15 reviews
This film has me torn. On the one hand we have Jesse Hutch who is quite simply my ideal man and on the other we have a badly put together work.
I do not buy the relationship that builds at all between Jesse and Tia. I also wouldn't buy anything from their "vintage" shop, like any of it's older than 20 years?
If he'd got together with the other girl I could have seen it and it's not because 'Sister Sister's' got back and then some, but because she is just totally annoying, a know it all and interfering to boot. Not to mention her trades description fraud on the internet. Their connection seemed very forced. Thank God for 'Home Improvement's' wife who provided some feeling to the whole thing, although Carl should have been Ed's father for a bit more depth as well.
Quite often Jesse has played a more comical role - a snowman come to life or the next in line to be Father Christmas, but that silliness needed to be curbed for this story and it wasn't. It's a good job he has that face.
I actually liked the idea of the vintage shop, but I would have liked to have seen more Christmas mixed in and that could even have been flashbacks to a vintage Christmas to make it tie in.
I also wanted more of a fuss made over things like the snow. There are little bits that get overlooked, but leave the audience wondering what happened there?
Overall, I just feel like there were too many missed opportunities and that it was rushed to be produced without too much thought, but Mr Hutch will always have a place in my heart.
I do not buy the relationship that builds at all between Jesse and Tia. I also wouldn't buy anything from their "vintage" shop, like any of it's older than 20 years?
If he'd got together with the other girl I could have seen it and it's not because 'Sister Sister's' got back and then some, but because she is just totally annoying, a know it all and interfering to boot. Not to mention her trades description fraud on the internet. Their connection seemed very forced. Thank God for 'Home Improvement's' wife who provided some feeling to the whole thing, although Carl should have been Ed's father for a bit more depth as well.
Quite often Jesse has played a more comical role - a snowman come to life or the next in line to be Father Christmas, but that silliness needed to be curbed for this story and it wasn't. It's a good job he has that face.
I actually liked the idea of the vintage shop, but I would have liked to have seen more Christmas mixed in and that could even have been flashbacks to a vintage Christmas to make it tie in.
I also wanted more of a fuss made over things like the snow. There are little bits that get overlooked, but leave the audience wondering what happened there?
Overall, I just feel like there were too many missed opportunities and that it was rushed to be produced without too much thought, but Mr Hutch will always have a place in my heart.
- adamjohns-42575
- Jan 31, 2021
- Permalink
Mowry-Hardrict is just dull. Granted, it's a possibly intriguing concept to have an antique store owner seek out the original owner of a box of memorabilia, but the flat script and her limited set of emotions just make you wonder what Mr. Romantic Interest sees in her.
First and foremost I love Tia! I have been a fan of hers since I was a little girl (sister sister Twitches , 17 again and even the reality show she did with her sister lol). However this movie was so boring, I fell asleep after 30 mins of the movie. I would rate this movie a solid 4. I would love to see Tia do a movie with her sister and brother and this time, there needs to be a better plot!
- amandaatkinson-21057
- Dec 3, 2019
- Permalink
This is basically a lost-letter-found story. It's not quite as overused in Christmas rom/coms as most of the others out there. Make it a struggling antique store owner and it is even a little less common. The quest provides an interesting side note to the romance story. It also throws the lead couple together for a decent amount of screen time. The movie had all the little clichés like "it's not a date".
There was chemistry with Tia Mowry-Hardrict and Jesse Hutch, but like everything else in the movie, there were no real highs or lows. There was almost no tension other than Dodie's self imposed relationship ban.
The ending is sweet but both is predictable in general terms and has a surprise, at least for me. I didn't see it coming, but I think I just missed it.
There was chemistry with Tia Mowry-Hardrict and Jesse Hutch, but like everything else in the movie, there were no real highs or lows. There was almost no tension other than Dodie's self imposed relationship ban.
The ending is sweet but both is predictable in general terms and has a surprise, at least for me. I didn't see it coming, but I think I just missed it.
Love Christmas movies but this one just felt....miscast. The magic between the 2 just wasn't there. And at times she looked old enough to be his mother! Story was good and Christmassy but this film just didn't hit the mark........
- tocanepauli
- Dec 15, 2019
- Permalink
- doctorsmoothlove
- Dec 25, 2019
- Permalink
I loved this movie. I am a huge fan of Tia and Tamara Mowry so I watch anything with them. I loved Tia 's Vintage style and passion for romance. Her costar was nice to look at as well! Lol. But the story was cute. I just wish there was a little more build up to their relationship. But overall good move.
- mccabe-shannon
- Dec 2, 2021
- Permalink
'A Very Vintage Christmas' is another one of those Lifetime Christmas films to have a rather cheesy and uninspired title, but also have a story that potentially could be quite charming and sweet. There never has been any bias against Lifetime's output, much of it is formulaic sure and some of it has just as much corn and schmaltz of that of Hallmark's but with the right leads and the right amount of charm and heart they can have some likeability. Provided that not too much is expected from it.
