This could have been a good movie, but the actors' direction is so bad that the movie losses it credibility. Many times, we hear the baby crying while she is not.
Monica Knox is good though, but Michael Morrone is very bad.
15 Reviews
The story was there, but execution lacked
crosemnnc25 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The female lead was tolerable, but as a child services advocate, caring for a baby should have been more natural. The male lead read his lines moments before saying them, had to it was so unnatural. The 16 year old had the best acting skills. But the writing...... Who just walks up to someone and hands them a baby. I fast forwarded through lots of this movie.
Loved the Plot
rigingerf26 December 2021
Monica Knox's acting is up to par, but Michael Morrone's is not. I think with a little more experience, he will be there. The plot is one I really anticipated, so I am looking forward to similar, unique stories in the future.
Watch Only as a Last Resort
FridayGal27 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
After watching almost half this movie, I had to stop. I was hooked enough to want to FF to the end, but I didn't want to waste anymore time on it. Things seemed illogical (aka ridiculous) to me: how could a CPS officer not know how to change a baby's diaper, especially if she's had cases with babies before? Why would a cop say that legally he could not question an underage suspect without parents present & then do so? I felt filming this movie was rushed; the story had such possibilities. I also felt the actors weren't given specific direction on how their characters should respond to the actions in certain scenes. I did like the female police supervisor & the preacher. His response was great when the Christmas Day service was interrupted.
Please Don't Waste Your Time
gambles-221 November 2020
I'm taking my time to strongly urge that you don't waste yours on this movie. The storyline is very thin. While it could have been flushed out with better writing, nothing can fix the abysmal acting and lack of chemistry. I've watched hundreds of holiday movies, and I'm hard pressed to think of many that are this poor!
The story sounded like it had promise. A baby is suddenly left in a manger during a church production. It is unrealistic and goes down hill from that point on as they argue over jurisdiction though NOTHING that happens is based on real procedure.
I saw this movie on the network UP which often has good, unique movies. Sadly this is not one of them. With so many holiday movies to choose from each season there is simply no reason to waste your precious time on this one.
The story sounded like it had promise. A baby is suddenly left in a manger during a church production. It is unrealistic and goes down hill from that point on as they argue over jurisdiction though NOTHING that happens is based on real procedure.
I saw this movie on the network UP which often has good, unique movies. Sadly this is not one of them. With so many holiday movies to choose from each season there is simply no reason to waste your precious time on this one.
Probably the worst Christmas movie ever produced
terriew-0951921 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
The actor playing the cop is the WORST actor ever. He was stiff, and did nothing but yell his lines. And WTH with charging a 16 year old who was literally left at a diner with child endangerment? Is that a thing? I have never reviewed a movie before, but this one was just so awful.
Missed the mark
moviereviewer9927 December 2019
This could have been a good movie, but the script, directing and acting was REALLY bad.
Monica Knox is a GREAT actress, but Michael Morrone is NOT!
Monica has the emotions down, but Michael sounded like he was reading from a script, not memory.
Monica Knox is a GREAT actress, but Michael Morrone is NOT!
Monica has the emotions down, but Michael sounded like he was reading from a script, not memory.
A Christmas baby
TheLittleSongbird1 February 2022
My Christmas film viewings over-time have been a very mixed bag. With some surprisingly good hits, where regardless of how predictable they are succeed in being full of charm, warmth and heart so succeeding in being light-hearted and undemanding fun. But also some quite big misses, where the characters are not likeable, everything is forced and shallow with implausibility too in some of the worst cases, the acting and writing being weak and basically with just nothing to them.
Have seen worse Christmas films, but 'Baby in a Manger' really isn't good. Not irredeemably awful, but there are a lot of things wrong with it and when anything is bad goodness isn't it bad. It didn't entertain me. It didn't charm me. It didn't warm my heart. And it didn't move me. Actually found myself annoyed throughout, one of only two feelings felt throughout (the other being boredom), and it takes a lot for me to feel those when watching a film or anything for that matter. Especially now.
