Christmas in Rome

I was channel surfing and came upon this horror. Obviously shot mostly in LA, it had all the horrors of a Hallmark channel movie. Horrible script, Horrible acting, just for starters. It's sad to see Franco Nero reduced to this.

Not quite as cringey as the average Hallmark Christmas movie. Predictable and cheesy, yes, but also with better acting and actual friendship developing between the characters before the romance. I did miss a bit of romantic spark between the main characters, though. Their friendship had spark, but the romance became a little...rational instead of emotional. The cast was definitely better than average, and I liked the details about Rome. I have no idea if they were accurate, and there may have been some stereotypes I know nothing about, but as a foreigner I found the depiction of Rome really enjoyable. Hated the horse and carriage scene. That was the most cringeworthy moment of the entire movie. All in all, I found this to be one of the better cheesy Christmas movies in a long time.

Ahhhhh .... another notch in the string of Lacey Chabert Christmas themed romances blossoms. Just what we need every year at least twice eh? My header comment is based on how silly Lacey Chabert looked playing a tour guide in Rome, Italy named Angela de Luca who can seemingly get by financially providing a private tour to one young executive named Oliver Martin (Sam Page) who is trying to close a deal with an Italian businessman named Luigi Forlinghetti (Franco Nero). Angela and her client Oliver are seen walking up and down the hilly streets of Rome Italy wearing coats that are always wide opened, and her wearing 3 inch high heel boots instead of running shoes. If you can get by these two phoney Americans looking totally out of place as if they own the city of Rome and no one is around them doing business or just living in the bustling city of Rome, then maybe the premise of this film will inspire you to also find romance in Rome whilst making a magical fruit cake just like Lacey and Oliver did. I give it a 6 out of 10 IMDB rating for some level of originality and of course for the beautiful scenic views of Rome, Italy, although some of this picture was filmed in Bucharest, Romania of all places which has some beautiful castles and panoramic views as well. Typical of some Americans not knowing what country there in.

Excellent pacing, international location, no boring snowball fights, and actual good acting. This is a more realistic drama than Hallmark's usual formulaic fare that is becoming sickenly trite. I'm not impressed that everyone always falls madly in love within a few days of meeting each other, but the fact that Angela is able to turn Oliver's head, teach him Italian, and introduce him to the secrets of Rome was quite remarkable. This movie showed all the actors' skills in the best light. Different aspects of the film made everyone in our family happy--tradition, magic, Christmas, romance, and travel. Nicely done. Bravo, Hallmark!.

The backdrop of Rome was wonderful. The sights and sounds of Italy at Christmas time was beautiful. Angela and Oliver are a lovely couple that have an "Italian Cupid" to make things right. I was impressed by Angela's strength of character and ready to make her way in the world. Sam Page's and Lacey Chabert's acting was above average which made the movie so enjoyable. Very merry Christmas movie. Enjoy.

Hallmark regulars Sam Page and Lacey Chabert play a businessman visiting Rome and and a tour guide living in Rome respectively. Watching them walk through Rome is reason enough to pick this one over some other Christmas movies. But it looks like they filmed in warmer weather than Christmas time. She is a bit over chatty in her usual way. Things get a bit boring with setting up her tour business and his business deal. Not a must watch but the travelogue is more convincing than the romance. At least moving to Rome isn't as bad as the usual give up everything for a small town.

Christmas in Rome is a wonderful Hallmark Christmas movie, and it's remarkable in one very important aspect: nothing about it is corny. I don't think you'll find another movie like it during their entire holiday lineup. From start to finish, the movie is completely realistic. You will not cringe, you will not roll your eyes, and you will not get a cavity. What are you waiting for? Lacey Chabert is an American tour guide in Rome who's passionate about her job and her surroundings. She goes beyond seeing the sights; she shows the heart and soul of the city. Sam Page is a slick businessman sent to Rome to buy up an Italian factory before Christmas. He has neither a clue nor an interest in Italian culture or business customs, but after a chance meeting with Lacey, she gives him a couple of tips that prove quite fruitful. To help him close his deal, he hires her to be his personal tour guide and help him woo the factory owner, Franco Nero. One of the reasons I love this movie is the deep connection Lacey and Sam grow to have. There's no love-at-first-sight, and it's very clear he's paying for her professional services instead of demeaning her or using the situation as a pick-up line. Instead, her intelligence, kindness, and passion are on full display as his tour guide. She's absolutely delightful; it's no wonder he falls for her! For Lacey, she's not hooked into an attraction based on merely trying to get a grumpy opposing force appreciate the spirit of Christmas. In many respects, this isn't really a Christmas movie, since she instills in him the spirit of Rome rather than the December holiday. Instead, she's drawn to his appreciation for her many qualities as well as his belief and tangible support in her ability to succeed in her professional goals. This is not a shallow, silly romance. When they share their feelings, you believe them and that they have what it takes to make it work. Another reason I love this movie is it really captures a love of Rome. Filmed on location, it shows audiences famous sights as well as hidden nooks, and it educates them on the language and customs. Lacey has Italian roots, and as a fellow Sicilian, I appreciated her accent and her obvious love for her surroundings. I don't know if Sam is also part-Italian, but I've dubbed him "Hallmark's Marlon Brando"-the young, cute MB from the early '50s-he certainly looks like he is. With Franco Nero in the cast, as well as several Italian supporting cast members, this feels like a very authentic movie. You've got to check it out. It just might become your favorite Hallmark.