While understanding and appreciating that there are others that like the film, it is easy to see why it's garnered a mixed reception here. Personally am one of those that didn't care for 'A Very Vintage Christmas' and do agree with some of the criticisms. Not one of the worst of Lifetime's Christmas output of 2019, in a fairly unimpressive year, or overall. Also not one of the best on both counts, somewhere around low middle if anything. There are good things, but the corn and schmaltz are there, the charm and heart is not enough and the casting is a missed opportunity.
There are good things. Jesse Hutch is an engaging male lead and has a subtle easy going charm. Patricia Richardson does a nice job as well. It is a pleasant looking film, especially the scenery. The music is pleasant enough, and is not as constant or intrusive as with other Lifetime efforts.
However, Tia Mowry's performance is very flat and one-dimensional, she also looks bored. She and Hutch are quite limited in their chemistry as well, they look disconnected and under-rehearsed and their relationship doesn't really grow or go anywhere, it's also underdeveloped and bland. The rest of the cast are okay but nobody else stands out and the character writing is sketchy and little more than Lifetime cliches. The direction is workmanlike at best.
Really did like the idea of the story, but the Christmas theme is underused and the more mysterious elements are less than mysterious and are quite obvious. There could have been more charm and heart, while what too little of the tension there is is predictable and contrived. Again the idea was nice but more could have been done with more and there is very little freshness to it. The script lays it on too thick with the corn and slushy schmaltz, not unexpected but it was overkill in places and it is too talky.
Lacklustre all in all. 4/10.
While understanding and appreciating that there are others that like the film, it is easy to see why it's garnered a mixed reception here. Personally am one of those that didn't care for 'A Very Vintage Christmas' and do agree with some of the criticisms. Not one of the worst of Lifetime's Christmas output of 2019, in a fairly unimpressive year, or overall. Also not one of the best on both counts, somewhere around low middle if anything. There are good things, but the corn and schmaltz are there, the charm and heart is not enough and the casting is a missed opportunity.
There are good things. Jesse Hutch is an engaging male lead and has a subtle easy going charm. Patricia Richardson does a nice job as well. It is a pleasant looking film, especially the scenery. The music is pleasant enough, and is not as constant or intrusive as with other Lifetime efforts.
However, Tia Mowry's performance is very flat and one-dimensional, she also looks bored. She and Hutch are quite limited in their chemistry as well, they look disconnected and under-rehearsed and their relationship doesn't really grow or go anywhere, it's also underdeveloped and bland. The rest of the cast are okay but nobody else stands out and the character writing is sketchy and little more than Lifetime cliches. The direction is workmanlike at best.
Really did like the idea of the story, but the Christmas theme is underused and the more mysterious elements are less than mysterious and are quite obvious. There could have been more charm and heart, while what too little of the tension there is is predictable and contrived. Again the idea was nice but more could have been done with more and there is very little freshness to it. The script lays it on too thick with the corn and slushy schmaltz, not unexpected but it was overkill in places and it is too talky.
Lacklustre all in all. 4/10.
- TheLittleSongbird
- Dec 14, 2021
- Permalink
This is a wonderful movie about Christmas, old things, and hope. Dodie solves the mystery of an old box of mementos found in an antique wardrobe. Very creative happy ending!
The movie was ok, good for background.
The actors were fine but Tia's clothes were very bland. Vintage clothes is great but it doesn't have to boring!
- OddlesOfNoodles
- Nov 16, 2020
- Permalink
The casting was ludicrous. The lead actress is boring, dull, uninteresting, downbeat, and non inspiring and the concept was absurd. No way a 10 would fall in love with a 5. Does not happen. Reminds me of the Facts of life, when after badgering from Mindy Cohn i am sure, they started having gorgeous guys asking her out. Omg puleeease. Same thing here. Extremely nonbelievable. And ZERO chemistry between the 2 actors.
- teebear817
- Jul 28, 2020
- Permalink
Paper thin story line, trite dialogue, mediocre (uncharismatic) cast, lousy music...well, you get the idea. So why did I watch it? Because my wife always thinks "maybe it'll get better". Otherwise it would have cut this thing off after 2 minutes. To paraphrase that Skip The Dishes commercial; It is so...CANADIAN!.
I'm really sad that I didn't enjoy this movie at all. I watched it because I really like Tia Mowry. I was excited to watch it as I've watched some of her Hallmark movies before and I really enjoyed them. This one was absolutely awful! The two main characters had no chemistry at all. In fact, I felt like Tia hated the other actor, as she looked at him in such a horrible way multiple times! She also kept looking like she was about to burst into tears at any moment. Maybe because she knew how boring the storyline was. I really couldn't get into this storyline at all. It was just completely dull. I'm surprised it's had quite a few good reviews!
- nicolaperrin
- Dec 18, 2023
- Permalink