I really like the concept of caring for our fellow humans in this film and the fact that the ending is left open so that you can still believe that there might be some magic involved.

The lead male is very cute, which always helps me to appreciate these films and the lead female is nice enough too.

It's full of lovely, festive and cheery things and actually they do squeeze a lot of Christmas in.

It is your usual girl meets boy story and the same formula as all the rest of these Hallmark films, but it is endearing and has a charm all of its own.

6ish?/10.

2020 was very variable though not too bad when it came to Lifetime's Christmas films, and there was definitely the sense that the films were made in a rush with not a lot of preparation time. Yet enough of them were far from amateur-hour efforts and were still watchable all things considered. Lifetime just have done a lot better in some previous years, although their festive output is very hit and miss it should not be dismissed outright as enough have left me pleasantly surprised.

'Christmas Unwrapped' was though more or less what was expected, which was a watchable enough film with good moments and better than expected acting. But also one that is nothing extraordinary and does nothing new with pretty familiar plot tropes. Lifetime did a lot better than 'Christmas Unwrapped', but also worse than what is a somewhat middling effort for them. Considering the difficult circumstances though, it did make do perhaps.

Am going to start with the good. Amber Stevens West does a good job as Charity, despite not always being crazy about how the character was written, and attacks the role with charm and enthusiasm. Marco Grazzini has enough moments where he is quite amiable. The supporting cast did very well, particularly Cherion Drakes.

The film also at least looks professional, with lovely scenery in particular. The music doesn't intrude and doesn't feel overused, also it has a festive sound to it. Too often not the case with Lifetime.

However, too much is not successful. Didn't detect much chemistry between West and Grazzini, which seemed disconnected and awkward. Especially later on. It also would have helped if Charity's naivety and cynicism wasn't too exaggerated in the writing, if the romance was developed more and if Grazzini didn't look so embarrassed and wooden in the very forced conflict when he learns the truth.

Generally, 'Christmas Unwrapped's' story never properly grabbed me, as well as being very predictable it is very thin on the ground and drags a lot from too much stretched padding and an uncertain feel most of the time. There isn't enough of an emotional core or charm which made the film come over as bland and lacking in substance too. The direction is competent in some parts but is disorganised and hesitant in others.

Did find the script bland and stilted. The characters could have done with more development and some of the character writing could have been toned down. The ending is too neat, especially considering what the conflict was over.

In conclusion, pretty average but not unwatchable. 5/10.

"Don't you believe in a Christmas miracle?" I believe! I believe! Especially when the tree goes up in Rockefeller Center. It's 75 feet, it glistens brightly, and it shows up a few times in Christmas Unwrapped (my latest review).

Anyway, "Unwrapped" makes sense as a title because it has a reporter trying to "unwrap" the true motives of a millionaire. Said reporter also gets soft on said millionaire because you can't have a Lifetime Xmas flick without that sickly sweet notion.

Filmed in Ottawa, Canada (but NYC seems to show up) and more mature while less cutesy than your typical holiday levy, Christmas Unwrapped really gets your yuletide juices flowing. Its lavish set design, Love Actually actuality, Frank Capra corn, and Christmassy tunage defeats any inner "Scrooge" you might have.

Not overly sentimental, featuring a female lead that comes off as a little reserved, and projecting the ultimate holiday setting (New York City in late December),"Unwrapped" is dramatically corporate. Its thought-out script and reality vs fantasy story really hammer that notion home.

Directed by Bosede Williams, harboring a cast of the obligatory good-looking people, and containing an actual villain (the never aging Cheryl Ladd),Christmas Unwrapped is romance meets the good tidings version of 27 Dresses.

"Unwrapped" is about a news writer named Charity Jones (played by Beyonce lookalike Amber Stevens West). Jones investigates a rich dude named Erik Gallagher (played by Jay Hernandez lookalike Marco Grazzini). Gallagher is adopted and loves to give millions of dollars of gifts to children in his community. The kicker is that all of the gifts he obtains come from Santa himself (I guess he's best buds with St. Nick).

Charity and Erik eventually get together and get that big smooch at the end. Don't worry though, there's much more profundity to Christmas Unwrapped than that. Rating: 3 stars.