Just your average Christmas film. Nothing to shout about, but not so bad that I had to turn it off.

I thought the lead romance could have had a bit more to it, they kind of just fell back in to things, but I did like the cute teenage romance between the Brother and the girl from school.

It's nice to see that Patrick Duffy still gets work as the Dad, but the Mother was quite intense.

Put it on while you're wrapping presents and it will suffice.

Brooke Nevin is always watchable, though some films of hers are better than others, and Patrick Duffy makes many of his films better, even those that are not particularly good. Hallmark have done a fair share of decent and more Christmas films, and films in general actually. As well as a fair share of average and less ones. Expectations were admittedly not huge for 'The Christmas Cure'. Nor were they rock bottom low. The story did not sound much special but there was potential.

Which was not really lived up in the execution of 'The Christmas Cure'. It was fairly typical Christmas Hallmark, though it was mostly related to the characters' work with Christmas being the backdrop, with some very recognisable plot tropes of theirs executed in a familiar fashion. Is it a bad film? No it isn't. It is also not particularly good, feelings on 'The Christmas Cure' were rather mixed. Carried by the cast but wanting when it comes to the story.

'The Christmas Cure' does have good things. The production values are quite nice, especially the scenery. There are some nice light-hearted and heart-warming moments when the film improves, namely down to the chemistry between the two leads. Which was on the most part very genuine and really liked how they were understanding and supportive of each other while not developing too fast. It was actually their chemistry that helped improve the film when it picked up.

Brooke Nevin and Steve Byers' performances also help quite a bit, with Nevin especially (a strong contender for the best thing about the film) being an absolute charmer as a lead character actually worth relating to with no exaggerated negative character traits or mannerisms. The supporting cast are solid, particularly Duffy who is every bit as charming and likeable as Nevin.

However, too much doesn't work in 'The Christmas Cure'. The script could have been so much better. It is not a strong suit in a lot of Hallmark Christmas films, but this was a case of some of the dialogue being laughably bad in the early portions but even after the film picks up there were too many moments where it was still rather flat and lacked tension and emotion. The story is far too slight, to the point of being very uneventful, in the early portions, and it's all too predictable and contrived throughout.

Found the music too often lacking in subtlety and melodically quite forgettable. The pacing was generally off, with a real tendency to lag. Badly so in the first third or so, while the ending was typically rushed and pat. There is very little tension and the moments of charm and heart are not enough.

Concluding, very mixed on this film. 5/10.

A doctor in the city is about to become head of trauma. When she returns to her small town she rekindles a romance with her childhood sweetheart. Her father is about to retire from his small town practice.

The cast is likeable enough. It's nostalgic to see Patrick Duffy as the father all grey haired. He is still a welcome presence on screen.

Note to Hallmark: a little tired of giving up a great career and life in the big city for the charms of the small town. Everything she has worked and achieved don't count for anything? Why can't the small town person ever move to the city. Few are good enough to make it.

Not a must watch.