Next day, I crack on with the big Christmas clear-up. I’m looking for more movie magic to shake off my post-holiday blues. 2016’s Looks Like Christmas is notable in that it stars Anne Heche, she of 90s mega-hits Volcano, Donnie Brasco, Six Days, Seven Nights and more. It's weird to witness someone whose star once shone so bright being reduced to appearing in a Hallmark TV movie, but then actors have to pay the bills.
Here, Heche’s star power seriously elevates a pretty standard tale of small-town opposites-attract romance. She’s the inventively nicknamed “Christmas” Carol, a scarily obsessive single mom who eats, sleeps and breathes the holidays, but who – uh oh – has to compromise when a handsome new guy rolls into town and challenges her beliefs and threatens to steal her heart.
Heche gives Carol real depth as a woman adrift, grieving the death of her husband and throwing herself into festive volunteering work so she doesn’t have time to let anyone in.
TV movie stalwart Dylan Neal is rugged love interest Terry who steamrolls into town and makes Carol’s life difficult by disagreeing with the way she does everything. Terry still somehow remains charming, even when cutting Carol off at an intersection and causing her Christmas tree to fly off the car roof and be totally destroyed. Cue much squabbling and simmering sexual tension.
The multiplex’s loss is the small screen’s gain, as Heche still totally shines. She’s sassy, she’s moving, she may be stuck in telly movie purgatory, but she’s ace. I’m learning that these films are forgettable, but that utilising the right cast can work wonders. I do not mind watching this at all and it leaves me with a weird gooey feeling inside. ..
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