The Holiday Offerings of the Week Keep Spirits Bright

         The holiday offerings brought to viewers this week may be less plentiful, but oddly enough might be the most interesting thus far. Here are the three that are especially noteworthy.

        On December 21, 2024, Lifetime released 'A Carpenter Christmas Romance', which is the spiciest film of the season. Mandi Bierly of TVLine says, "From Sarah Drew, writer of last year’s A Cowboy Christmas Romance, comes Lifetime’s sexiest holiday movie of 2024 (with an equally shameless title). Pretty Little Liars’ Sasha Pieterse stars as fantasy romance novelist Andrea, who takes refuge at her late grandpa’s farmhouse when readers threaten to boycott the last book in her best-selling series after its final page killing off a fan favorite leaks. She may still have one admirer, however: Seth (Mitchell Slaggert, The Sex Lives of College Girls), who’s described as Andrea’s “very own Jordan Catalano.” Growing up, she’d spend her summers on the farm and tutor/make out with the popular athlete — who made her feel like his “nerdy little kept secret” in public (Normal People vibes). This “Jordan” looks more like a Hemsworth brother than Jared Leto, but artisanal woodworker/handyman Seth embodies the growth we never got to witness on My So-Called Life. We find out why he treated Andrea poorly when they were young, how his post-high school life unfolded, and what happened to make him the stand-up guy who’s literally rebuilding his town after a fire decimated it. Because this is Lifetime, that noble transformation is accompanied by a surprise-appearance shirtless scene, slo-mo wood carrying, a hand-on-hand sanding tutorial, a rain-soaked sex scene, and a blow-up before Seth renews Andrea’s faith in happy endings. Fingers crossed we get A Man in Uniform Christmas Romance next year."

Photo by Jodie Walton on Unsplash

        Also on December 21, 2024, Hallmark released 'Happy Howlidays', which also anxiously anticipated. Bierly writes, "Ezra Moreland, the winner of Hallmark+’s Finding Mr. Christmas, stars as dog rescue owner Max. When his heartbroken pup Jules falls head over paws for Russell, a stray reluctantly fostered by Seattle Tourism Board coordinator Mia (Jessica Lowndes), the canine couple become a city favorite — and the foursome is forced to go on more holiday outings together for content. There’s a depth to hot mess Mia’s story that you won’t be expecting, and a cameo from a Hallmark fave that you won’t find too surprising. Moreland has yet to master the necessary charm to remain a Hallmark Leading Man, but a shirtless scene shows promise for him to at least become a go-to Ex."

        On December 22, 2024, Lifetime releases 'Engaged by Christmas', which on paper seems to be a fan favorite solely based on the themes being popular amongst fans. Bierly notes, "Professional proposal planner Zoe (Brittany Bristow) is about to launch her own broader romance-based business with a “12 Dates of Christmas” blog when taking the suggestion of her most trusted advice columnist, Aunt Adora, to have an honest conversation with her boyfriend about their future results in her being suddenly single. Once desperate Zoe discovers Aunt Adora is actually nephew Adam (Marcus Rosner), she blackmails him into being her de facto plus-one and publicizing her services. Bristow and Rosner, holiday movie pros, make this predictable plot go down as smoothly as the beverages served at Zoe’s hot cocoa pop-up."

Networks Offer a Stocking Full of Holiday Joy: Part 2

         This week, the various networks producing holiday fare offered more notable content than normal, so narrowing the choices down to just five was a bit more difficult this time around. Saying that, here are the four that critics have singled out as being the most intriguing and caught my eye.

