As gimmicky Christmas movies go, this one floats along without too much sentimentality. Gail O'Grady plays a widow with a young son who wishes for a toy company to find her a new husband for Christmas. She looks younger in this movie than she ever did as the mom on
American Dreams, and she plays her role with honesty. Her leading men--love interest Robert Mailhouse and adolescent son Jimmy Jax Pinchak (soon to be seen as Peter Wiggin in
Ender's Game)--also absorb the demands of their roles with dignity, leaving little room for annoyance. The problem is how these actors are subjected to the intense flaws of the storyline. I'll admit I skipped the scenes featuring a money hungry toy executive who plays his role like the villain in a Power Rangers episode. And although the movie attempts to explain why she agrees to marry the so-so son of the evil toy exec after only knowing him for a few weeks, it's entirely unbelievable that she would make that choice because her character has her head so firmly on her shoulders aside from that erratic decision. I enjoyed this movie fine, and I have no qualms in recommending it, but I probably won't watch it again next year.
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