Movie Review - Christmas Magic (2011) Hallmark Christmas movie starring Lindy Booth as Carrie who after a car crash wakes up an angel who has to help a troubled father and daughter before Christmas arrives Movie Review

Christmas Magic (2011)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Lindy Booth in Christmas Magic (2011)

An Angel Booth

It's Christmas and whilst Carrie Bishop (Lindy Booth - Sound of Christmas) doesn't do Christmas she does do gifts to herself and buys herself a flashy new car. But whilst talking on her phone whilst driving she is involved in a major accident and the next thing she knows she is waking up in a snowy Central park where she is met by Henry (Derek McGrath) who tells her she died in the crash and is now an angel but one which has a mission to complete before she gains access to heaven. The mission involves struggling restaurant owner and single father Scott Walker (Paul McGillion - Ice Sculpture Christmas) who with a failing business and never having fully gotten over the death of his wife at Christmas is considering suicide. But that is when Carrie appears and with her business know how helps by promoting his business although with the mission to be completed by Midnight on Christmas Eve it is not easy especially when Carrie grows fond of Scott and his 8 year old daughter.

I know that if I read that synopsis for "Christmas Magic" I might have chosen not to watch it. Who am I kidding of course I would have watched it as I love Hallmark Christmas movies even those which I know will be forgettable. But "Christmas Magic" sounds like such a cliche romantic Christmas movie that you can feel yourself predicting how it will all end not long after it has started. And to some extent you would be right as yes Carrie helps Scott's failing business, yes Carrie bonds with his daughter and of course Carrie and Scott fall for each other. It is text book and it is because it is text book that you might think again about watching it.

Paul McGillion, Kiara Glasco and Lindy Booth in Christmas Magic (2011)

But then "Christmas Magic" does something surprising, something which catches you off guard and not in a Nicholas Sparks heart breaking sort of way but in a twist on the text book which it had followed so closely. I won't tell you what the twist is but I will say that unless you are smitten by the cliche romance you might find it all a bit too contrived even for a made for TV Christmas movie involving an angel.

As for the acting, well in a sweet, warm way Lindy Booth is very pleasant whilst Paul McGillion does the nice guy dad thing quite well. But like most of "Christmas Magic" the acting and the characters are just typical of this sort of Hallmark Christmas movie and it is a case that if you watch this under protest because of a loved one told you to you might find the characters and actors annoying rather than sweet.

What this all boils down to is that "Christmas Magic" is 90% stereotypical of the TV Christmas genre and whilst nice and sweet for the most it won't challenge you. But just when you think it will meander to a completely predictable conclusion it manages to conjure up a twist which thankfully works.

Tags: TV Christmas Movies, Christmas Movies


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