User reviews

I disagree with all the people rolling their eyes because, Heaven Forbid there should be a CHRISTmas movie that actually mentions God and religious messages!

That's what CHRISTMAS is about. It's not about all the excessive shopping and parties.... It's about the birth of Christ and families coming together.

I do agree the sets are excessively decorated, but that's the case in most Christmas movies. Not all people live in these massive beautiful homes, but if we did I'm sure we'd all decorate them as much as we could! So relax!! Stop the eye rolling, Sit back and enjoy a Christmas movie with a great message!!

6.0 stars.

I don't recall seeing Natasha Bure in anything, and I'm understandably curious to see if she's anything like her mom. But this movie has a very low rating, 5.7, way below the 6.2 line of demarcation I've set for all my Christmas viewings. I just don't have the time for anything below it.

So I did what I usually do with anything this low and I watched roughly the first 30 minutes and then skipped to the last 30 minutes. My initial takeaway is that Natasha tends to be shrill, not sure why she yells so much. The interactions between her and boyfriend are amateurish, which gives me the impression this film is a dry run for them, see if they got the chops.

The cast is a pretty crack crew, but the script is low quality and probably not worth the time spent on it. Four generations of women is very touching and there is so much potential there. I was hoping for a bit of a pleasant surprise, alas it didn't happen. And the finale: cheesy, cheesy, cheesy. IMDB ratings still ring true on the accuracy meter, and 'A Christmas for the Ages' this is not.

I won't reiterate the negative comments in other reviews, many of which I agree with, but am commenting on the unbelievable casting. Natasha Bure is 25 years old, and the actors portraying her parents are 41. Do the math. Kate Craven especially looks too young to be her mom. Though Cheryl Ladd is old enough to be the grandmother, the amount of plastic surgery she's had makes her look to young for the role. I'm not criticizing her choice to have the surgery, only that it makes her look too young for the role, unless the 3 younger generations in this Christian family all had teenage pregnancies.

Wow the other reviews are so negative! I really liked this movie. The 4 generations of women was heartwarming. The decorated beautiful homes is enough to draw me in! The great grandma had THE best house ever!! (My dream home!) I think it's adorable that Candace's daughter is following in her mom's footsteps and making Christmas movies. I mean she might not be as good as her mom yet-but give her time! The different themes for the 'Christmas Crawl' was an awesome idea and I'd like to do something similar. The decor was amazing and I liked looking at the food at the different themes-and the outfits!! Amazing!! All in all it was a fun new Christmas movie! Don't listen to the naysayers, grab a cup of hot cocoa and cuddle up on the couch with your woofie and enjoy a great movie!

I love Hallmark and Great American Family Christmas movies. I look forward to them every year. It is a great escape from reality. However, this movie was just too much for me. In every scene they were always so happy and so perfect. Their home, their parties, singing in the choir together...it almost physically hurt to watch the movie. I couldn't finish the movie and I only had a few short minutes to go. I can't believe that I hung in there for as long as I did. I was writing Christmas cards so maybe my determination to get those done was my driving force to not stop and turn the stop button on my computer screen.

I love movies filled with light, happiness and hope, but this was just way over the top. It was too much that now I need to watch a horror movie to balance myself out.

Cheryl Ladd did the best she could with this movie. Other actors are so weak. Always liked Candace Cameron Bure. However, as an actor, she is ok but not great. Honestly, Natasha is simply not believable. Casting her in a lead role is a poor choice. Many well known actors have children that have become great actors. In my opinion, Natasha may eventually improve over time. I usually like these kind of movies - no language, violence, or nudity. Although stories are usually predictable, these movies are often simply entertaining and enjoyable. This movie is not realistic and actors bring nothing to it.

Four generations celebrating Christmas. Great great grandma has a new boyfriend as does the great granddaughter. If you've ever been the young man meeting the parents for the first time you'll be able to relate to one of the scenes.

Think about what it was like before cell phones, televisions, and radios were brand new. How did people spend their time? Talking! Telling stories! Remembering the old days!

As a child of the 50s and 60s it was fun to travel back in time during this movie.

Reading the other reviews, it seems like there's a lot of people that don't like this movie very much. Personally, I found it, engaging and sentimental, and sweet.

I just couldn't get past the bad acting or artificially sweet storyline. I like to get invested in the characters and get swept into the story of any movie I watch (especially a Christmas movie!) but for the entire movie I felt like I was watching amateur actors pretending to be uninteresting characters telling an unrealistic story. The only saving grace was Cheryl Ladd but she can neither carry the movie alone or make up for the bad acting or flawed storyline. If this movie ever comes on again, I will definitely pass. It's very evident that this is not a Hallmark movie and in fact feels more like a wannabe knockoff. Sorry, I tried to like it. I just couldn't.

