User reviews

This was a decent Lifetime Christmas movie. Two people competing for the same property end up decorating some main street shops for a "Battle of the Main Street" Christmas competition with the neighbouring town. As they are forced to work together, the bickering between the two eventually turns into romance. The movie draws a bit on slapstick humour with several mishaps between the two leads (e.g., one of the leads falling on ice at the start of the film). I did laugh a little, at times. The first half of the film relied mostly on constant bickering and banter between the two leads, Amelia (played by Vanessa Lachey) and Vic (played by Ryan McPartlin). The dialogue here was pretty good. I was not turned off by it as some of the other reviewers on here were. At the same time, it was not as funny as the writers would have liked it to be, I suspect. There are some heartfelt messages in the film too (e.g., it is never too late to make amends with loved ones, especially during the holidays). There are some interesting (and at times, funny) characters in the film, again centred around bickering. The acting overall was good. Both Lachey and McPartlin (aka Captain Awesome, for the 'Chuck' fans reading this) had strong performances. The chemistry between the two was believable, as well. Though, as another reviewer on here suggested, it seemed a bit rushed, underdeveloped. The scenery, props, and sets were pretty good, festive. However, it was a bit strange not seeing many people on Main Street, the main shopping street in town. That felt strange, a bit odd. Overall, it is an entertaining Christmas movie, not one of the best I have seen this season, but certainly not one of the worse.

This movie is the equivalent of being forced to watch your neighbors, constantly squabbling children on your day off.

The acting is good, but then again, anyone can act like a spoiled 8yr old. By the time the leads inevitably get together, you really couldn't care less.

The arrogance of both Amelia and Vic was so strong that I could barely stand the first part of the movie. If I encountered either of these people acting like this, I would do anything to avoid them. One quarter of the movie led up to clumsily contrived premise - the two rivals being thrown together to organize the decoration of Main Street for the purpose of impressing Elder. And the ugly arguing continued well after that goal was established.

Was it funny? I actually laughed a few times when I wasn't cringing over all the meanness.

Then we meet the towns people. More arguing, arrogance and judgmentalism. We're about half way through the movie, and except for a few laughs inspired mostly by physical comedy, everything about it is a downer.

In most of these movies, all the animosity between the leads disappears suddenly and this movie is no exception. It's too bad they extended the negative so long. Finally, Vanessa Lachey and Ryan McPartlin can start to develop chemistry and they quickly do.

The story follows the usual lines and is predictable. The viewer can see the things that are coming as soon as they are set up. Even so I still needed some kleenex for at least one development. The conflict was predictable too, but a bit unusual as a plot device.

This was like two different movies envisioned by different people. I could easily FF through most of the first half, but the second half is worth the wait.

As far as Christmas movies go, this was just average. Typical storyline of two main characters not liking each other to them falling in love. We must have our happy endings, after all. The premise is they have to work together to decorate houses and a street for the annual contest. Vanessa Lachay wants to have a year round Christmas store. The winner of the grand prize will be able to fulfill his or her dream. I enjoyed watching this movie. It was entertaining enough, with even a couple of laughs. However, I wouldn't out it at the top of my list. It passed the time and somewhat predictable, as these movies are. It's worth watching once.

What happens when two tenacious entrepreneurs contend for the purchase of a building to start their own separate business? Well the spirit of Christmas gets hopelessly entangled and you know what that means - love wins out.

This is such a wonderfully pleasant movie by virtue of both main characters charm and sense of light hearted fun. And special praiseworthy mention of how Vanessa Lachey has a captivating glow about her which was impossible to ignore.

A delightfully entertaining flick which will leave you with a smile on your face.

Have seen Vanessa Lachey and Ryan McPartlin in other things and their performances have always been on the mixed side to me. Lifetime's 2020 Christmas output was also very mixed, none of the films being irredeemably terrible but none are my definition of great either. Some were surprisingly good, some were downright weak and most were average or just above. Have been seeing as many Lifetime Christmas films as possible and 'Once Upon a Main Street' was part of the quest.

