Hallmark ‘Countdown to Christmas’ Review: “The Most Colorful Time of the Year”

I have wanted to love every single movie this year, but I knew that there had already been a few that I hadn’t liked… so another one was coming. And I wanted to like The Most Colorful Time of the Year, but I just didn’t feel the Christmas magic from this movie.

Did I feel magic? Some. But it wasn’t Christmas magic. It was the magic of someone seeing the world in color for the first time. It was the magic of someones life being changed. But did this need to be part of a Countdown to Christmas?

No. And it didn’t need to take up such a prime December spot.

Michelle is a single mom who always wants to help everyone around her. She’s an optometrist who gives free exams at her daughters school. Her daughter, Bailey, is the sweetest kid, who loves her Mom and wants her to see all of the joy that there is to see in life.

Ryan is the school Scrooge. He doesn’t like Christmas, doesn’t let the kids sing carols, and would rather be never hear the word Christmas.

When Michelle goes to the school to give free eye exams to the kids there, she also tests Ryan. She believes that he is color blind, but he acts like nothing is wrong and doesn’t want to answer her questions. He’s very hesitant.

But she doesn’t give up. Every single time she sees him, she asks him more and more questions. He’s put uff over the entire thing and you can see it. Because every single time she asks questions, he gets a little bit of an attitude.

However, Michelle doesn’t want to give up. She is determined to help Ryan, regardless of his resistance. She enters him in a clinical trial for special lenses that will help him see colors. And to be honest, I was excited for this moment – the moment that he saw color for the first time.

But, Ryan’s expression of excitement felt like he just needed a hug. It didn’t feel like he was overwhelmed or that he was moved. It felt as like oh yay, I get to hug Michelle and it won’t be weird.

I did love the two of them going around the city and taking in color for the first time. Him seeing the beauty of a church, trees, and sunset. I think it was great moments. But, the issue for me is that I really just can’t buy these two together and I know that’s the story that they are setting up.

From the moment these two meet, there is no chemistry what so ever. Katrina Bowden and Christopher Russell are good actors, but the two of them have no chemistry together. Katrina’s character of Michelle just smiles a lot and has good teeth. Christopher’s character of Ryan is just meh (and I normally enjoy him in a role).

And that’s the frustrating part. Michelle gives us no depth, even when they try. We know that she’s this highly educated woman. We know that her husband died. But she seems to show limited to no emotion – and even when she shows some sort of annoyance she’s still smiling. While I do get where they were trying to go with this, I just felt that it didn’t come across and fell short.

Then, Ryan, he just felt stale. Even when he receives his glasses, I expected something more – him seeing color for the first time. However, it fell short also. I didn’t feel any emotion.

And I know, back to talking about the movie.

Ryan explains to Michelle that the reason that he’s been a scrooge is that he never understood the reaction to Christmas. He couldn’t understand the fascination with Christmas because he never felt the magic that people described that they felt. But when the color entered his world – he could see the joy and feel the magic.

Now, when we’re talking about the love story part – I actually got angry at this whole thing. Why? Because first we get a stalker – yes, Matt that is what you are.

Michelle’s ex – Matt keeps showing up because he was “in the neighborhood” making her feel uncomfortable. She’s genuinely uncomfortable, says to him that he scared/scares her, and yet she still lets him in her house to talk. Ummm… no. Then when she lets him in, she feels bad and allows him to come to her childs holiday concert?

No. Absolutely not.

I think that whole situation sends the wrong message and there could have been another way to do it.

I do understand that we needed some conflict, but this didn’t feel like conflict. Even at the concert when Matt tries to tell Ryan he’s less than by asking Ryan’s salary for being a teacher. Matt is just gross and when Michelle calls him on it, one has to wonder how she missed all of the obvious signs.

We’re of course going to get the misunderstanding about the two people in the main roles confusing the other persons interaction with another person as a relationship and finding out that it’s a misunderstanding. Honestly, that’s one of my favorite parts of any movie, so truly not complaining there.

I did love that when the two came back together he took her to his house – to show her that for the first time he decorated for Christmas.

The Most Colorful Time of the Year had the best of intentions, but it fell short by a mile. The first hour almost put me to sleep, but it really did try to keep the person watching involved.

It just tried and failed.

The Most Colorful Time of the Year is airing on The Hallmark Channel.

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