sonicgeekette Review of Flipping for Christmas

Flipping for Christmas (2023 TV Movie)

I Fast-Forwarded Through Most of This Movie!

[4/10 · 7 January 2024]

I'm sad to say I actually found a Hallmark movie I just couldn't sit through. I generally like most of the actors in this movie, Ashley Newbrough, Marcus Rosner, Natalie Lisinska, and Peter MacNeill, all great actors I've seen in other Hallmark projects, but in this movie I just found them irritating. The chemistry between the leads. Abby and Bo was gritty like sandpaper. I found Bo antagonistic from their very first meeting when he just couldn't tell Abby about the coffee shop owner stepping out for a few minutes. And Ashley Newbrough's performance as a professional constantly on the go just seemed fake. I also wanted to slap Abby's sister Claire when she just couldn't find the right time to tell Abby there was a co-owner in the inherited house, although that part of totally predictable. I made it through to the initial assessment of the house where Abby started going through putting post-it notes on everything that had to go with Bo going behind her and removing all her notes. The way those two squabbled through the house reminded me of middle schoolers that constant bicker over everything, but not in a cute or adoring way. I was going to just exit out of the movie but thought maybe it would get better as it played out, so I fast-forwarded to the middle where they go tree shopping. The snowball fight around the trees seemed forced and fake. When Abby told Bo, "Oh, you're really the outdoor type." about a minute into their snowball fight I wanted to lose my lunch. I just didn't see the fun loving chemistry that's normally in a Hallmark movie between the leads. I fast-forwarded it to the scene where Abby is having a heart to heart with her dad and asking him for business advice because he's always told her you don't quit when you're tired you quit when you're done, but he tells her he was wrong and regrets not taking the time in his meetings to spend with the ones he loves most, speaking of her mother, his late wife, and I thought, okay, here's the Hallmark moment. Abby missed her mother and she's going to see that you need to slow down and enjoy life. But then she goes in and asks her sister for advice saying she's confused after speaking with their dad, and I just wanted to slap the sisters. Fast-forwarded the movie again to the last 9 minutes when Abby saves the day and breaks the deal to buy the house after she accidentally sent the information to her assistant and lead the guy she's supposed to be working for to town to buy the house she's been working on for her sister. Totally predictable ending. However, Bo's still mad at her for almost selling his house and can't stop to listen to her explain what happened. The dialogue between them again feels forced, just feels like they are reading from a script, very mechanical with no emotions. Even the scene with them on the porch under the mistletoe seemed forced, no chemistry, like she only kissed him because she had to but couldn't wait to part lips with him. And how could he kiss her with so much lipstick on? Do yourself a favor, save some time and skip this one. (I never thought I'd say that about a Hallmark movie, ever, but trust me on this one!)