Crazy For Christmas/Loving Christmas (2021) -

I didn't like Olivier's smug character Ben at the start of this film, but then Brittany Bristow as Ashley was an honorary cow too.

She was so inflexible and really annoying, whereas he did at least mellow and I did feel that he deserved better, because they were so wrong for each other. She was always so determined to get her own way and sulky when she didn't get it. In general she was very child like. Why is it always the guy that has to make the compromises and apologies?

Ben came across a bit ridiculous, which was a shame because Olivier has normally been attractive and charming. And his Christmas suit and the moment wearing it was a bit extra to say the least.

Most of the supporting cast including Cliff, the Brother (Matt Wells) and the Mum Andrea (Nancy Palk) and Dad Stephen (Jonathan Whittaker) were a bit much too, like the background music, which was a bit invasive at times as well.

There was also a snowball fight that was so contrived and sickening it cheapened things further.

Ashley obviously overreacted when she didn't get what she really wanted and don't people have to give notice anymore?

There were a lot of obvious forced plot points and lots of flaws with how a shop runs too, that even someone who's never worked in retail could probably spot.

And the fact that they let her carry on thinking the worst was stupid and cruel too.

In the end I actually thought that Ben would have been better with Andie (Tara Joshi), the best friend character anyway and Cliff would have worked as Ashley's opposite. Perhaps if this had been the case, the film might have been more enjoyable and better connected, but even with Olivier looking so fricking gorgeous, this one just didn't impress me much.

It had been done before and better, but yet there is still room for it to be done properly and that's where this production missed the trick. If you have to start the story in January to get the chronology and reality more accurate, do it, the audience won't care as long as it ends with a Christmassy snog under the mistletoe and hot chocolate in front of the tree on or around the big day.

5.33/10.