Cheryl Ladd, Mel Tuck, Anna Furgeson, Giles Patton, Kate Craven, Anthony Tempano, Natasha Bure, Dean Gibson, Marisa Crouse do a FABULOUS job! SO MUCH TALENT in this movie that reflects on Christmas' past in the present time. Celebrations cherish the Birth of Christ at each family Christmas crawl event and celebrating what the meaning of Family is!! So REFRESHING to see a movie that recognizes and honors God as the REAL MEANING OF CHRISTMAS. Movie contains real family love that is expressed in the actions of enjoying each other and helping each other. Honors what a "MAN" and a "DAD" is, which is SO REFRESHING!! Romance is present at every age, addressed in purity, genuineness and truth without games and smut. A precious and priceless and "timeless" Christmas movie WORTH the time to watch. P. S. Music is fun and festive--TIMELESS CHRISTMAS MUSIC!!

There was no story to engage an audience. No tension, no chemistry. The dialog and acting were very weak. Too preachy. Very very boring. I really wanted to like it. First time watching GAC and was anticipating a more compelling story. The scenes were too much sitting and talking. All the couples' relationships were so sterile with no passion, even the young couple that included Natasha Bure. The story needed more drama. Great seeing Cheryl Ladd but the story gave her nothing to work with and could not raise the bar to make this a credible movie. My recommendation is to skip this one. You will be bored sensless.

I don't understand the low ratings on this, I just watched it and I really enjoyed it! The cast was great, they have good chemistry, and the story was cute and original. The messaging was lovely: family and friends are important, support and love one another, don't get caught up in all of this new tech because it disconnects you from each other, and enjoy life and don't be in a rush. This is a Christian movie, but it's comforting and not obtrusive, even if you aren't Christian yourself. I really liked this one and I'd watch it again. You don't see many wholesome, feel good movies anymore, particularly ones that emphasize the importance of family and personal connection.

To reiterate the views from some of the other IMDB members, I believe this had so much potential, but fell short. I totally loved the idea of the 4 gens coming together (& loved the wardrobe) but was really hoping they'd maybe flashback or cutaway to the times being referenced. It's would have been great to see young Grandma-great in her prime, Grandma enjoying Christmas in the 60s and so on. This could have been so much more!

In any event, I appreciate the attempt but maybe next time we dial down the perfection (& maybe the excess intimidating behavior of the father toward the new boyfriend... boy did THAT get old quick! So silly *insert eye roll here*)

I suppose there's always time, GAC!

Love the premise of this story, but they went so overboard on literally everything. The sets were lavish and beautiful if a bit over the top as these all are at Christmas. The costumes were lovely and the actors were a great bunch of talent but seriously, there is NO family who is this perfect. At least once EVERY paragraph of dialogue they are gushing to one another about how much they love each other and how they will always be there for each other. While this is nice, it's not very realistic. Families get together at Christmas and while they may love each other, they squabble and get frustrated with other. That's just how families are. This movie is so syrupy sweet I felt like I needed an insulin shot.

Also, while I love the fact that the script isn't peppered with swear words they really slap you in the face with the Christian aspect of it. While I am a believer, if I was not, this movie would totally turn me off to the whole concept of God and Christianity. They hit you in the face with it at every turn and it's simply too much.

The whole thing needs to be dialed back to reality. This could have been so much more but they turned it into a preachy sermon that was not relatable.

That being said there were some cute parts. I liked the family dinners that were themed to different decades. Very inventive idea.

The ending songs with the four generations of women was really nice.

I have to agree with a lot said by katykw-2. Too syrupy sweet and too much gushing.

I felt like instead of a real story, the movie was scenes of a family at Christmas without a lot of progress toward an end goal. There was an underlying message of Yay Family but that was there beginning to end. Also, a story needs some tension. This movie had less real tension than almost any Christmas movie I've seen, at least in a while and that's saying something with this network. GAF prides itself on family friendly and sometimes they dial down any real negativity, i.e. Tension.

The main romance was Savannah and Rudy. They were already together from the start. Savannah had about 2 seconds of doubt which wasn't based on any real complaints. There was never a chance of their relationship going south. If there was a real story here, there would have been some hiccup, some obstacle, either in their relationship or something else. Where were the bursting pipes?

