Christmas at Cartwright's (2014) Reviews

• Another fine Hallmark Christmas movie

  utgard142015-11-10

  Enjoyable Hallmark movie starring Alicia Witt as an unemployed single mom who, through a series of events, gets a job as a department store Santa without anyone at the store actually knowing she's not a 'he.' Helping her along the way is angel (I think?) Wallace Shawn. Other characters include the adorable daughter struggling at school, the wealthy (but bland) love interest, and the villainous woman who causes problems for our heroine every five minutes. It's hardly a Miracle on 34th Street but it'll get the job done. Alicia Witt is immensely likable and carries the movie on her shoulders. Wallace Shawn is fun whenever he's around. Gabrielle Miller makes for an easy-to-hate villainess. T.J. McGibbon plays the daughter and steals every scene she's in. Gabriel Hogan is the weakest part of the cast as the completely forgettable love interest. He's the usual Hallmark clichéd rich guy that every woman is apparently aspiring to marry. He's also unexciting in every possible way. I think Alicia's character can do better but I didn't write the movie. It's worth a look if you enjoy these sorts of things. It won't rock your world or anything but it's a good way to pass the time.

• wonderful movie, lovable cast

  rireland-198-2653972014-12-28

  This is a great film. I especially liked the actress playing Nicky. She seemed believable yet magical. Angel stories are always great and this one did not disappoint. The little girl was cute without being precocious. I liked how everyone at Cartwright' s loved Santa Nick, except the evil Fiona. It was fun to see Gabrielle Miller play a baddie after seeing her as the nice, but insecure Lacey on Corner Gas. Hallmark has the best films! I also applaud Patricia Heaton for producing this sweet movie. The store sets were really beautiful.The only thing that puzzled me was 2 stories that Bill told to Nicky. One concerned questioning his father about Santa and in the other he mentions being raised by a single mom...what happened to his dad? That was the only inconsistency I spotted. But otherwise I recommend this film.

• Another Christmas Winner!

  jwayne_242015-07-12

  Once again, Alicia Witt makes a great Hallmark Christmas film, this time playing Nicky, a single mom who loses her job right before Christmas. By a stroke of magic, she becomes the Santa at Cartwright's department store, thanks to Harry, the Christmas consultant, who may or may not be who he seems. Nicky also begins to fall for Bill, head of the men's department, but he doesn't know she is Santa. He asks her out, but she gets nervous and leaves halfway through. Eventually, through the scheming of Fiona, special events head who likes Bill, Nicky is exposed and fired. Thanks to a little bit of faith, "Christmas magic", and forgiveness, Nicky gets an even better job at Cartwright's and a second chance with Bill. What's more, her daughter, through a lot of practice, has improved her reading and reads the Night Before Christmas to Bill and Nicky to end the movie. Thoroughly enjoyable and a movie to definitely re-watch this season!

• Miss Noel (tv)

  leplatypus2015-12-25

  I didn't planned it but it's great to write this review on Christmas day! So far i failed all my Christmas time : All along December month, i would like to decorate my home, have a advent calendar, share sweets with my friends, write greetings cards, read moving stories about this holiday and watch the best movies about it near a warm fire and sipping infusion! At the end, i usually have fun just for Christmas day. This year it's a bit the same … until checking TV programs and noticing that there are a lot of Christmas TV movies.. When i see this one had Alicia, i was just really motivated to see it ! Alicia is among the rare artist I knew as a kid (see Dune, Twin Peaks) and now she is a lovely, fun, caring young woman who plays with the best (Pacino, Bullock). In a way, you can feel that it's movie for TV as the action happens in sets : there's not a lot of outdoor sequence in lovely Chicago so we have a Christmas movie nearly without snow.. But except this, this a wonderful, family movie : Alicia is really good being a single mother and showing courage and efforts to support her family ! She is kind, polite, generous, wonderfully dressed and always smiling even if things turn bad. Sure the story can be guessed since the start but that's what I want : Christmas magic, romance, happiness and not more politics, violence, money, guns, nudity, hysteric, crazy people… Her daughter is totally sweet and as i have always like malls, this movie was really a great gift for me !

• Okay Time Killer

  Christmas-Reviewer2016-10-31

  BEWARE OF FALSE REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW TO THEIR NAME. NOW WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE FILM. IF ITS A NEGATIVE REVIEW THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST THE FILM . NOW I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 200 HOLIDAY FILMS. I HAVE NO AGENDA. I AM HONEST! "Christmas at Cartwright's" is a 2014 American-Canadian romance television film directed by Graeme Campbell and starring Alicia Witt, Gabriel Hogan and Wallace Shawn Written by Margaret Oberman, the film is about a single mom who gets a holiday job as a department store Santa to pay her rent. Now I don't mind if a film goes into uncharted territory but this film doesn't. The filmmakers think the fact the idea that "Santa" is being played by a woman is "Shocking". I think the filmmakers should of re-thought this project. I think the film should of focused on "Santa" giving advise to the men who work at the store. Complications happen when her ex-husband starts working at the store along side her new boyfriend. Disguised as "Santa" she sees both of these men in a new light. She learns why her ex-husband left her and why he is behind in child support. She sees that her current boyfriend isn't perfect but also see's that a female co-worker is out to steal her boyfriend. That would of made a more interesting film.