Donna D
I like this movie very much: the characters, scenery, acting. The story had some glaring issues, clearly not written by anyone with crafter/maker experience. As a crafter myself, I found it unbelievable that Heidi would leave her booth unattended most of the time. Agree with another reviewer that, after years of trying to get in the winter market, she would ship her treasures on the cheap, nor would she not want to connect with any shoppers. Though, standing in a booth for the whole movie would not have been much of a story. Loved her interaction with the host family and the evolution (albeit quick) of her relationship with the son.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/04/25
Full Review
SkyRo P
"The Heidelberg Holiday" is a Hallmark movie I recently watched on Netflix.
While I didn't particularly enjoy the film, I can acknowledge that it has a coherent storyline and effectively develops the relationship between Lucas and Heidi, showing how their friendship evolves into romance. I appreciate that the film takes its time to build this connection rather than forcing viewers to root for the couple without context.
However, the overall narrative felt underwhelming to me. I suspect that many fans of the genre might not share my sentiments, as love stories, especially those from Hallmark, often have a built-in audience, even if they're not always well-executed. The plot revolves around an ornament maker traveling abroad to sell her hand-painted Christmas ornaments, which I found lacking in quality. To make matters worse, the ornaments break and are repurposed into mosaics using what appeared to be thick glass or rocks—far from the delicate glass one would expect from Christmas ornaments. This inconsistency pulled me out of the story.
The character of the grandmother—or whoever she was—who didn’t initially accompany Heidi but magically appears at the end felt flat and uninteresting. The gift she presented, intended to connect Heidi to her family’s heritage, had potential, but the execution was disappointing; it looked like something from a dollar store. A little more effort in the production design could have elevated the film.
Throughout the movie, Heidi expresses her dream of showcasing her crafts in her family's ancestral country, which is a charming idea. Yet, instead of focusing on her booth, she spends most of her time acting lovey-dovey. The attempt to portray a laid-back selling approach felt unrealistic; at a Christmas market, most customers want to hear the artisan's story and meet the creator, not just scan a QR code. As someone who sells crafts, I know firsthand how important that personal connection is.
In summary, I found "The Heidelberg Holiday" to be lacking in depth and creativity. The writing felt lazy, and the lead actress, Heidi, seemed disconnected from the Hallmark brand. Rather than embodying the classic Hallmark charm, she came across as a character from a low-budget soap opera, thrown into the film without much thought. While I respect the hard work of all actors, I believe that if someone cannot fully embrace their role, they should consider stepping aside for someone who can.
Rated 1/5 Stars •
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
12/30/24
Full Review
Jennifer K
I liked the storyline and most of the characters, but the main female character is detestable, which overpowered my enjoyment of the film and other cast.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
12/24/24
Full Review
Alexanne B
Yes this is a Hallmark Christmas movie, and wouldn't it be awfully hard to make a Christmas rom-com unpredictable? So you sorta know what's coming, but the characters are just good regular people, and one thing that isn't here is any annoying initial dislike for each other on the part of the main characters. The relationship comes across as believable and sweet. The scenery is gorgeous, the actors do a good job. A nice little movie.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
12/10/24
Full Review
Melissa H
So sappy and so drawn out. I swear half the movies was music montages. I usually like Hallmark and Hallmark-type moves but this one was terrible.
Rated 1/5 Stars •
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
12/08/24
Full Review
Nancy M
I liked this movie much more than I thought I would. While it's still a Hallmark Christmas movie, the writing seemed intelligent and the acting was sincere and not predictable. It may be my new Christmas to watch every year.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
12/05/24
Full Review
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