It has a few plus points. Monica Rodriguez Knox is appealing and a natural presence. The baby is adorable.
Did think it looked decent in parts in namely the scenery.
However, this is all outweighed by the bad things. Absolutely agree with those panning Michael Morrone, who is on stiff autopilot throughout with yawn-worthy line delivery. One of the worst male lead performances seen in recent memory. Didn't detect any chemistry between him and Knox, they look awkward together and their constant bickering got repetitive and overdone. The supporting cast are forgettable at best and at worst annoying in a film full of one-dimensional caricatures passing off as characters. The filming too often is drab and the editing is very carelessly slapped together.
While the music is not too awful on its own, how it's used is. Overused and often out of place, tending to intrude too. The dialogue has more cheese than the cheesiest of cheeseburgers and even fruit sherberts don't have this amount of cloying sugar. The direction is routine at best. The story is dull and unrealistically contrived as well as excessively predictable, no charm, heart or joy at all.
Concluding, not good at all and at its worst very bad. 3/10.
Have seen worse Christmas films, but 'Baby in a Manger' really isn't good. Not irredeemably awful, but there are a lot of things wrong with it and when anything is bad goodness isn't it bad. It didn't entertain me. It didn't charm me. It didn't warm my heart. And it didn't move me. Actually found myself annoyed throughout, one of only two feelings felt throughout (the other being boredom), and it takes a lot for me to feel those when watching a film or anything for that matter. Especially now.
It has a few plus points. Monica Rodriguez Knox is appealing and a natural presence. The baby is adorable.
Did think it looked decent in parts in namely the scenery.
However, this is all outweighed by the bad things. Absolutely agree with those panning Michael Morrone, who is on stiff autopilot throughout with yawn-worthy line delivery. One of the worst male lead performances seen in recent memory. Didn't detect any chemistry between him and Knox, they look awkward together and their constant bickering got repetitive and overdone. The supporting cast are forgettable at best and at worst annoying in a film full of one-dimensional caricatures passing off as characters. The filming too often is drab and the editing is very carelessly slapped together.
While the music is not too awful on its own, how it's used is. Overused and often out of place, tending to intrude too. The dialogue has more cheese than the cheesiest of cheeseburgers and even fruit sherberts don't have this amount of cloying sugar. The direction is routine at best. The story is dull and unrealistically contrived as well as excessively predictable, no charm, heart or joy at all.
Concluding, not good at all and at its worst very bad. 3/10.
Great values
pollyebeel29 January 2021
Storyline and other good performances lost due to brutal lead acting
UTR12 July 2020
This movie has the worst acting by a male lead, Morton's, that I have ever seen. Unfortunately due to his poor acting it overshadows everything else and that is all you think about during the movie. I was going to stop it 10 mins in, but I let it play thinking surely that must have just been a bad scene and must get better, but his acting actually got worse. Now the blame is not 100% his, how did the casting, director and all the other roles involved not pick this up. Not for a split second did I at any stage feel engaged with the movie. People watch movies to be taken on a story, and the skills of the acting and direction / producing make you for that hour believe and feel captivated, unfortunately the bad acting of 1 member made it impossible to connect on any level with the story. This is unfortunate as the other actors were very good.
Those giving this movie a 9 or 10 are definitely linked to it to improve the ratings
Could have been good
Jackbv1233 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The general idea of the story was pretty good and not like 1,000 other Christmas movies on TV for as much as 9 whole weeks. There are a couple of problems with the story that are tied in closely with Michael Morrone's performance. The character of Brock was far too bitter (acting) and any police chief with any sense at all would have taken him off the case (story).
Many of these Christmas romance movies seem like they are required to have the two leads go at each other negatively at the beginning. In this case it was over done, and again, both of their supervisors should have had them suspended without pay for the way they acted, especially Brock. But Brock doesn't let it go after that. It keeps coming up and again, he should have been suspended for his behavior. Traci's story could not have been more sympathetic and yet Brock's approach would result in yet another baby going into the system while her mother attended Crime U in prison or juvie. Two children's lives ruined. On the other hand, we could have been shown Brock's pain and not been quite so ridiculous about it. The story would have been so much more enjoyable.
