I enjoyed this Christmas movie. It has been one of the better ones thus far. The Christmas on a vineyard worked well, at least, it did for me. The story was fun and delightful, and the script was decent as well. I thought Julianna Guill had a really good performance. Her performance has this sort of Christmas, happy vibe about it. It was hard not to like her character. The chemistry between her and Jon Cor as Tyler was just about right, I think. The supporting cast was strong. I especially enjoyed Sebastian Billingsley-Rodriguez's cute performance as Michael. The scenery, props and sets were well polished. It was well done. The movie too instils a bit of Christmas spirit with some fun and cute scenes (e.g., the shooting of the commercial - sonata and the elf) and warm scenes (e.g., the play at the school). Overall, it is a nice little addition to Lifetime's original Christmas movie lineup this year. It is worth a watch.
13 Reviews
Julianna Guill
Jackbv12315 November 2020
This is another save-the-family-______(winery) plot and a consultant is sent to help. An evil big corporation is swallowing up all the land in the area. There are no real highs or lows or big surprises. The climatic conflict was created in a little bit of a surprising way. I thought it was out of character, but maybe understandable. The very end is abrupt with a change of heart coming on what seemed like a whim.
For me the enjoyment was the cheerful Julianna Guill. She and Jon Cor had good chemistry, but I think that was thanks mostly to Guill. The movie gives the leads plenty of screen time together. Guill seems to be in practically every scene and a lot of them with Cor. I wasn't as impressed with Cor's acting. All the supporting actors turned in decent performances.
For me the enjoyment was the cheerful Julianna Guill. She and Jon Cor had good chemistry, but I think that was thanks mostly to Guill. The movie gives the leads plenty of screen time together. Guill seems to be in practically every scene and a lot of them with Cor. I wasn't as impressed with Cor's acting. All the supporting actors turned in decent performances.
This is a fun (check all the boxes) Christmas Movie
jagfannn15 November 2020
This movie rigidly checks all the Christmas Movie (must have) boxes one after the other but on the strength of Julianna Guill's performance alone, it's still enjoyable. Jon Cor's performance here was good, and the two leads do have believable chemistry, but due to the writing, you just feel like smackin the male lead most of the time. Perhaps Cor's hair styling was done intentionally to distract from how badly his part was written (moley, moley, moley). The ending had a couple of WTH? moments in it leading to an inexplicable happy ending and achieves the (feel-good) conclusion, even if you don't actually understand it.
Too templatey
rebekahrox15 November 2020
Yeh... This was just too by the book for me. Too many cliche set pieces: flirty sledding, flirty snowball fight, save the small family business from the big meanies, cookie baking, wreath making, and the Christmas festival (which also had to be saved). The only good things were Juliana Guill and the quality of the production values. I didn't like the male lead and didn't think he had good chemistry with Juliana. Plus he was stupid. The end came out of no where and was too abrupt.
Formulaic and more than trite
omijer15 November 2020
This holiday movie was fun to watch from the winery point of view. There is always some enchantment in films about that exotic life that is so unknown to most viewers. However, aside from the fairly predictable plot and the charm of seeing how wine country life is not all that easy and glamorous, this film left a great deal to be desired. Julianna Guill is a really talented actress, with a welcome range of emotions, with great energy for her character, and with a sadly empty script to work with. She does her best in this film. Meredith Baxter is always a welcome joy in any movie. But oh, my goodness, the leading man was so hard to like! He was portrayed as an angry, reluctant headstrong fellow. One wonders how the leading lady could find him appealing and lovable. The quickly resolved ending seemed to come out of nowhere and made very little sense.
But most distracting throughout was Jon Cor's hair. Was there no hairdresser on the set to comb his hair back out of his forehead? He is a handsome man and a competent actor. But one wonders why he was presented in such an unattractive manner, one that kept interfering with the viewer's wish to find him likable and appealing. His appearance took a great deal of attention away from the enjoyment of this film.
Decency on the vine
TheLittleSongbird20 July 2021
Christmas films can go either way, which has been my experience watching overtime the festive output of Lifetime and Hallmark. They can either be well-meaning, charming, warm-hearted and don't feel too heavy. Or they can be too over-sentimental, cheesy, contrived and bland. There have been many films of theirs that have fallen in both camps and in the camp where there is a bit of both. And 'Christmas on the Vine' did have the sort of premise where the execution could have gone either way.