There is lip service about God and it is repeated, maybe a little too much. If there was a message here, it was vague. This network also prides itself on being faith oriented. That's great and I am all for it, but they need to fill it out. What exactly is your definition of the true meaning of Christmas and why Jesus came?

I loved the musical number at the end.

I loved the idea of this movie, four generations getting together for Christmas is rare. Unfortunately, we lose a parent, a cousin, uncle etc. Both my parents are not longer with us. Due to their passing so we don't always get to see 4 generations together. That was wonderful, but it wasn't realistic or warm. It was over the top with everything. No family is perfect. People are different and have different ideas but in this movie no one is different, challenges ideas or even gives an idea that might clash or not be the same. It's like it was written for everything to be perfect. Real life and real people aren't like this. God made us all different with our own minds and ideas, none of that came through. I am sorry but it became boring due to the "perfectness" of it without reality. I expected so much more, a real let down.

I was very excited when GAF was created a couple years ago. I'm all for clean, Christian-based movies. (I was admittedly very turned off to GAF due to some statements made by CCB including how she'd long wanted to find a home for more faith-based programming. Ever heard of UPtv?) Still, I keep hoping for the best. However, I've been incredibly disappointed in the lack of acting skills, story lines that lack conflict, have no character development and at times no actors don't even chemistry.

This movie was no exception. Natasha Bure should not be a lead actress quite yet...she's just not there. Then there's the story line. There was so much potential, but yet again there was no conflict or tension and those are the things that cause a viewer to become more emotionally invested in a movie, allows the characters to be shaped and helps drive a movie forward. Instead, we were stuck with a very sappy family who spoke of faith and "the true meaning of Christmas" but never actually explained what that meant to them. There's really just an overwhelming lack of character development. The only enjoyable part of the movie was the music at the end.

Sorry GAF but you may have lost this viewer for good after this movie.

Lots of potential, and we were happy to see Cheryl Ladd, but we could only take a half hour of this syrupy mess.

The scenes were full of unimaginative, banal dialogue about preachy family issues. Cheryl Ladd and her daughter talking about kids leaving the nest was the first crack in our willingness to continue, and then her scene with her neighbor talking about the upcoming 60s Christmas party with little giggles ... which I think were added in post production since we never saw any indication they giggled in the scene, finished off any desire to continue.

Great American Family is typically a step down from Hallmark offerings. They've improved in the past couple of years, but they're still not as consistent.

Sooo saccharine and sadly, Candace's Bure's daughter can't carry a movie. She needs more acting lessons and simply doesn't have Candace's looks or charisma. The minute I started watching this film I asked myself, whose kid is this, because that's the only way she'd be cast. The actress playing her mother looks like her sister. In some scenes, I'd almost believe reverse casting would have worked. Cheryl Ladd is always a pleasure to watch but not enough to save this mess. The directing is formulaic, it looks like a Lifetime movie. How do these bad scripts get funding??? Do yourself a favor and pass on this one.

I'm giving this 5 stars because I enjoyed the Christmas visuals: the lights, the trees & colorful ornaments, snow in July when it's sweltering here @home; hot chocolate when I'm drinking iced coffee, winter coats & colorful scarves and fireplace ambience... you get the idea! I'm a sucker for Christmas. I wasn't expecting fireworks romances here (one of these APIs odes had the couple lying on their backs (!) making snow angels! That's ok; I get that it's family entertainment & I'm kind of sick of the over the top kissing and hands everywhere on other shows. There could have been a beefier plot here as someone else suggested with flashbacks of those earlier times. Also, as shallow as it sounds, I couldn't stop noticing the plastic surgery of both Cheryl Ladd, whom I did not recognize, and the lady who played her mother. Real looking people would be appreciated. These people seemed very superficial.

I agree with some other viewers that this movie could have been so much more. With four generations of women there were so many stories that could have been told. The entire movie seemed to be just a lot of dialogue between family members with no real storyline other than it's Christmas. The only highlights for me were the dinners themed to various decades and maybe the final scene. Other than that, there was absolutely nothing to hold my interest.

Add the always present (and annoying) background music, some Christmas decorations and religious references and there you have it - a Great American Family Christmas movie.

Many people said the acting was weak and I totally agree. I thought just about 10 minutes in that this isn't better than Hallmark. People were thinking Great American Family movies were going to be better than Hallmark , because they are faith based. I don't think there was a lot of faith conversation though, just the right amount. I couldn't get invested in this movie. I really wanted to like it. I always give it a chance.

Natasha Bure's acting wasn't bad, but not great. She's done a few acting jobs. Being young she has time to learn and grow as an actress. . I think this was done by her mom!