Chateau Christmas (2020 Hallmark)
Cast: Luke Macfarlane, Merritt Patterson, Darien Martin
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Synopsis (via Hallmark)
Margot, a world-renowned pianist, returns to Chateau Neuhaus to spend the holidays with her family and rediscover her music passion. While there, her ex-boyfriend and former bandmate Jackson convinces her to headline the annual Christmas Concert, and working together brings back all their old feelings.
Thoughts
The movie begins with Margot spoiling her niece with presents while she is busy performing a sold-out piano concert tour. The venue hits a snag when the roof springs a leak. Her tour is canceled, sending Margo home for the holidays. (I think she lives in a hotel or a resort? Oh wait, it is the Chateau. It is literally in the title. Haha. I’m dumb.)
The venue manager, Adam (Jesse Hutch with quarantine hair.), recruits Jackson to help find artists for the Christmas concert. He runs into his ex-girlfriend Margot and realizes that she has to perform in the Chateau’s Christmas concert. Jackson tries to bribe her with hot chocolate with a candy cane straw. Margot agrees with only eight days to put on the show. (Her family is excited to her to give Jackson another chance.)
The couple goes around and tries to recruit musicians. They meet a guy named Sam, who tells them a sob story about his quartet that fell apart. He will only reunite if Len and Sarah are on board. (The fourth member of the quartet died.) Sarah signs on, and Len is quickly behind. The tripod is back together! Rehearsals begin, and the quartet minus one is glad to be working on music together. They sound off without the fourth person and recruit Jackson to play the cello.
With that out of the way, now it time to burn through some Christmas tradition! Margot decorates the tree with her family. (It looks beautiful, even with the paper decorations they use. Then Margot and Jackson make Christmas wreaths, have a snowball fight, walk the Christmas market together and then watch a Christmas tree lighting.
When a shady reviewer, Evelyn March, shows up and runs into Margot in the lobby, she second-guesses her decision. Margot places a lot of pressure on herself to be a New York musician and strives for perfection.
The Christmas Concert at the Chateau is finally happening!!! The quartet slays a rendition of “Oh Christmas Tree.” Then it is Margot’s turn to play the piano beautifully. The crowd is very impressed, as they should be. Margot dedicates the song to her father, who passed away. Evelyn March even writes a favorable review!
Margot and Jackson celebrate their successful show with a Christmas kiss. They plan to live out their dreams together. Margot will move back home after her tour. The end.
Side Note
Minority Report: Musicians, Len, Pam, hotel guests,
This movie was more about getting the band back together than Christmas. The only band I care about getting back together is NSYNC, fine, and also the Spice Girls.
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Overall rating
🎄🎄(2 Christmas Trees)
🍷🍷🍷🍷 (4 glasses of wine required.)
*Photo Credit: © 2020 Hallmark Crown Media