        On December 14, 2024, Lifetime released 'The Holiday Junkie', which has earned rave reviews. Mandi Bierly of TVLine says, "Jennifer Love Hewitt has never headlined a holiday movie before, but she made up for lost time by developing, directing and starring in this obvious labor of love (she even performs two songs on the soundtrack). She plays professional Christmas decorator and planner Andie, who’s carrying on her late mother’s legacy with the titular company but also dreams of expanding it into a consumer brand. She hopes to impress her newest client, a venture capitalist, by giving his family a picture-perfect holiday. But when the brood gets stuck out of town, Andie finds herself home alone for days with Scrooge house manager Mason (Brian Hallisay, Hewitt’s husband and former The Client List co-star). He has a valid reason for being an ice man in December, but eventually, he thaws. Things heat up. Then way up. Then cool off. Then…well, you’ll have to watch. There are a lot of films with characters adjusting to Christmas without a parent, but few explore the grief as fully as this one. You’ve never seen a character tear up as many times as Andie does throughout the film — a realistic number, if you’ve been through it yourself. Yet as palpable as the pain is at times (listen for Hewitt’s cover of “Missing You”), so, too, is the tenderness Mason and Andie show each other in certain moments (wait for the Christmas lights). Here’s hoping Hewitt pours her heart into another movie next year."

Credit: ©2024 Hallmark Media/Photographer: Lindsay Siu

        Also on that night, Hallmark Channel released 'The Santa Class', which was my personal favorite of the grouping. Bierly notes, "If you like your holiday movies with some Christmas magic — but still shy of the story taking place inside a snow globe — our runner-up pick, The Santa Class (premieres Saturday, Dec. 14 at 8 pm on Hallmark Channel), is for you. Kate North (the always wonderful Kimberley Sustad) is dealing with a lot this season: Her father has handed over the reins of his once-great academy that trains seasonal Santas. To save it, she needs the latest ragtag group of recruits to defeat a rival Santa school in the annual Christmas Cup for the first time ever, with the help of side-switching instructor Dan (Benjamin Ayres, tempering a Buddy the Elf-level enthusiasm). And among those recruits are the real Santa (Holiday Road’s Trevor Lerner), who Kate and Ben discover in the road with amnesia, and Hallmark fave Paul Campbell, who plays himself. Campbell’s hilarious turn, and the sentimental ending, will make this a film you’ll be happy to randomly catch during Countdown to Christmas for years to come." Personally, it is also my favorite tv movie of the year but knowing how the Emmy Awards work...it sadly will not get noticed.

Credit: ©2024 Hallmark Media/Photographer: Luka Cyprian

        Much to my surprise, 'All I Need for Christmas', which premiered on Hallmark Mystery on December 12, 2024 to little fanfare or commercials, proved the be the most emotional of the group. Bierly also was impressed, stating, "Flip phone-toting singer/songwriter Maggie (Mallory Jansen) fears today’s music-making apps have killed her career for good. Which means she’s not thrilled to meet Archer (Dan Jeannotte), the developer of her presumed downfall, at her family’s New York state Christmas tree farm. With time, Archer inspires her to see a way forward, and she encourages him to repair his relationship with his sister Piper (Emily Tennant) using his years of therapy spent processing their father’s shockingly toxic holiday tradition. Jansen and Jeannotte play the tension and romance with ease, and aren’t even upstaged by adorable piglets named Johnny and June."

        Last, but certainly not least, OWN released 'Mistletoe & Matrimony', which was the most unexpectedly fun. Bierly writes, "Chicago wedding planner Olivia (Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut) gets a last-minute client for Christmas Eve — her nearly unredeemable bridezilla sister Rosemary (Asha James) — whose fiancée Gwen’s (Krista Nazaire) best friend happens to be Olivia’s ex, travel photographer Isaiah (Etienne Maurice). While Olivia and Isaiah team up to fulfill Rosemary’s demands, their feelings and dreams of launching a destination wedding business together resurface. So do all their past issues." While I was completely unaware that OWN made movies in the first place, this film is absolutely going on my annual rewatch list due to the chemistry between the cast as well as a top notch script.

        

Networks Offer a Stocking of Holiday Delights

         Given the season, many networks are offering holiday treats for viewers, many of which I have already covered, but just in case you want some more...well tis the season! As there were many new releases this week that I could address, picking the most memorable was the chosen path.

