This movie is lovely to look at. The leads are both gorgeous. There is a lot of eye candy. There is an extremely strong effort to make it clear that family, above all else, is what is important.
Everyone speaks at a moderate pace. Everything can be understood clearly. Conflict (which is all low key) will never include screaming or violence or even a slightly raised voice or eyebrow. It feels like everyone is on Prozac. They might want to get upset or express some passion, but they know that if they do, they will be banished to the cornfield.
"Belinda Sawyer" (the whitest name I've ever heard, portrayed by Emerald Toubia -- certainly one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen -- and definitely not white) is an executive from a company called "Warm Wishes." Warm Wishes inexplicably wants to take over some artistic little store in Santa Fe, run by "Tony Ortega" (the appealing, but limited Mario Lopez) and his sister "Magdalena Ortega" (portrayed by Aimee Garcia -- who had the most depth as an actor in this film). Tony's family (father, sister, niece) don't understand why "Warm Wishes" is interested and does not want to sell the shop -- which had become popular because the late mother created "Mexican Christmas art pieces" that were quite special. But Tony apparently has bigger plans, which is why, it seems, he lied to the family about "Warm Wishes" contacting him; in fact, he contacted them. (I guess he did, because this seemed to be a "big drama" and it was confusing to me what the point of it all was.)
This sort of "drama" goes on a looooong time. Also, Magdalena seems hung up on the fact that she's "not as good as Mom was" -- and the only person to boost her confidence is Belinda, which doesn't really say a lot for the Ortega family.
These are not "story engines," but the film "uses" them as such. The problem is: they aren't engaging. Everything could be resolved in five minutes. But we wouldn't have a movie, would we?
Bringing Belinda and Tony together seems to be the reason this movie exists. That said: I just can't believe that two people as attractive as this would not be without someone in their lives. But, okay, the movie throws them together (at a roller rink!) -- and you can't tell me that "Tony" wasn't thinking about kissing Belinda from the very first second he looked at her. But, because he, like everyone else in this fake world, is also on some dose of Prozac, he has contained his raging passions and their kiss, while hinting at romance, is basically quite chaste.
At any rate, the movie attempts to make a mountain out of a molehill when "Rogers" (the head of "Warm Wishes" wants to take over the "Milagro" name to inexplicably sell junky Mexican Christmas knickknacks. Belinda finds out the morning after her "hot kiss" with Tony, rushes to the Milagro shop to tell Tony, who then accuses her of "not fighting for them."
Helloooo. She found out about 5 seconds before she walked into the store. Also, the "plans" that Tony had (that would incorporate the "best" of Milagro and Warm Wishes) were only presented to Belinda the day before. So... now he's furious that she didn't send them to "Rogers" (who was on holiday and "not accessible") and "fight" for them? Give me a break!
This causes Tony to lose all hot feelings for Belinda and walk out of their scene with as much grace and conviction as a high school actor who knows he's supposed to go back stage after he finishes his lines. It was pathetic.
As the "story" goes on, it starts to skew more toward Magdalena, which is good, because she is the only person in the story that is actually interesting. In fact, the story of Mag and Belinda is a story that might be worth pursuing. Tony is basically eye candy at best.
The movie continues to be about "family" and sacrificing everything for "family." But in this movie, it's just about the "Ortega family" -- and perhaps in their magical world, where no one gets hurt or cries or feels pain, everything "is" about family. But unfortunately, not everyone is as lucky.
There is the requisite "Winter Fest" with lots of wide-eyed extras, the "reconnecting" of the star-crossed lovers after their "big misunderstanding," and Magdalena's big "unveiling" of her art piece, which looks like something from a high school art class at best -- but this seems to generate tons of applause and finally validates Mag in front of the crowd -- who literally sit and watch everyone in the Ortega family hug and kiss and acknowledge each other. It's insane. I mean, literally, the crowd is watching them all congratulate each other on a stage, and all Mags did was unveil her amateurish "tree of life." Then "Mr. Rogers" (was that the only name they could think of?) shows up and decides to follow Belinda's advice and "buy-in" to the Ortega family and their "artwork." Everyone calls him "sir" and he gives a big speech and we're all supposed to jump for joy.
The funny thing is: this is a heavily Latino story. It relies on the Latino belief in family, and there are many Latin cultural references, as well as a number of lines spoken in Spanish. But Mr. Rogers is an old white dude who is apparently rich and not really super concerned about how/where he spends his money. But because he "believes" in Mags and her art, and because he "needs" Tony on the team, he has "saved" Casa Milagro from financial ruin. So, even though Mario Lopez produced this, we are still having some old white man "save" the non-white family. He also orders the town sheriff (or security guard -- hard to tell), who is Latin, to "fire up that jet." So, now we all work for Mr. White Rogers?
And then to close the film, Grandpa says "Art is like life. It's not perfect, but it's always beautiful." Huh? Art is always "beautiful"? Okay.
Oh. I have to mention Belinda's "gay Asian assistant" (because... aren't they all?) "Kevin" (played full out borderline screaming queen by Hank Chen -- and I mean that as a compliment) -- because he was always on the phone with Belinda, getting up in her business and finding out about what was happening between her and Tony.
If you like a hokey, cutsey, high school-esque, slightly sedated "Christmas movie" -- you'll love this one.
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