'A Crafty Christmas Romance' Review: Heartwarming Lifetime movie is just what you need to get in the holiday spirit
Lights, decorations and snow – some of the most important elements of Christmas. Even though it comes in December, the anticipation and excitement of the day are felt almost throughout the year. For some, the much-talked-about holiday spirit brings with it new hopes and inspirations of the time ahead. And, this year, more than ever, we are in need of as much optimism we can get. Lifetime’s new movie ‘A Crafty Christmas Romance’ is an attempt to get you in the holiday spirits, peppered with hope, kindness, and a touch of romance.
The opening scene of snow-capped houses and streets, instantly gives you a happy festive feeling. We are then introduced to our female lead Mandy (Nicola Posener). She runs her family-owned craft and hobby store. The store is currently decked up for Christmas with exquisite decorations, snow globes, and everything festive and happy. Mandy is helped by her trusted employee Gabby (Renny Grames) to manage the store. While sifting through a donation box of books and toys, Mandy comes across an old edition of ‘A Christmas Carol’. But what’s even more interesting is, inside the book, she finds a letter to Santa Claus, written by a certain Judith. The letter also had a rare and valuable coin inside it.
The letter was written in 1947 and Judith’s wish for that year’s Christmas was to send her father, who had died, the coin through Santa. Her father was a coin collector. Moved by the selflessness of the letter, Mandy wants to find Judith and hand over her the letter. Her quest leads her to a chapel where she runs into Jonah (Bradford B Johnson), a contractor who builds and renovates, and also the person who had dropped off the book for donation at Mandy’s store.
However, Jonah is not aware of who the book belongs to or about the author of the letter. After their cute-awkward meet, the chemistry between the two is evident. To Mandy’s surprise, Jonah volunteers to help her find Judith. In their mission to find Judith, the two protagonists bond – from devouring raspberry cream cheese pie to going together for a town Christmas celebration and writing their Christmas wishes in a letter. But just as things seem to go smoothly, the two get caught up in a misunderstanding. This creates a crack in their blooming relationship, but none of them give up on finding Judith – especially Mandy, who is focused on finding her before Christmas.
The story is predictable yet heart-warming. Even though you can guess where it is headed and the possible climax, you still want to watch it. It brings a smile to your face. While Posener and Johnson are perfectly cast for their respective roles and do exhibit the chemistry required, we would have liked to see more details regarding their background. Also, in her limited screen presence, Grames does justice to her straight-talking Gabby.
Overall, the movie is a good mood-lifter. The beautiful light decorations and the overall positivity seen in the movie are just what is needed during these uncertain times. Director Brian Brough and writer Brittany Wiscombe are successful in delivering the message of the importance of kindness and optimism required in our lives. While it might seem that movies of this genre are far from reality, but these are also necessary for us to relax and de-stress on a Saturday evening with a cup of hot chocolate, snuggled in our couches. So, forget if it is practical or not, just get in the holiday spirit and enjoy this Christmas movie. Embrace escapism, at least for a bit.
‘A Crafty Christmas Romance’ will be airing on Friday, October 30, 8 pm ET on Lifetime