        On November 28, 2024, BET+ released 'The Day Before Christmas', which has earned positive reviews from critics. Mandi Bierly of TVLine says, "This set-up is reminiscent of 1996’s One Fine Day: Two single parents, super-organized widow/caterer Nia (Candace Maxwell) and separated dad/photographer Rashaad (Tristan Mack Wilds), have to help each other through a chaotic Christmas Eve work day after their kids miss a field trip and they accidentally swap cell phones and backpacks. Because of traffic, Rashaad must cater the event meant to help Nia secure the loan that will save her from eviction, and Nia must impress the mayor when she takes his family Christmas photo. It all wraps up too easily, but hey, we love a Christmas miracle!"

        On December 1, 2024, Lifetime and a star-studded cast leads 'Make or Bake Christmas', which is my personal favorite holiday film this season. Bierly writes, "Vivica A. Fox plays ruthless lifestyle maven Leslie, who threatens to fire her operations manager, Emma (Jasmine Aivaliotis), unless she goes undercover as a seasonal floater at a family bakery that Leslie hopes to acquire and take national. Emma’s loyalty is tested once she sees how well boss Denise Sugarbaker (Jackée Harry) treats her staffs; how handsome Denise’s son, David (Landon Moss). is; and how easily she can get her hands on the bakery’s top-secret recipes (perhaps don’t hand them to a seasonal employee or keep a book titled RECIPES!)."

Photo by Hert Niks on Unsplash

        On December 1, 2024, UPtv released 'A Bluegrass Christmas', which is as of now...with many holiday films to see...my least favorite of the season. Bierly was more impressed, stating, "After the biggest bastard of the holiday movie season pulls his funding for her family’s horse sanctuary, horse vet Katie (Amanda Jordan) and the bastard’s apologetic son, Grant (David Pinard), try to convince her Bluegrass legend grandpa Ben (Heartland’s Shaun Johnston) to come out of retirement for a benefit concert. Will reclusive widower Ben’s heart grow three sizes (or at least two, so he’ll agree to let Katie front his old band)? Musical high notes include performances of “Wayfaring Stranger” and a poignant duet of “Go Tell It on the Mountain.”"

        Last, but certainly not least, out of the holiday films that caught my attention was 'A Cinderella Christmas Ball' on Great American Family, which in my opinion took all of the best aspects of holiday favorites past from all the networks to create a film so cheesy and mockable that it is impossible to not enjoy. Bierly once more was more impressed than I, stating, "Chicago-based dance instructor Chelsea (Danica McKellar) travels abroad to Havenshire, hoping to learn more about her birth mother and, more importantly, the identity of a man in a recently uncovered wedding photo who could be her lost father. Through a twist of fate, she gets hired to teach the Prince (Oliver Rice) the waltz he’s expected to perform with whomever he chooses to be his bride at a Christmas Eve ball, and he becomes invested in her search. Prepare for multiple romantic dances to Christmas carols (Dancing With the Stars vet McKellar is actually quite good)."

'Christmas in the Spotlight' Reviews: "a thoroughly enjoyable bit of Christmas fluff that is perfect for kicking off the season"

         On November 23, 2024, Lifetime premiered 'Christmas in the Spotlight', which has received predominantly positive reviews from critics. Loosely based on the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce love story, the film focuses on "a popular singer who develops an unexpected romance with Drew, a professional football player. As their feelings grow, they soon face mounting pressure from the press, the paparazzi, fans, and even their families." The ensemble cast includes Jessica Lord, Laith Wallschleger, Jeannie Mai, David Pinard, and Haley Kalil. But what did the critics say?