Lifetime's 2020 Christmas film batch, like all their previous years, was pretty hit and miss which was not unexpected. 'Christmas on the Vine' is somewhere in the middle. If one was to judge it from its early portions, it could have easily passed for being one of the worst if it didn't get better. Luckily 'Christmas on the Vine' did get better though still stayed uneven, providing that one is willing to stick with it. Was really umming and erring at first whether to but generally don't regret my decision to stick with it.
The film is a long way from perfect. It starts off terribly, with some truly laughable dialogue that makes one cringe at its awkwardness and cheesiness, lifeless pacing and characters that one dislikes quickly. Also thought that the film ended underwhelmingly too, too abrupt and rushed with a truly implausible out of character 180.
Jon Cor was rather iffy as the male lead, he comes over as rather stiff and dull and also slightly creepy. His chemistry with Julianna Guill (who acquits herself well) isn't there at first.
Guill however is truly beguiling and easy to like from the get go. Meredith Baxter is a lively presence and the rest of the supporting turns are very good, only Cor doesn't work. The chemistry between Guill and Cor took time to settle but when it did settle it was quite charming. Luckily there is a lot seen of the relationship and it moves at a relatively realistic rate and grows. Didn't care for the characters at first, but they grew on me throughout the film.
A great job is done with the Christmas atmosphere, where it does feel like Christmas and in an affectionate way. Some lovely Christmas touches and there are some very sweet, but not sickly, scenes. The script is poor to begin with but gets better once one gets past the terrible first quarter or so, where there are a fair share of funny and poignant lines. The story is very predictable with pretty much everything being what one expects, but also has a lot of heart and charm. It doesn't take itself too seriously while not taking things as too much of a joke.
In conclusion, doesn't start off well at all and runs out of steam at the end, but much of what happens in between is pleasant if nothing mind-blowing. 6/10.
Lifetime's 2020 Christmas film batch, like all their previous years, was pretty hit and miss which was not unexpected. 'Christmas on the Vine' is somewhere in the middle. If one was to judge it from its early portions, it could have easily passed for being one of the worst if it didn't get better. Luckily 'Christmas on the Vine' did get better though still stayed uneven, providing that one is willing to stick with it. Was really umming and erring at first whether to but generally don't regret my decision to stick with it.
The film is a long way from perfect. It starts off terribly, with some truly laughable dialogue that makes one cringe at its awkwardness and cheesiness, lifeless pacing and characters that one dislikes quickly. Also thought that the film ended underwhelmingly too, too abrupt and rushed with a truly implausible out of character 180.
Jon Cor was rather iffy as the male lead, he comes over as rather stiff and dull and also slightly creepy. His chemistry with Julianna Guill (who acquits herself well) isn't there at first.
Guill however is truly beguiling and easy to like from the get go. Meredith Baxter is a lively presence and the rest of the supporting turns are very good, only Cor doesn't work. The chemistry between Guill and Cor took time to settle but when it did settle it was quite charming. Luckily there is a lot seen of the relationship and it moves at a relatively realistic rate and grows. Didn't care for the characters at first, but they grew on me throughout the film.
A great job is done with the Christmas atmosphere, where it does feel like Christmas and in an affectionate way. Some lovely Christmas touches and there are some very sweet, but not sickly, scenes. The script is poor to begin with but gets better once one gets past the terrible first quarter or so, where there are a fair share of funny and poignant lines. The story is very predictable with pretty much everything being what one expects, but also has a lot of heart and charm. It doesn't take itself too seriously while not taking things as too much of a joke.
In conclusion, doesn't start off well at all and runs out of steam at the end, but much of what happens in between is pleasant if nothing mind-blowing. 6/10.
Lifetime Christmas
SnoopyStyle24 November 2023
Brooke (Julianna Guill) goes back to her hometown on a job. She's rebranding a small struggling family-run winery. Tyler (Jon Cor) is the son of the owner and two school years ahead of her. She remembers him but he's not sure. Carla Kilgore (Meredith Baxter) is their powerful competitor who is looking to buy up all the businesses.
It's Lifetime Television doing Christmas. This genre is dominated by Hallmark. This is no better or worst. It's all pretty much the same level of background TV. You put it on in the background while you do other stuff. The one outstanding aspect is the snowy outdoor locations. It looks wintery and Christmasy. It's mostly fine.
