Starring: Mercy Cornwall, Jordi Webber, Molly Belle Wright, Charles Allen, Kimberley Joseph, Andrea Moor
Runtime: 89 mins. Reviewed in Nov 2022
Reviewer: Fr Peter Malone msc
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An all-American Christmas romance – made in Queensland with an Australian cast.
Just as the title suggests, a ranch in the American West, and Christmas. One could say that this is a nice film, one designed as family entertainment, the kind of film that is made and promoted by the Hallmark company, a pleasure for those who enjoy it, a putdown for those who want their romantic stories rather more subdued, even with the touch of the bleak.
For those following the career of producer Steve Jaggi will know in the past seven or eight years, Jaggi has produced many an audience-friendly story. Jaggi and his company are Queensland-based and his films are made, generally, in Queensland, with Australian casts. Many of them open in the United States, focusing on some characters who, for one reason or another, has to go home to Australia or to visit Australia, and discover the people in the towns, the scenery and the coast of Queensland.
So, it is something of a surprise to find that this is a completely American story with no travel to Australia. And, despite the winter and the snow, the film was, in fact, as with the others, shot in Queensland. The cast don American accents. One hopes that Mistletoe Ranch is so popular with the intended American audiences that it will be a box office success – and provide incentive and possibilities for Jaggi to make more films. Note the leading man, Jordi Webber, is not Australian, but is from New Zealand, of Maori descent.
The film starts romantically with Aimee (Cornwall) and James (Webber) growing up together on the ranch, sharing a love of horses and bonding – a proposal. Then a leap ahead of eight years and a transfer to New York City where Aimee is the assistant to a top photographer, as well as being no mean photographer herself. And, we wonder, what has happened between her and James, especially when we go back to the ranch and find that James has a young daughter, Juniper.
So, we can see the set-up. Aimee returns home on inheriting the ranch. James is still working with his assistant, Charlie (Allen), but is in financial troubles and has to cancel the traditional Christmas party for the townspeople. Aimee then finds she has a mission, to organise the party, send out the invitations, get the tree, the decorations, find her mother’s recipe book… All with that American homely touch.
There is also a religious dimension. James’s mother is, in fact, the local pastor, often appearing with her clerical collar. And of further discovery, James married but his wife spends her time on tour, away from the family. So, the stage is set for rekindled love, Aimee having to make choices about what she really wants in life, James and his future with the ranch… And, a fairytale-like solution so that at the end, everyone is happy.
With the church element, and scenes of choir rehearsals, the screenplay is very much the externals of Christmas, a lot of talk about the magic of Christmas – but, it is something of a relief, that at the end, Juniper, joined by the choir, does sing Holy Night, a reminder of the true origins, of course, of Christmas.
Jaggi once again offers a nice film for a wide audience.
12 Random Films…