'Once Upon a Main Street' is one of the watchable if average efforts, one of the 2020 Lifetime Christmas films to start off terribly (very nearly turned it off) but did get better as it progressed. As far as 2020's Lifetime Christmas films go, 'Once Upon a Main Street' is neither one of the best or the worst. Personally put it somewhere in the middle and found myself very mixed on it, as there are a fair share of good things but the bad stuff is really not good at all.

Shall start with the good. The film also at least looks professional, with lovely scenery in particular. The music doesn't intrude and doesn't feel overused, also it has a festive sound to it. Too often not the case with Lifetime. The messaging is very honest and heartfelt and doesn't get laid on too thick or feel treacly or sentimental. Some of the dialogue has entertainment value.

McPartlin is an amiable leading man and Patrick Duffy is always welcome, but the standout acting wise is the vibrant performance of Polly Draper who really brightens up the film whenever she appears. The film does get better later on, or at least in the middle act, where there is more energy, a lighter edge and more heart.

Was very mixed on Lachey though. She was feisty and charming later on but in the first third she did overdo the already over the top prickly-ness of her character, who comes over as excessively abrasive for no real reason. She and McPartlin do have moments with their chemistry, but it takes a while to get there and it would have made more impact that it had a lot of more development and if any changes were not so suddenly brought up.

As said, 'Once Upon a Main Street' does not start promisingly at all. The dialogue is cringe inducingly painful and the banter is incredibly repetitive and over-used, while the pace is pedestrian. Lachey's character being so impossible to get behind is a big part of the problem as well. The final quarter is contrived and jumpy and the ending is badly rushed and too neat. The story is quite familiar territory and nothing new or insightful really is done with it and there could have been a lot more charm and heart on the whole.

Overall, mixed feelings. 5/10.

Vanessa Lachey is feisty and charming as always and was a good match for Ryan McPartin. They both played pretty irritating characters at the beginning, but once they started to work together this was an amusing and romantic story which was actually quite touching at the end. They had one bad misunderstanding near the end which threatened to blow up all their hard-won progress. But lo and behold, they resolved it immediately with frank communication and a humble confession. Incredible. It was good to see Polly Draper again. She played a scary-crazy potter which added some tension and suspense. I wish she would be in more things. So far the beautiful Vanessa Lachey has proven adept at comedy and I have enjoyed her vehicles. Except one, but that wasn't her fault. I hope to see her star in more TV movies.

This movie is okay, I suppose. Ryan McPartlin is partly why I gave it 4 stars and not less. I cannot stand Vanessa Lachey's character, it makes the movie difficult to watch. She plays such a condescending little turd in this. Anyway, I usually like most of the cheesy Lifetime Christmas movies, and this one is the typical "bitter to sweet" holiday movie. It would be better with a different female lead or maybe she didn't act like a total jackass the entire movie, it would be easier to watch. I feel bad for people that have to deal with other people that act like this in real life. I know I'd never be able to be around someone like that.

How many times have we seen stories about opposites attracting each other. Millions of times before, right? To spice their lack of originality, the "writers" decided to make the female lead as abrasive as blowing your nose using sand paper. And the male lead a beta male who loves baking... too cute.... and too unbelievable. The ending is as predicable as it can be.... And, oh my, Patrick Duffy looks too old, eve taking into account the makeup...

There is nothing here, even Vanessa Lachey is too artificial. Her face looks like it has been plastered with a one inch thick layer of makeup.

Is it really too much to ask the writers to create two likable leads? Not perfect or amazing or genius people-just likable enough to care about their little twists and turns to romance land.

How hard it is it to nail that one key element, especially since holiday romance fans will gladly swallow predictable plots and cheesy tropes, as long they're charmed by leads with even a little chemistry?

Once Upon a Main Street commits the cardinal sin of crossing the line between banter, even a prickly back-and-forth, versus obnoxious bickering. Prickly can be good, we enjoy it to a point, because it keeps us on our toes, and prickly chemistry is only inches from sparks.

