Candace Cameron Bure in the right roles comes over to me as a likeable actress, with an easy-going screen presence and doesn't resort to over-compensating or looking bored. That may not be the case with others, but that's my stance. Have not liked everything she's done, and it has nearly always been to do with the writing and her characters rather than her when she isn't so good, but her best work is nice and undemanding that nobody should expect too much from.
That is the case with 'Christmas Under Wraps'. Am not going to say that it is a great film or a masterpiece because it isn't and its flaws are not small. Have also seen better Christmas films. 'Christmas Under Wraps' is though sweet, amiable entertainment, that did make me smile and feel warm inside, and a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours or so, succeeding in not trying to do more than it needed to do while always showing signs of trying. Of my recent Hallmark/Lifetime etc. festive quest, this has been towards the better end.
Of course 'Christmas Under Wraps' is not perfect by any stretch. One of its biggest problems being that it is goof and continuity-ridden (am not trying to nit-pick), and unfortunately too many of them are very distracting and badly affect any authenticity. It is one of those films, not unexpectedly though, that one knows how everything is going to map out much of the time with it being pretty formulaic.
Some of the dialogue is pretty cheesy, laying it on somewhat too thick on the corn, and there is a twist that is made out to be big but isn't really at the end of the day, not surprising or earth-shattering in the least.
However, both Bure and David O'Donnell are charming and likeable leads, especially Bure, with an easy-going chemistry that never came over as stiff. Brian Doyle-Murray and Kendra Mylnechuk are standouts of the solid supporting cast, very lively and full of charisma. None of the characters bored or annoyed me, even the standard somewhat over-bearing mother trope. Anybody that wants their hearts warmed and wants to be charmed for a couple of hours, while seeing something inoffensive and something different on the television are likely though to find much to like about 'Christmas Under Wraps'. The film looks quite good with a picturesque and at its best stunning setting that makes one want to be there, complemented nicely by the photography. The soundtrack when used creates nostalgia and puts a smile on the face.
While the story may be formulaic, it is also immensely charming and heart-warming that never tries to be too complicated while not being too cardboard-thin. There is nothing mean-spirited about it, very feel-good actually, and it is genuinely moving without going overboard on the sentimentality, other than the continuity nothing else really insults the intelligence.
Altogether, nice film. 7/10
