The Countdown has finally arrived and I could not be more excited if I tried! To kick off the next two months of Christmas movies, Jingle Bell Bride takes the prize as Hallmark’s debut for the Countdown to Christmas films of 2020. Starring Julie Gonzalo and Ronnie Rowe Jr. (my new Hallmark Hunk crush), this film follows Jessica (Gonzalo), a wedding planner who must travel to a town in Alaska to track down a special flower, known as the Jingle Bell flower, for a client. It is there that she meets Matt Holden, whose family grows the special flower. After missing her flight back to New York, Jessica finds herself stuck and possibly (most definitely) falling for Matt.
I’ve always been a fan of Julie Gonzalo. Not only is she in one of my FAVORITE Christmas films ever (Christmas with the Kranks), but I’ve continued to keep up with her films since I was young, starting with Freaky Friday all the way up to her Hallmark classics. With this new one, Gonzalo and Rowe Jr. do their best with a so-so storyline. Don’t get me wrong, I totally loved watching Matt and Jessica fall in love, but as a whole, the film felt like it was more about a wedding in winter rather than a proper Christmas movie. I think this movie might’ve fit better in Hallmark’s Winter Fest lineup, but who knows? Even though there were a lot of Christmas events involved, one being the Jingle Bell Ball, this movie didn’t get as much “Christmas” attention as I would’ve wanted. Nevertheless, while I tuned into this film for Christmas, I stayed to see how Matt and Jessica's love story would end, which is what counts in the end, right?
I have to say that although Gonzalo and Rowe Jr. hold their own, it’s BJ Harrison and Keenan Mentzos who really steals the show as Aunt Mary and Landon, respectively. Mary encompasses who I hope to be when I’m a parent or aunt. She bakes treats for everybody and is beloved by the whole town, probably because she treats everyone like family. Landon, on the other hand, is just the cutest kid. Whether it’s him learning a song on the piano or decorating the Christmas tree with his family, he lights up the screen every time you see him.
While Jingle Bell Bride wasn’t my favorite of the first of the four Christmas films that debuted this past weekend, it certainly the worst I’ve seen. With a sweet love story, plenty of snow, and plenty of jingle bell enthusiasm to go around, this film has some merit to it. It may not make my list of movies to watch on Christmas Eve but this will certainly not be the last time I see Jingle Bell Bride.
What did you think of Jingle Bell Bride? Let me know in the comments below!
***I do not own this photo.
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