Other parts of the story are so attractive. Allison's moment with her mother was great. Allison and Brock trying to take care of the baby was both funny and sweet. Brock's moments with the priest were too little too late, but could have been tender moments as well.
What about the romance? There could have been chemistry, but the amount of time they were getting along was really too short. Which leads to the question - how could Allison fall in love, much less even stand Brock? The thought is ludicrous given their confrontations after Traci appears. Once again - the story could have been much better. Instead of Brock having vindictive rage, play it much softer and the pieces fall together making much more sense.
Most of the rest of the acting was fair to decent. Monica Rodriguez Knox was surprisingly good but she clearly doesn't have a deep wealth of film experience. Most of the key actors have short credits. I never heard of the production company - it appears to be a one timer.
I saw this on UpTV so I will make a comment about religion. The movie begins with a fairly complete telling of the Nativity. You might have expected some proselytizing, but any preaching that came later was less about God and more about being good to your neighbor.
I really believe this could have been an 8 to 9 star movie but as is it was barely tolerable. Give it a middle rating with points for potential.
Many of these Christmas romance movies seem like they are required to have the two leads go at each other negatively at the beginning. In this case it was over done, and again, both of their supervisors should have had them suspended without pay for the way they acted, especially Brock. But Brock doesn't let it go after that. It keeps coming up and again, he should have been suspended for his behavior. Traci's story could not have been more sympathetic and yet Brock's approach would result in yet another baby going into the system while her mother attended Crime U in prison or juvie. Two children's lives ruined. On the other hand, we could have been shown Brock's pain and not been quite so ridiculous about it. The story would have been so much more enjoyable.
Other parts of the story are so attractive. Allison's moment with her mother was great. Allison and Brock trying to take care of the baby was both funny and sweet. Brock's moments with the priest were too little too late, but could have been tender moments as well.
What about the romance? There could have been chemistry, but the amount of time they were getting along was really too short. Which leads to the question - how could Allison fall in love, much less even stand Brock? The thought is ludicrous given their confrontations after Traci appears. Once again - the story could have been much better. Instead of Brock having vindictive rage, play it much softer and the pieces fall together making much more sense.
Most of the rest of the acting was fair to decent. Monica Rodriguez Knox was surprisingly good but she clearly doesn't have a deep wealth of film experience. Most of the key actors have short credits. I never heard of the production company - it appears to be a one timer.
I saw this on UpTV so I will make a comment about religion. The movie begins with a fairly complete telling of the Nativity. You might have expected some proselytizing, but any preaching that came later was less about God and more about being good to your neighbor.
I really believe this could have been an 8 to 9 star movie but as is it was barely tolerable. Give it a middle rating with points for potential.
I wanted to like it
dawalker-5432021 May 2022
Monica Knox was good and likable. Michael more one was neither. The direction and editing was terrible. The timing made everyone look worse than they really were. This story could be remade and been great. Mostly amateurish from start to finish. The best acting in it was Kaylin Turner.
Badly acted movie, dont waste your time!!!
mommadooz10 November 2023
The concept could have been great!!!! But, incomplete story line coupled with very poor acting, a very unattractive female lead led to this being a terribly boring, dull and dragging story line.....its like they were just in a hurry to throw something together and it didn't matter if it was any good or not......For a story that should have been full of emotion, it really was dead......the only part I enjoyed was the ending....,the following Christmas, they are now a family, the homely actress has a baby on the way but thankfully has no lines and just family members arriving to their house......the ending was okay...long time dragging.....don't show this movie again......unless they redo it......with some acting and a much better looking female lead and a better chief.......and more EMOTION!!!
Christmas Comedy Mystery Drama - Family Friendly
SunnyDaise9 December 2019
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