Looks Like Christmas (2016 TV Movie) User Reviews

Good actors, bad chemistry

[fireandlightning · 6/10 · 14 January 2018]

I've seen both Anne Heche and Dylan Neal in many different things. Separate they're good, but together - they work as friends. I have to agree with the other reviewers that there's no chemistry between the two, and since it's supposed to be a Christmas love story, that's really bad. As really good friends they're great though.

Since it's a Hallmark movie, I know which level we're at when it comes to cheesy and feel-good, and it's pretty okay, I just wish that they'd have a chemistry test before they started filming, and also, what's up with four families that all have just one kid? Isn't that just a tad weird? At least in my experience most couples actually have more than one child, would have been better if it was just a bit more realistic on that front.

Other than that, it's a really okay Hallmark movie. The Christmas spirit is there, the cheesiness is there, and at least the people are good actors. I would still recommend it because the Christmas coziness is there.

Nothing Exciting Here

[Christmas-Reviewer · 5/10 · 30 October 2017]

I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 400 Christmas MOVIES. BEWARE OF BOGUS REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW. WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE PRODUCTION. I HAVE NO AGENDA. I AM FARE

When two type-A single parents battle it out for control of the Christmas holiday at their kid's middle school, they get more than they bargained for when they learn a little something about the true meaning of Christmas, while opening themselves up for the possibility of a new romance.

I wish this film didn't telegraph major plot lines long before they happen. If this is one is worth watching but only once!

Watch Farryn

[Onetrack97 · 6/10 · 19 December 2018]

The movie is OK, follows the Halmark/RomCom formula. Farryn VanHumbeck is the reason to watch this movie.

not romance

[Kirpianuscus · 28 December 2020]

The real bad thing is the absence of romance. No one drop/crumb of romantic clue and the sentimental conection between the lead characters sounds real fake. The good thing - Anne Heche and Dylan Neal. In rest, same Halmark recipe and not just an inspired story.

"You flocked my Noble?"

[HotToastyRag · 6/10 · 3 December 2017]

Anyone who watched the Hallmark channel during the 2016 holiday season saw incessant advertisements for three films: A Heavenly Christmas, A Dream of Christmas, and Looks Like Christmas. As a result, the phrases "Sometimes I just wish I'd never gotten married!", "Be careful what you wish for. . .", and "You flocked my Noble?" probably became burned in your brain. In my house, those three lines have now become household phrases. Every time I utter "You flocked my Noble?" à la Anne Heche, it cracks me up and instantly puts me in the Christmas spirit.

In the film, Anne Heche plays a structured, Type-A single mom in charge of everything Christmas-y in town. Dylan Neal, the cutie-pie you'll recognize from Hallmark's Cedar Cove, moves to town with his teenage daughter, and instantly clashes with Anne. He's her opposite, letting work come before Christmas and winging his behavior, rather than planning it. But, since it's a romantic comedy, their animosity will no doubt grow into attraction.

Even though I was really looking forward to this Christmas movie, it didn't live up to the hype. If Dylan wasn't so handsome, and if he didn't flock her Noble, I probably wouldn't re-watch it in the years to come. But, he is handsome, and as you can see from the previews, he does flock her Noble. If you don't mind a slightly annoying storyline and less-than-admirable characters, you can give it a try this Christmas.

Comment to previous review

[karlanacion · 6/10 · 29 October 2020]

All of the Hallmark movies are boring. They are the same plot over and over and over..,,,

Very lacklustre

[TheLittleSongbird · 4/10 · 29 March 2023]

Despite loving Christmas and having no bias against Hallmark Christmas films (far from it and this has been said before quite a number of times in other reviews of their work), the premise did not really excite me. Striking me as being too much of typical Hallmark and pretty old-hat. Saw 'Looks Like Christmas' as part of my quest to see as many Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas films as possible and because of liking both Anne Heche and Dylan Neal in other things.

Both deserved much better than the very lacking material they had in 'Looks Like Christmas', their characters were not worthy of them and makes them look bad as actors. 2016 did see some good Christmas Hallmark films, but it also saw some lacking ones. And while not as bad as 'A December Bride' and 'A Wish for Christmas', 'Looks Like Christmas' is one of those lacking films. Hallmark have certainly done a lot worse, including that year, but they have also done better.

Absolutely agree about Sean Michael Kyer and even more so Farryn VanHumbeck being the best things about the film, giving very charming and mature performances and coming over as very likeable.

It looks nice, well shot with lovely scenery. Wasn't impressed by the music on the whole, not unusual for Hallmark, but there were some pleasant and nostalgically festive parts.

Neither Heche or Neal however are on good form. Heche looks tired and like her heart wasn't in it and Neal also looked as though he had given up when his material got weaker later. Do agree about their chemistry being non-existent, with them being not remotely believable as friends let alone lovers. They don't look comfortable together and their rapport is awkward and far too hostile, the relationship is also rushed and underdeveloped. The rest of the supporting cast are bland in roles that are little more than ciphers and tried and tested Hallmark cliches.

