with so many of these films it was far too late for Amber, played well by Holly Robinson Peete, to turn up and save the Christmas Concert and the Music Programme at her old High School. It didn't help that I'd turned off a very similar film - 'My Favourite Christmas Melody' (2021) - only a week or so before this one, which was basically the same, but without Holly to save the day with her acting ability. And she was really the saving grace here, because Patti LaBelle as her Aunty Dora was surely only chosen to appear for her singing ability, assuming it was still any good, because honestly I didn't get that far.
Dion Johnstone in his role of Allen wasn't much cop and his character wasn't too appealing either.
In actual fact I've seen the "Save the school concert" schtick a thousand times and done much better, which might be why I did eventually give up on this one after about half an hour. I did feel for Holly, because she really did deserve a better supporting cast, script and even some of the production elements were a bit twee and kitschy.
Unscored as Unfinished.
As with so many of these films it was far too late for Amber, played well by Holly Robinson Peete, to turn up and save the Christmas Concert and the Music Programme at her old High School. It didn't help that I'd turned off a very similar film - 'My Favourite Christmas Melody' (2021) - only a week or so before this one, which was basically the same, but without Holly to save the day with her acting ability. And she was really the saving grace here, because Patti LaBelle as her Aunty Dora was surely only chosen to appear for her singing ability, assuming it was still any good, because honestly I didn't get that far.
Dion Johnstone in his role of Allen wasn't much cop and his character wasn't too appealing either.
In actual fact I've seen the "Save the school concert" schtick a thousand times and done much better, which might be why I did eventually give up on this one after about half an hour. I did feel for Holly, because she really did deserve a better supporting cast, script and even some of the production elements were a bit twee and kitschy.
Unscored as Unfinished.