        Luna Guthrie of Collider says, "It tells the story of a pop star and a football player who fall in love over the holiday season, and struggle with the pressures of fame before conceding that their relationship is the most important thing. Is it original? No. Does it feature every single cliché of the rom-com genre? Absolutely. But with a decent script, some nice chemistry between its actors and just the right amount of sweetness, it manages to be a thoroughly enjoyable bit of Christmas fluff that is perfect for kicking off the season." Adding, "Watching this as a kick-starter to the holiday season, I was hoping for lots of atmospheric elements that would lend the appropriate mood to Christmas In The Spotlight, but it wasn't quite there. There is an attitude of throwing a bunch of Christmas trees into a shot and calling it a day, when what it could really do with is more of those frosty nighttime sequences with visible breath, where the characters are all bundled up while decorative lights twinkle in the background. I was supremely shocked that we didn't get a romantic 'kissing in the snow' sequence. It may be corny, but it's all these small things that come together to make a holiday rom-com extra seasonal, and that is what the movie is really missing. Despite taking place over Thanksgiving and eventually Christmas, it just doesn't feel Christmassy enough."

Photo by Monika Grabkowska on Unsplash

        Emma Stefansky of The Daily Beast notes, "The dialogue is peppered with Swiftian groaners, like the moment when Bowyn self-deprecatingly describes herself as “never the cheerleader type, more of a bleacher girl.” The only news program in this movie’s world is run by two catty sports commentators, one of whom notes, “The alchemy between these two is off the charts.” Har-har. The two immediately present themselves as even more idealized versions of their real-world counterparts. Bowyn is Swift if Swift could also dance like Tate McRae. Drew is Kelce as the Swifties love to imagine him: the beefy, affable, affectionate himbo whose only calling on this earth is to make our beloved pop star happy. “You need someone in your life whose sole purpose is to show you a good time,” he declares. Don’t we all!" Concluding, "Innocuous conversations recorded on the sly become PR crises. Your favorite pop star isn’t feeling up to performing. Your favorite football team keeps losing. Is it, perhaps, because of the intense pressure we ourselves put upon these people—even more when they just happen to be romantically involved? A movie like this is ostensibly made for the fans, and yet it’s bold enough to propose that maybe we should all, ahem, calm down."

'He Slid Into Her DM's' Fails to Wow Critics

         On September 28, 2024, Lifetime premiered 'He Slid Into Her DM's', which has received predominantly positive reviews from critics. In the film, "Popular high schooler Berni's social media influencer life unravels as her best friend betrays her, she struggles for more followers to support her single mom, and her boyfriend dumps her for ignoring him due to social media obsession." The ensemble cast includes Courtney Thorne-Smith, Kane Parks, Stella Gregg, Lee Rach, and Connor McRaith. But what did the critics say?

        Hotchka says, "Another Saturday night, another ‘Ripped from the Headlines’ movie courtesy of the Lifetime network, which alerts us at the start of the movie that while this is based on a true story the rest of the movie is an entire work of fiction. It would be interesting if Lifetime actually provided viewers with some type of reference to back up the film, but this really could be any account of someone being stalked. The whole DM thing (and for anyone not up on their social media jargon, that means Direct Messages) could, as the opening text states, simply be a plot device to tell this story. Unfortunately, it all falls into the land of cliché with some frustrating plot elements that have become completely stereotypical at this point." Adding, "Besides the ridiculous plot points, there is also an issue with casting. Not that Stella Gregg isn’t fine as Berni, but — no offense — she looks less like a 17-year-old high schooler than Olivia Newton-John did in Grease, and she was 29! Gregg is 23. She doesn’t act or look like a 17-year-old. Sierra Fujita also does not look like a teen. Why not just make this a story about college-age young adults? Berni could have still lived at home with her mother as a college student, or Courtney Thorne-Smith could have played a sympathetic professor or counselor, since she got an executive producer credit and had to be in the movie. There were just so many ways they could have written the story to make it feel a bit more authentic and frightening. As it stands it’s just another by-the-numbers drama that’s low on thrills. Director Alicia Coppola — no relation to the other Coppola movie-making family — is best known for her acting gigs on shows like Jericho, Why Women Kill and Empire, and she does a fine job of making the best of the script she was given (she also cast her husband Anthony Michael Jones in the role of the police officer assigned to the case). But the casting and the script just makes this one of those TV movies you need to watch with a room full of people to make it a lot more fun."