It's Lifetime Television doing Christmas. This genre is dominated by Hallmark. This is no better or worst. It's all pretty much the same level of background TV. You put it on in the background while you do other stuff. The one outstanding aspect is the snowy outdoor locations. It looks wintery and Christmasy. It's mostly fine.
Good movie but...
michelle244718 December 2020
Much room to improve
doctorsmoothlove26 November 2020
Warning: Spoilers
"Christmas on the Vine" is one of Lifetime's 2020 Christmas films staring Julianna Guill and Liam Boland as a marketing firm and vineyard employee. His company hires her to boost their flagging sales and stave off bankruptcy. His local business cannot compete with larger wineries especially when they lack a distributor.
After last year's film, "Grounded for Christmas," I was excited to see Guill in another film. Guill's smile and facial movements really helped convey the emotion her character was feeling as it played. She was so good there as a woman who gradually falls in love with a conflicted man. That film has a heartfelt story that takes time to develop. I praised it for not being a collection of scenes that serve as background distraction, a cinematic Christmas decoration if you will.
Such is my tremendous disappointment with "Christmas on the Vine." There is no real story. The characters engage in nearly every cliché: snowball fights, dancing, baking Christmas cookies, and planning a get-together. Eventually, Guill finds a secret recipe for blended wine and a new label which of course saves the winery. They don't even have to sell out to the stock villainess who suddenly reforms herself.
Guill acts cheerful and bubbly the entire movie. Her character never seems to change during the runtime. How could she really? Boland's character is temperamental and unpleasant starting with his appearance. I believe the film was going for a rustic look for him so his hair is always disheveled. He looks as if he just finished showering and his hair isn't completely dry or a gust of wind just ruined his hairdo. He does wear a hat in a few scenes that aren't long enough for my taste.
The movie is just another formulaic Christmas experience. Writing this review was hard because if you see a lot of these mediocre films together they all blend into one unsatisfying experience.
After last year's film, "Grounded for Christmas," I was excited to see Guill in another film. Guill's smile and facial movements really helped convey the emotion her character was feeling as it played. She was so good there as a woman who gradually falls in love with a conflicted man. That film has a heartfelt story that takes time to develop. I praised it for not being a collection of scenes that serve as background distraction, a cinematic Christmas decoration if you will.
Such is my tremendous disappointment with "Christmas on the Vine." There is no real story. The characters engage in nearly every cliché: snowball fights, dancing, baking Christmas cookies, and planning a get-together. Eventually, Guill finds a secret recipe for blended wine and a new label which of course saves the winery. They don't even have to sell out to the stock villainess who suddenly reforms herself.
Guill acts cheerful and bubbly the entire movie. Her character never seems to change during the runtime. How could she really? Boland's character is temperamental and unpleasant starting with his appearance. I believe the film was going for a rustic look for him so his hair is always disheveled. He looks as if he just finished showering and his hair isn't completely dry or a gust of wind just ruined his hairdo. He does wear a hat in a few scenes that aren't long enough for my taste.
The movie is just another formulaic Christmas experience. Writing this review was hard because if you see a lot of these mediocre films together they all blend into one unsatisfying experience.
HAM actress
teebear81718 November 2020
This lead actress Julianna Guill, is so hammy she should oink. She chews the scenary the whole movie through. Over smiling, overacting. I wanted to turn it off after 10 minutes, but my wife was watching and i was stuck. This might be the worst, hard to watch, over acting actress i've ever seen. And, of course like EVERY Hallmark movie, the lead actor has the required 7 day beard growth. Dont they ALL?? And of course, as in every Hallmark movie, they have to save some family business. Whether its a winery, ski lodge, tree farm, candy store, bed and breakfast, toy store, house, church, etc. Then the "misunderstanding" near the end...And of COURSE, she or he, at the end, gives up a lucratine promotion at some corporation to stay in some one dog town. YAWN. Formulaic and tiresome . They must have 1 writer. Every movie is the same as the last. Oh wow, its on while im writing this...... Yea, she is the worst actress i've ever seen. Man, shes bad.
Delightful Christmas movie at a vineyard
bookandcandle15 November 2020
This is a delightful Christmas movie filmed at a vineyard. It had a hometown feel that I loved. Brooke and Tyler had great chemistry together! I could see them for each other from the very beginning. And the endearing mother was warm and wise. I also loved the ending whereas it was not another Christmas destination solution. I'll watch this movie over and over. The music in the background was light and soothing. Thank you Hallmark.
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