Expectations were admittedly not huge for 'Jingle Around the Clock'. Nor were they rock bottom low. The story did not sound very exciting, but Hallmark have proved more than once that they can do Christmas films that are actually above decent. A primary example being one of their best (Christmas and overall) 'Once Upon a Christmas Miracle', also from 2018, that was seen just before seeing this that stood out for its relatability and that it tried to do something different.
Something that 'Jingle Around the Clock' didn't really do. It was fairly typical Christmas Hallmark, though it was mostly related to the characters' work with Christmas being the backdrop, with some very recognisable plot tropes of theirs executed in a familiar fashion. Is 'Jingle Around the Clock' bad? No it isn't, with it improving once one attempts to get past the bail-worthy early portions. For me though, my feelings were somewhat mixed with some good (which generally were very done) and some bad (the worst of which very bad).
'Jingle Around the Clock' does have good things. Well of course it must do, otherwise my rating would be lower. The production values are quite nice, especially the scenery. There are some nice light-hearted and heart-warming moments when the film improves, namely down to the chemistry between the two leads. Which was on the most part very genuine and really liked how they were understanding and supportive of each other while not developing too fast. It was actually their chemistry that helped improve the film when it picked up.
Brooke Nevin and Michael Cassidy's performances also help quite a bit, with Nevin especially (a strong contender for the best thing about the film) being an absolute charmer as a lead character actually worth relating to with no exaggerated negative character traits or mannerisms. The supporting cast are solid.
However, the script could have been so much better. It is not a strong suit in a lot of Hallmark Christmas films, but this was a case of some of the dialogue being laughably bad in the early portions but even after the film picks up there were too many moments where it was still rather flat and lacked tension and emotion. The story is far too slight, to the point of being very uneventful, in the early portions, and it's all too predictable and contrived throughout.
Found the music too often lacking in subtlety and melodically quite forgettable. The pacing was generally off, with a real tendency to lag. Badly so in the first third or so, while the ending was typically rushed and pat. There is very little tension and the moments of charm and heart are not enough.
Concluding, very mixed on this film. 5/10