Photo by LexScope on Unsplash

'Don't Scream, It's Me' Reviews: "a serviceable thriller, even in all of its ridiculousness"

         On October 27, 2024, 'Don't Scream, It's Me' was released on Lifetime, receiving predominantly psoitive reviews from critics. In the film, "Fifteen years ago, Liz's ex-boyfriend, Drew, was caught robbing a bank. Now, he's in her backyard, asking her to hide him after a prison escape." The ensemble cast includes Kaylah Zander, Nathanael Vass, Juliette Hawk, and Matt Hamilton. But what did the critics say?

        HOTCKA says, "Lifetime dips into the prison break genre with its latest ‘Inspired by true events’ thriller with the unintentionally comical title Don’t Scream, It’s Me!. The story begins with a lone man walking down the road at night, coming upon a diner with apparently one employee, Mallory (Kennedy Rowe), on duty. The poor girl has just broken up with her boyfriend over the phone because he’s more interested in videogames, and when she attends to the lone customer, they both see a report on TV about a prison break… and the man in the booth is one of the two men on the screen. This is not going to end well for Mallory. Cut to the lavish home of police officer Jay (Matt Hamilton) and nurse Liz (Kaylah Zander), a couple whose marriage is on the verge of collapse as Liz has asked for Jay to give her some space, including the kitchen. She still seems really irritated with him about going to Mexico for their honeymoon instead of Paris — and we don’t know how long they’ve been married (or how they could afford that amazing house in the middle of nowhere) — but no matter how hard Jay tries to get back into Liz’s good graces, she’s not having it. She’s also pissed that he hasn’t fixed the dryer yet so now she has to walk up and down the stairs to the ‘back yard’ to hang the laundry out to dry (and it’s not a short walk), getting a surprise visitor while she’s there — her ex-boyfriend Drew, the second of the two men who broke out of prison. Flashbacks reveal that when the two met as teenagers, Liz told him it was her dream to live in Paris, and he attempted to rob a bank to make that happen. What he doesn’t know until later is that it was Liz who turned him in. Now he’s back and has unwittingly made her an accomplice for aiding and abetting him in his escape, offering him some of Jay’s clothing (he won’t miss anything as long as it doesn’t have a sports team logo on it … or it’s orange)." Adding, "Don’t Scream, It’s Me! is a serviceable thriller, even in all of its ridiculousness. This is one of those ‘smart people do stupid things’ stories that are more contrived than plausible. The whole story centers on Liz’s unhappiness with her marriage and her once fond feelings for Drew. Will she do what’s right, or does she think she can run away with Drew to Paris, becoming international fugitives? Is she smart enough to realize she’ll face legal consequences for harboring a fugitive? Will she come to the conclusion that, darn it, she can make it on her own after all? And will either of the escapees survive the day? Because you know Jay is going to show up again and have his world rocked by seeing Liz’s ex at the house. There is a lot here that requires a suspension of disbelief (such as how both Liz and Frost easily unlock police-issued handcuffs). Luckily the movie does have some strong performances to keep it all from getting too silly. Kaylah Zander is fine as Liz. She never gets flustered by anything, almost giving a one-note performance, but this is explained away by Liz’s nursing career, a profession in which she always has to keep a cool head. Matt Hamilton is also fine as Jay, but he’s written in a way that makes him oblivious to his surroundings, especially when he comes home for no reason and doesn’t seem to think Liz is acting weird when she clearly is (and he doesn’t see the handcuff dangling from the handle). He does get a very shocking moment near the end when he finds Drew is at the house, becoming a bit more ferocious. It’s clear though from their performances that Liz and Jay do not belong together, so that’s either some great acting or Zander and Hamilton just had no chemistry. We’ll be generous and say it was great acting. The real stars of the show are Nathanael Vass and Roark Critchlow as Drew and Frost, respectively. Vass portrays Drew as a lovesick puppy dog because he has been pining for Liz all these years in prison (how he found her is a question that is never answered)."