But bickering grates. Like getting hit over the head. In the case of Once Upon a Main Street, it means getting hit over the head for half the movie by two overbearing, cranky leads. All wrapped in a more nonsensical plot than usual.

I never warmed to Amelia (Vanesssa Lachey), starting when raved at the realtor. She had a hard Me, Me, Me! vibe. From their first confrontation as strangers, Amelia either lied or was just nasty; either way it was telling. If their roles were flipped, I couldn't picture Vic (Ryan McPartlin) doing the same. Or her sharing the hotel room if she had it first.

The one bright spot was director Polly Draper's Rowena, an erratic ceramicist who stole every scene she was in.

Too bad there weren't more of them.

Honestly, if I wasn't cooking something complicated, I would've hit delete when this one failed the 15 minute test.

Then you should certainly watch this movie. You will fall asleep during. Most Christmas movies lately are supposed to be about romance. Girl meets boy, they instantly dislike one another but in the end something happens and they fall in love. In this movie nothing happens. All action is feebly. I believe this is the first time I rate a movie so low, but I honestly cannot find one positive thing to say. Everything screams that this is a low budget film. I am starting to miss the 90;s where all Christmas movies were about Santa. That's all folks.. Really? Still haven't reached the required characters?

Actors play a good part in this 4 star rate, Ryan McPartlin is one of my fav B stars, and Vanessa Lachey is always cute and decent. Patrick Duffy is very old here, altough I love him in Step by step, but feel like this has been too much for him. Plot is too predictable, first rivals, then... I don't want to spoil it for you. I liked the bickering of main characters, it was fun. Setting could be beautiful, small town, cute houses, but director chose to over do it with fake snow. I mean, you could literally see fake snow cover blankets everywhere. Also, you get the feeling that this town has only 10 citizens. No people on the street, no people in the cafè... Very noticable. Also, one very confusing detail, the owner of cafè who is Indian, says, before, her grandmother was the owner of all year Christmas store. I mean, you could at least pick some other character to say that.

Christmas On Main Street/Once Upon A Main Street (2020) -

There was a lot to dislike about this film and not too much to enjoy.

In order to gain favour from Elder Dubois (Patrick Duffy), the man who owns the shop that both of the lead characters want to buy, Vic (Ryan McPartlin) and Amelia (Vanessa Lachey) do whatever they can with the town committee to get the Main Street decorated for Christmas and win a contest against other local towns.

What followed was quite a childish storyline and it was a bit too much of a joke, far fetched and daft. The saving grace was Patrick Duffy who at least was a nice calming effect amongst the overacting and extreme personalities of the rest of the cast and characters. It was like he was the human on the set of a Muppets film. The Director Polly Draper in her cameo as Rowena was the worst of all.

Vic and Amelia were both unlikeable characters with agendas that got off on the wrong foot from the start and seemed very forced together.

Ryan McPartlin as Vic was handsome, but he was a little bit too much like an old western cowboy character and somewhat hammy and unnatural as a result. He didn't fit as a chocolatier either. I could not imagine him running a handmade chocolate shop, but I also felt that Amelia should have done her research about opening a Christmas shop in a town that had repeatedly lost the town's festive competition.

And these productions always have the various characters taking on the task of revitalising the contests and consequently the town at the last minute, which makes the whole concept ridiculous. There was no way that they could have pulled it off in time, even if the whole town dropped everything that they were doing and had a huge budget saved up for just such an occasion.

There was also some really terrible fake snow that was actually blankets! I've seen better set dressing in amateur theatre.

So overall I didn't buy the connection that was eventually made by Vic and Amelia and their continual almost kissing thing was really annoying too. I wanted them to get it over with, realise that there was no spark and move on to each finding somebody else.

I couldn't feel the magic of the story or the bringing of the community together, because it didn't deliver either comedy or heartfelt drama. It was just a mix of meh. I keep saying this about this genre of films in the hope that someone starts to pay attention and create something with a bit more clarity on what they are trying to produce.

4.6/10.