The Christmas Gift (2015) Michelle Trachtenberg, Sterling Sulieman, Rick Fox, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs Movie Review

The Christmas Gift (2015)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Michelle Trachtenberg in The Christmas Gift (2015)

An Okay Gift

When she was just a young girl Megan (Michelle Trachtenberg) received a journal as a "Secret Santa" gift which played a huge part in how her life would play out as many years later she has her dream job of working as a journalist. After her boyfriend dumps her just prior to Christmas as they are too similar and too competitive Megan then loses out to him when their boss Cooper (Rick Fox) gives her recent ex a big assignment over her. Determined to show her boss she can handle the big stories Megan decides to unlock the mystery of who sent her the "Secret Santa" gift all those years earlier and write about them. The question is will her search reap more than she could have ever imagined as she discovers he is a really good guy who works with troubled children.

Sometimes as I watch and review Christmas movies my cynical side starts to come out and it did whilst watching "The Christmas Gift" a Lifetime Network movie. Here is such a by the book movie that after the first 10 minutes you could stop watching the movie and still know how it ends. Recently dumped journalist seeks out who sent her a journal as a "Secret Santa" gift many years earlier, discovers this really nice guy, of course falls for him because he is such a nice guy but of course doesn't tell him her initial motives.

The thing is that the by the book nature of "The Christmas Gift" is not its only problem as it also feels like a factory line movie, one which has been churned out but done with no real feeling by anyone for the story. As such we have Michelle Trachtenberg bringing the same level of likeability she does to many a role but her character is barely there. It is the same else where with Rick Fox delivering that charm and smoothness which he brings to many of his roles. It almost feels like the cast weren't so much directed but told to be themselves.

What this all boils down to is that "The Christmas Gift" did little for me and lacked the heart and soul which the storyline needed to feel more than just another movie. Don't get me wrong as it is still a pleasant movie but that is all it is.

Tags: Christmas Movies, TV Christmas Movies


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