Photo by LexScope on Unsplash

'The Girl Who Wasn't Dead' Reviews: "The Girl Who Wasn’t Dead falls squarely in the middle of Lifetime’s TV movies on the scale of Awful to Excellent. It’s not terrible, it’s not great, it just lands in the category of bland"

         On October 5, 2024, Lifetime premiered 'The Girl Who Wasn't Dead', which has earned a predominantly positive reception from critics. In the film, "15-year-old Erica vanishes, believed a victim of a serial killer, but emerges at her murder trial 3 years later, having run away to live secretly with her older boyfriend near her mother's home, banned from seeing him." The ensemble cast includes Bronwen Smith, Ricardo Ortiz, Lyndsy Fonseca, Emma Tremblay, and Paul du Toit. But what did the critics say?

Photo by Content Pixie on Unsplash

        Chuck Duncan of Hotchka notes, "Lifetime serves up another ‘Truly Unbelievable Movie’ from its ‘Ripped from the Headlines’ series of TV movies based on a true story that’s been completely fictionalized for television. Good luck on finding the actual source for this story." Adding, "In The Girl Who Wasn’t Dead, things kick off with 15-year-old Erica (Emma Tremblay) being discovered at a local motel with 21-year-old cutie Andrew (Kyle Clark), resulting in Andrew’s arrest and Erica being returned to her mother Carrie (Lyndsy Fonseca) with a warning from Detective Richards (Bronwen Smith) to get her daughter under control since this is the third time Erica has run away and police resources are needed for actual crimes (not that a 15-year-old shacking up with a 21-year-old isn’t a crime). After meeting up again with Andrew and him telling her that they need to put the brakes on because his relationship with a minor is going to hurt his future, Erica storms off and assures her mother that the two have broken up.A month passes and Erica is a new girl, helpful at home and much happier in general so Carrie believes that they’ve finally turned a corner and Erica will not run away again. One day after school, Erica goes bowling with her bestie Liam (Richard Ortiz), and her behavior leads him to jokingly tell the shocked attendant that he’d ‘like to kill that bitch.’ Well, Erica doesn’t come home that night, or the next, etc. and Carrie has no choice but to go to the police again. This time the matter is more urgent as another local girl has also gone missing. In fact, there are several local girls now missing as the story spans three years. During that time, the bowling alley employee comes forward to the police (two years later and wearing the same outfit) after he remembered what Liam had said. The poor guy is brought in for questioning but Carrie ultimately bails him out, assuring the detective that Liam is like family (in fact, it was Liam who initially ratted out Erica at the beginning of the movie, fearing Andrew might kill her). Out of the blue, a prisoner comes forward with information about a man who claims to have killed all the missing girls including Erica, and provides the police with a map to the bodies. They find them all except for Erica, and at the murder trial the defense suddenly announces there has been a change and his client is not guilty of the murder of Erica as she enters the courtroom, stunning everyone including her parents.That’s all in the first hour!" Overall, the reviewer was somewhat impressed though, stating, "The Girl Who Wasn’t Dead falls squarely in the middle of Lifetime’s TV movies on the scale of Awful to Excellent. It’s not terrible, it’s not great, it just lands in the category of bland. That is mainly thanks to the film’s title which tells us right away that the girl is alive. Most of the tension in the story comes in the second half when we wonder if Erica’s isolation and Andrew’s growing distance — resorting to having a beer in the driveway just so he can have some ‘me time’ — will ultimately tear them apart and force Erica to reveal her ruse. Of course she also panics a little when everyone believes she’s dead, which Andrew thinks they can use to their advantage, but it doesn’t sit right with her. Another issue that works against the movie is the time span. Emma Tremblay, who is 20-years-old, has to play Erica from 15 to 18 … but she never convincingly looks like a 15-year-old. No one else in the film ages (or apparently changes clothes) during that three year span except little brother Joey, who experiences a major growth spurt and goes from Logan Pierce to Everett Andres. Of course as adults, we really don’t change that much in three years unless there have been some major influences on our lives, but in a TV movie they really need to do something to make the characters look three years older instead of three days. The only real passage of time comes when Carrie is driving Erica to school on a lovely Autumn day, and when they arrive it is clearly Summer."

