The gooey feeling bestowed
by Looks Like Christmas helps me through the next offering, 2014’s chronically unfeasible Christmas at Cartwright’s. This one stars Alicia Witt as desperate single mother (I’m sensing a trend here) Nicky who takes a job as a department store (male) Santa at the fictional Cartwright’s, where she meets the love of her life. It feels progressive to see a film with a female Santa that doesn’t make too much of a big deal about it. But still, I’m not having it that anyone would fall for this – Witt sounds about as masculine behind that beard as Macho Man Randy Savage sounds feminine. Again, Hallmark ask that we switch our brains off at the door and embrace the corny festive wonder. It’s a big ask.
Director Graeme Campbell’s film is pleasant and it’s nice to see a female character doing her damnedest to make Christmas special for her kid without begging a man for help but it’s all blandly forgettable. Witt is spirited and adorable and raises some laughs, though love interest Gabriel Hogan is just a little too beige.
There’s an interesting subplot about Nicky’s daughter struggling to read, but the film doesn’t do much with it. Also, a revelation involving The Princess Bride’s Wallace Shawn as the store consultant who (SPOILER!!!) turns out to be an angel feels trite and unnecessary,.
The mega happy ending is also a lot to swallow - apparently being a half decent shop Santa for a few days can earn you a fast-track promotion to management and all your co-workers who you have purposely deceived will be cool with this and give you a standing ovation. Then again, this takes place in a world where the awesomeness of a shop Santa will cause a citywide media sensation. Go figure.
I can’t deny that this makes me smile at parts, though it’s the first film to come close to inducing vomit, such is its overwhelming mushiness.
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