Furthermore, the script throughout is weak. It was mostly very stilted and cheesy as well as dreary with too much blandness to have any sentimental value. The story never comes to life, with a very pedestrian pace. And because of doing absolutely nothing different with a premise already done to death is very predictable. It is also very thin, especially early on, there is a lot of credibility straining, including how Heche's character would continue having anything to do with Neal's character when his rudeness becomes excessive. The music is drab and tends to intrude.

Summing up, very lacklustre and a waste of two talented actors. 4/10.

One Boring Christmas Story

[dmackiepi · 2/10 · 28 December 2018]

One of the most boring stories I've ever seen in a Hallmark movie. To bad Ann Heche has lost her cuteness. All the actors were not believable and extremely boring.

Pretty Boring

[cammietime · 1/10 · 26 December 2016]

I've never seen a movie with worse chemistry between the leading actor and actress. These two had zero chemistry, maybe negative chemistry. "Christmas Carol" and Terry are ripe for conflict and they do that OK, and seem to despise each other, which then makes the forced love story look really forced. The movie really has no plot and only functions along a set of contrived manufactured conflicts...add that to the bad chemistry between the leads and holy moly you have one of the worst Christmas time romantic movies of all time! Maybe they just had the objective to make a movie with no plot, I don't know. I expected much more. I would delete this if it shows up in your DVR.

Looks Like Christmas

[judyjawk · 3/10 · 10 December 2016]

This should not be a spoiler, since the movie has previously aired.

Although I am a fan of both Anne Heche and Dylan Neal and looked forward to this movie, I have never seen less chemistry between two leading actors; however, in all fairness, that may be due to the soppy, non-story line.

I fell asleep watching it the first time, so gave it another go. This is just about the most boring movie I have ever watched. The only actors who were remotely interesting were the teenage boy and girl of each of the respective actors. I like Dylan Neal and think he is a talented actor, but he didn't seem authentic at all in this movie, and neither did Anne Heche. Since they are both accomplished actors, I'd have to say this movie bombed because of the writers.

A Christmas Carol - NOT

[P3n-E-W1s3 · 5/10 · 22 December 2016]

This is airing in the UK as A Christmas Carol, though I think Looks Like Christmas sounds better: Maybe the studio are wanting viewers to watch thinking it is a version of Charles Dickens' classic tale.

This comes nowhere near the classic tale.

I have always liked Anne Heche, though it looks like she's slumped from the bigger budget movies into B-movie and Sci-Fi series, which is great for them to be able to have a great actress... unfortunately, they just don't use her to her fullest in this picture. The same can be said for Dylan Neal. I've seen them both do much better, maybe their hearts weren't in it, or it could've been the direction they were given, which is more likely.

The direction is pretty average and keeps the film at a steady pace, though it was a little too slow for me at times.

The story too is your stable fair for a Christmas Love story with no real twists to keep you engaged.

One handicap of the writing and direction was Dylan Neals character, Terry, who could be downright rude to Anne Heche (Carol) to the point that I wondered why were these two people destined to be together.

This is smack on the borderline of recommendation - do I or don't I recommend it? I just don't know.

If you do choose to watch it and find you're not getting on with it for some reason, turn it off because it doesn't really change much throughout the film.

Did Hallmark REALLY produce this awful movie ?

[sharonrp-16793 · 1/10 · 29 October 2020]

The only thing good about this movie are the young actors. There is no chemistry between the main characters. They were stiff and the characters were unbelievable. Ann Heche looked old and tired. I missed this when it was released and wish I had missed it today. Don't waste your time unless you like lousy movies.

Love Hate Relationship

[kz917-1 · 5/10 · 4 June 2017]

Anne Heche and Dylan Neal star in this Christmas Argument Movie as two single parents that fight over everything. They both want the school pageant to be the best it has ever been but cannot agree on how to do that. At one point they are sent to the principal's office. They verbally spar in scene after scene. Enjoyable movie, but uncomfortably so.

Bad writing, no chemistry

[herrcarter-92161 · 4/10 · 11 May 2023]

I'm not sure what I was supposed to like about this movie. The writing was awful. The lines that came out of these actors' mouths, particularly the teenage kids, were so stilted and fake. It didn't sound like anything that anyone in the real world would say. And the relationship between Terry and Carol was really unbelievable. I didn't believe it when they were quasi enemies. Their rudeness toward each other was so over-the-top and seemed forced. And I didn't believe it when they graduated to romance. There was no chemistry between them and I saw no reason why they should have been attracted to each other. The whole story line with the old library being torn down to put in a modern hotel was handled badly too. There was the original confrontation between Terry and Carol over it, then it just vanishes as an issue between them and they never discuss it again, until he miraculously comes up with the perfect solution at the last minute to save the library and build the hotel. It just seemed too pat, and I wasn't buying it. Also, they never really tell you what the resolution to Terry's career dilemma was. They imply that he turned down the big promotion that would have taken him away to San Francisco, but what actually happened to him? Did he quit the company? Get another job in the small town? We never find out. We don't even find out if Terry and Carol got married. They just show them kissing at the end after a year, with family around and a new house. There's no real resolution. All in all, kind of a disappointment of a movie.