Wonderful character development!

Load of rubbish!!

Best movie of this year hands down!

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

"The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" is one of the better modern Christmas stories put on film. My eight stars may be pushing it a bit because at times the acting seems wooden or hesitant by the two young leads. At other times, especially early on, Brooke Burns as Jennifer Cullen seems to over act, or over react. Maybe it's that so many films focus on the busy-ness of people around the Christmas season that this seems to be wearing thin in the modern run of films. The engagement between Jennifer and Richard, played by Woody Jeffreys, isn't believable. The guy is so intense as a businessman that he doesn't show any affection toward her at all. He doesn't smile one time in this film. Yet she insists several times that "Richard is a good man," etc. It's a real stretch for viewers to think or believe that she could be in love with that guy. The screenplay comes up short in these areas; and the directing should have put some life into Richard. While it may seem a little hokey that Uncle Ralph (played by Henry Winkler) would invite a stranded airline passenger, Morgan Derby (played by Warren Christie) to spend Christmas with his family, it hearkens to a similar situation in the highly popular movie of 1987, "Planes, Trains and Automobiles." Morgan seems a little awkward at first, then uncertain of himself, then a little forward toward Jennifer. Still, this is a good story - and a refreshingly fun film. It owes most of its appeal to Winkler. He is a retired police officer from Brooklyn who is making his annual flight across country to spend the Christmas holidays with his niece and nephew. He meets Morgan in the airport, and Morgan pulls a little caper with Ralph's help to get them checked in at the head of the line, and moved up to first class. On the plane flight out, he tells Morgan that Jennifer is more like a daughter than a niece. And his nephew, Brian, is played beautifully by young Connor Levins. It seems to be a formula for all films in which a single parent child appears, that the child intuits who the right mate should be for his or her mom or dad. Well, it's that way here with Brian taking to Mogan right away and not caring for Richard. But of course, we viewers can see the same thing just in how the characters are presented. The film has some nice touches of humor throughout, especially with a busybody neighbor. Uncle Ralph takes every opportunity to push Morgan toward Jennifer, and to ease her out of her engagement to Richard. Jennifer knows what he's doing, and part of the humor, and warmth, is their interaction. The relationship between Ralph and Jennifer shows a very believable and lovable chemistry between an uncle and a niece. That's one of the strengths of this move. I agree with the reviewer who noted the fight scene with Morgan and the store owner. Playing that for humor detracts from the value of this as a family film. Hallmark tried to make it seem innocuous, but that's sending a message to a child that white lies are OK. Overall, though, this is a Christmas film for adults that one might add to his or her holiday film collection.

My family loves this movie. The acting is smooth and charming, the dialog lively, the plot familiar but still fun, and Henry Winkler gives one of the breeziest performances since Bing Crosby played a priest. Winkler is a good natured retired police officer who visits his uptight niece who happens to be a single mom with a sweet young son and she is engaged to a stuck up business suit. In the cute meet Winkler brings home from the airport a stranger who turns out to be chef, a handyman and a very cute "tall glass of egg nog with a scarf." There is a must have Christmas gift, a running joke about lights and a wreath, and a bit of turkey cooking humor as well as plenty of romance. Ah Christmas. Ah, Bartleby.You will love this movie. Great script for about 45 minutes, then charming and fun the rest of the way. Do yourself a favor and pour yourself some egg nog and sit down with a few ginger snaps and the ones you love. Enjoy.

Christmas-themed romantic comedies seem to be all the rage right now. You can watch about a hundred of these movies every December and the plots are generally the same: attractive single father (or mother) with steady, stable (boring) boyfriend (girlfriend) and cute kid(s) meets seemingly inappropriate man(woman) who works their way into their heart as well as instills the "true" meaning of Christmas. There are a few variations (sometimes Santa gets involved, sometimes there is some kind of magical element). The variation I like the least involves the children doing the matchmaking (Ugh! What child of any age has ANY interest in his or her parent's love life?) What does "The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" offer? Nothing new EXCEPT sharp writing, actual comedy, and Henry Winkler. Yes! Winkler really makes this movie with his funny, warm portrayal of our heroine's interfering uncle Ralph from Brooklyn. This is the first comedy I've seen him in in a long time, and he really does shine in these kinds of pictures.However, Brooke Burns and Warren Christie are also very fun to watch as the mismatched couple. I liked that they didn't make Burns a Scrooge who hates Christmas. She is simply a busy woman who loves her son and wants Christmas to be special. And in her desire to do so, has lost sight of what Christmas should be. And kudos to Connor Christopher Levins who gives a boy with some mature habits (his penchant for organization) some very real childlike desires (his wish to believe in Santa even when logic dictates he shouldn't).The plot moves along very briskly and the movie seems to end all too soon. Would that we could all be neighbors to such warm, funny and attractive people! There's even a good message about how we need to stopping stressing about Christmas.My favorites quote (from Uncle Ralph): "When it comes to life, she's dumber than a bag of barber hair!"

Lovely film. Romantic in the holiday spirit. Characters show development in the film; lessons are learned and there is the happy ending that makes you feel really good! Actors play their roles well and the storyline has a realistic feel even though it is in the "Christmas" genre. Look at how many flights have been canceled this Christmas -- there is nothing unrealistic in expecting this at this time of year when we inevitably have wintry weather over so much of the United States.We need more positive, upbeat films like this. I would recommend "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year to all but the most jaded of viewers.