        

‘Amish Affair’ Reviews: Lifetime “masterfully weaves a compelling narrative that captivates audiences from start to finish”

                                                    Image via Decider and Lifetime

On July 6, 2024, Lifetime premiered ‘Amish Affair’, which has received a mixed reception from critics. In the film, Aaron, a married Amish man, embarks on an affair with Hannah, who decides to end it out of fear. When his wife dies suspiciously, she must work to clear her name. The ensemble cast includes Ryan McPartlin, Mackenzie Cardwell, Sebastian Greaves, Evelyn Burke, MaeMae Renfrow, and Georgia Waters. But what did the critics have to say? 

Ishani Yadav of Meaww.com praises the film, stating that the film’s “masterfully weaves a compelling narrative that captivates audiences from start to finish. The film stars Mackenzie Cardwell as Hannah, a young woman who finds herself entangled in a secret and forbidden relationship with Aaron, portrayed by Ryan McPartlin, a prominent Amish leader. The film expertly explores the dynamics of their relationship, which blossoms amidst the serene backdrop of Amish life but takes a dark turn following the mysterious death of Aaron's ailing wife. Cardwell delivers a standout performance as Hannah, embodying the character’s vulnerability and determination.” Concluding, “Her portrayal of a woman wrongfully accused of murder and navigating the complexities of Amish culture to clear her name is both heartfelt and riveting. McPartlin's depiction of Aaron adds depth to the story, showcasing the internal struggle between his duties and forbidden desires. The film's strength lies in its ability to maintain suspense while providing a nuanced look into the Amish way of life. The cinematography beautifully captures the simplicity and tranquility of the Amish community, contrasting starkly with the intense and emotional storyline.”

Patrick Serrano of Lifetime Uncorked recommends the film, but goes into detail about the plot so only open the link if you want spoilers.

Maddy Casale of Decider writes, “Sebastian Greaves is an unsung hero as Jacob due to his full commitment to this performance, especially when he busted out some Dance Dance Revolution moves in the middle of broad daylight outside to utter silence. That was genuinely the most memorable of the movie for me, so how can I not give Greaves some extra points for that?” Adding, “Never in my life have I seen butter churning used as a seduction technique until now. It was certainly memorable, though definitely uncomfortable. Moments like that and Jacob’s Dance Dance Revolution demonstration and a sort of weird fixation on ice cream (Hannah’s “guilty pleasure” that pops up just often enough you have to wonder if this movie was sponsored by a vanilla ice cream company) make you wonder if the point of this movie is to poke fun at the Amish.”

Chuck Duncan of hotchka.com notes, “After the success of Amish Stud, it was inevitable that Lifetime would delve back into the land of the Amish and the network is certainly hoping that Amish Affair will bring them more ratings gold. They really should have thought the title through though, and turned this into a franchise of ‘Amish Stud’ movies with a new hunky actor playing the latest stud. Ryan McPartlin certainly fits the bill. It’s almost as if this role was created just for him … because he’s also the film’s executive producer.” Continuing, “Amish Affair is another of what Lifetime calls a ‘Ripped from the Headlines’ movie inspired by actual events, but it also comes with the disclaimer that all of the characters and incidents portrayed are a work of fiction. This could be any affair gone wrong story with Amish people substituted for the real folks involved because who doesn’t want to see a juicy, Amish forbidden love and murder story? The facts of Amish Stud, on the other hand, were very easy to verify, and according to some media reporting on the current film, its story is basically a reworking of Amish Stud. No wonder it all feels so familiar.”