Can We Please Just Wrap This Up?

In looking at the previews for this one, I was very much afraid that this was going to be an example of one of my Hallmark pet peeves, which I call Bad Business. The movie is based on four young (ish) women who run a “year-round” “gift wrapping” business. This didn’t seem to me to be a viable venture. But as it turns out, the business is not in trouble, at least so far (there are 3 more weeks to go-it’s a series.) In fact, it is quite successful. Could this be the miracle in Tina’s Miracle? The women are aware of concepts such as “publicity”, “marketing”, they use “technology”, and have “merchandise”. They also have developed some alternative income streams such as helping customers choose appropriate gifts (hopefully they usually charge for this), and as we learn later, they design and manufacture custom gift paper. This last one by means of a magic copy machine/transmogrifier which was so cool, I can’t snark at it. It is on such solid footing as a business that they are hosting the annual Christmas Gala at the largest charity gala of the year. So this movie was not good, but not because of “Bad Business.”

The crux of the plot is that they have lost their venue, Alford House, due to the property being sold and the new owner not wanting to have any more events scheduled because of insurance and lawyers. The venue is a historical mansion and is dear to the heart of Tina, the head gift wrapper and the organizer of the gala, and her father, who is the caretaker of the beautiful old home. In one of the first scenes of the movie Tina becomes friendly with a young teen in a gift store and meets her handsome and nice father, Michael Alonzo, the love interest, who seems quite taken with her as well. He is a rich and successful investment firm owner. Coincidently, his company has been the owner of the Alford House for over 80 years, and has taken great care of it. He is the one who has sold the house to the guy who is not letting it be the venue for the gala!

The reason this movie did not work for me was because of the same old tactics Hallmark writers use to stretch out the plot to fill the 88 or so minutes of movie time and create drama: Self-Sabotage, Jumping to Conclusions, Lack of Urgency in accomplishing a goal, and Absurd Happenings that only happen because it’s expedient to the plot. To create romantic and dramatic tension, Tina blames the handsome loving father, Michael, the former owner of the property, who really is only an innocent bystander. They never approach the de facto owner and decision maker (they have not closed yet, but all of the contracts between the two corporate heads have been agreed and signed off on.) She labels Michael a heartless “snake” and greedy corporate “tyrant” based on inaccurate gossip that only tells half the story and hearing a few snatches of his end of a phone conversation. (Jumping to Conclusions.) She has a chance to talk to him when he brings his daughter to her gift wrapping shop but is rude and cold to him instead of using a charm offensive to try to win him over to her side and use his influence. She has a second chance because he asks for her help in buying a gift. They agree to meet the next day, but once again, she is rude and walks off (Self Sabotage and Lack of Urgency, also, Very Dumb). With the urgent deadline quickly approaching (all of the supporting venders are threatening to pull out) and blowing her chance to talk to him twice, she actually gets a third chance because he is so nice and accommodating. She meets him at Alford House with her father and despite her continuing prickly behavior he and her father bond over wainscotting. Michael calmly explains the facts of the matter to her that have been self-evident the whole time, and she finally gets hit with a burst of rationality. He agrees to do what he can to help her. It turns out that Michael thought the house was going to be preserved but the new owner lied to him about his plans and it is going to be torn down. Even though his character has been salvaged and she has won the powerful businessman’s agreement to help, she has to be talked into having a friendly dinner with him and his daughter. Tina, Michael, and his daughter Haley are well on the way to becoming a happy family when Michael finds out that Tina was involved in a conspiracy to dig up some dirt on him. Oh my.

Not to spoil the plot or anything, but they make up after Tina apologizes. In trying to save the house, they had decided to try to get the house on a historical register, and in the process, find out that Michael’s company never had the right to sell the house in the first place! The house is not only saved, but will be turned into a school for kids with learning disabilities. Michael’s daughter has dyslexia.  There was some other crazy stuff  like Michael trying to buy back the house from the bad owner even though it hadn’t even been closed on yet, and the professional gift wrappers being allowed to compete in a gift wrapping competition against a bunch of amateurs. And the sole judge being the husband of one of the contestants! (Absurd Happenings). Also, it turns out the house  was built 150 years ago by one of Michaels ancestors (which Michael didn’t even know and was another big coincidence (otherwise known as “Fate” in Hallmark World). It was deeded to the community but somehow Michael’s Family’s company bought it anyway 30 or 40 years later. Back from the community? From their own family? We never know. Where were the lawyers when they needed them? But now the community owns it (somehow), and I guess Michael is going to buy it back from them. Again.  

Fresh from his adventures on Machu Picchu last week, I really like Alec Santos who played Michael Alonzo. He is very attractive and I like his acting. Unfortunately, I’ve never warmed to Natalie Hall, who plays Tina. She starred in 3 Hallmarks in 2022 and hasn’t been seen since. I liked her in the last one, which was a Christmas movie, so I was kind of looking forward to seeing her again and hoping that she would build on the good impression she made on me at that time. Nope, not yet.