ROCKY MOUNTAIN CHRISTMAS (2017)

Sarah (Lindy Booth) is a successful interior designer for a hotel chain, but she needs a little time away from New York because of publicity concerning her recent breakup with a big Hollywood star, so she heads off to a ranch in Colorado to spend time with her Uncle Roy (Treat Williams), who raised her, and her brother Cody (Chris McNally). Roy's wife died last year and Roy is seriously considering selling the ranch, which dismays Sarah as, to her, it's the only real home she's ever had. Cody is sympathetic, but he has dreams of getting into movies as a horse handler. To make matters even worse, who should show up at the ranch but movie star Graham (Kristoffer Polaha, pictured), who has decided to spend a couple of weeks working as a ranch hand as research for his next movie. Despite her wariness about movie stars, Sarah finds herself attracted to Graham, and vice versa. However, more complications arise: Sarah takes on the task of organizing the Christmas parade that her late aunt used to run; Graham's co-star Nicole shows up, believing the studio publicity that she and Graham are an item; and it looks as if Roy has a buyer for the ranch. Will Sarah's Christmas wishes for love and home come true?

I don’t really have much to say about this—it's an absolutely run-of-the-mill Hallmark Christmas movie (businesswoman escaping the big city, finding love in a small town with a hunky but sensitive man). In a by-the-numbers case like this, it comes down to the actors. Kristoffer Polaha is a Hallmark regular and he is a notch above the average Christmas hero, with an appealing casualness about him. Lindy Booth is not as appealing—her emoting is done mostly by ducking her head down a bit and looking up with sad and/or intimidated eyes, but also the part is underwritten. Her past, including the fling with the movie star and her growing up on the ranch, is all presented as exposition so she doesn't get a chance to express any emotions except mild frustration. Chris McNally makes the most of his supporting part as the brother, and old pro Treat Williams pretty much sleepwalks through his stereotyped part—that's not meant as a slam, it's about all he can do with the thin material and the lazy direction. Even the title is a problem; though technically set in a Colorado town in the Rockies, mountains play no part in the story or even much of the scenery. On the other hand, it's hard to work up much hate for the movie. Like I said, run of the mill. 3 Christmas trees out of 5. [Hallmark]