While the concept is not a unique one, it did interest me and if done right the story had potential to be entertaining in a romantic comedy sort of way. Paul Greene is more often than not worth watching and always shines when he is given likeable, sympathetic characters. 'Christmas CEO' was also watched as part of my 2021 Hallmark Christmas film project that has been going on for the past month, which did see some film take serious themes and mix romance and family and do them very well.
'Christmas in My Heart', 'My Christmas Family Tree' and 'One December Night' (three of the best Hallmark films that year to me) were examples of 2021 Hallmark Christmas films to do this successfully. 'Christmas CEO' completely failed at this, what could have been cute and entertaining turned out to be ridiculous and mean spirited and one thing really ruins it. There were some duds in this year's Hallmark Christmas output (i.e. 'Boyfriends of Christmas Past', 'Coyote Creek Christmas') and 'Christmas CEO' is a contender for the worst.
There are redeeming merits. Marisol Nichols gives a deeply committed performance, without any sense of overplaying, and really felt for her character until her truly unrealistic final decision. Veronica Marin-Estrada is a real charmer as the film's most likeable and mature character.
Did think that it was slickly made and some of the soundtrack is pleasantly festive.
However, there are so many things wrong and the worst of them are so bad that it is easy to forget the good points. Count me in as another person that absolutely despised Greene's character, an absolute self-absorbed jerk with no respect for anybody but himself with no sense of character growth or change. Greene looked stiff and strained throughout, his usual subtle charm and easy going-ness absent. Actually got the sense that he hated playing the character and realised too late that it was way out of his comfort zone. He and Nichols have absolutely no chemistry at any stage, the disconnect seen so blatantly in the early parts are maintained throughout so the central relationship never grows. Which is what makes the final decision at the end so abrupt and impossible to swallow, as well as that it is so hard to believe how Nichols' character or even anybody could find any appeal in Greene's.
None of the rest of the cast stand out in flatly written roles. Very few of the characters are interesting or easy to get behind, Nichols' (up until the end) and Marin-Estrada's being the exceptions. The script is clunky and has a lot of cheese (more cheese than in a cheeseburger) and schmaltz (like having too many sugars in a cup of tea). Also found some of Greene's character's dialogue on the distasteful side. The story lacks energy, needed a lighter touch than what was given and is completely lacking in charm and heart. Too many of the character behaviours are vague and ridiculous and there is a mean spirited edge that was not there anywhere near as much in the previous duds in the 2021 Hallmark Christmas output.
Overall, very weak. 3/10.
'Christmas in My Heart', 'My Christmas Family Tree' and 'One December Night' (three of the best Hallmark films that year to me) were examples of 2021 Hallmark Christmas films to do this successfully. 'Christmas CEO' completely failed at this, what could have been cute and entertaining turned out to be ridiculous and mean spirited and one thing really ruins it. There were some duds in this year's Hallmark Christmas output (i.e. 'Boyfriends of Christmas Past', 'Coyote Creek Christmas') and 'Christmas CEO' is a contender for the worst.
There are redeeming merits. Marisol Nichols gives a deeply committed performance, without any sense of overplaying, and really felt for her character until her truly unrealistic final decision. Veronica Marin-Estrada is a real charmer as the film's most likeable and mature character.
Did think that it was slickly made and some of the soundtrack is pleasantly festive.
However, there are so many things wrong and the worst of them are so bad that it is easy to forget the good points. Count me in as another person that absolutely despised Greene's character, an absolute self-absorbed jerk with no respect for anybody but himself with no sense of character growth or change. Greene looked stiff and strained throughout, his usual subtle charm and easy going-ness absent. Actually got the sense that he hated playing the character and realised too late that it was way out of his comfort zone. He and Nichols have absolutely no chemistry at any stage, the disconnect seen so blatantly in the early parts are maintained throughout so the central relationship never grows. Which is what makes the final decision at the end so abrupt and impossible to swallow, as well as that it is so hard to believe how Nichols' character or even anybody could find any appeal in Greene's.
None of the rest of the cast stand out in flatly written roles. Very few of the characters are interesting or easy to get behind, Nichols' (up until the end) and Marin-Estrada's being the exceptions. The script is clunky and has a lot of cheese (more cheese than in a cheeseburger) and schmaltz (like having too many sugars in a cup of tea). Also found some of Greene's character's dialogue on the distasteful side. The story lacks energy, needed a lighter touch than what was given and is completely lacking in charm and heart. Too many of the character behaviours are vague and ridiculous and there is a mean spirited edge that was not there anywhere near as much in the previous duds in the 2021 Hallmark Christmas output.
Overall, very weak. 3/10.