Story: Riley (Jamie Perez) couldn’t be more excited for the holidays, as she looks forward to directing a stage version of A Christmas Carol at her local, historic theatre. The pressure can sometimes be a lot, but she loves the theatre and this annual tradition means a lot to her. So when the theatre’s owner lets her know that there won’t be a show this year, she is heartbroken. The theatre hasn’t been profitable in a while and while Riley has limitless passion, that hasn’t translated into ticket sales or sponsorships. But she isn’t going to give up that easily and even after the owner refuses to delay the sale to allow one last show, Riley decides to call upon the spirits of the theatre to assist her. But is there any magic left in this old, well worn theatre and if so, can Riley make it work to save the local landmark?

Entertainment Value: This is a pretty standard, by the numbers Lifetime holiday romance, but it does check off all the boxes that the target audience looks for. So while it might not win over skeptics, A Show-Stopping Christmas does cover the bases of what genre fans want, to be sure. The narrative is light and combines sparse humor, romance, and music, for a brisk cocktail of seasonal cheer. The pace is even and the movie never feels slow, but of course, you won’t find any surprises or curve balls here. That is not a knock either, as these are made with an audience in mind and that audience appreciates comfort cinema. And on that front, the film comes through and delivers on a light, low stakes story with a wholesome romance blended in. I found the movie to be a little bland, even by Lifetime holiday movie standards, so I wouldn’t have minded more colorful characters or sharper humor, but this was still an easy watch. So if you like Lifetime holiday romances and want to kick back with a familiar ride, A Show-Stopping Christmas should suffice.

The performances in this one are passable, as everyone seems to do what they need to do, but no one stands out as a star or commands the picture. Jamie Perez has the lead and as I said, she is fine and handles the role well, she just doesn’t do much beyond the basics. So she delivers her lines well and has solid charisma on screen, she just never really stands out from the crowd. I did appreciate that she was able to do more than some Lifetime holiday leads, as the romance is a side thread to the larger narrative, as that added to her role a lot. The romance as a secondary thread was a wise choice, as there aren’t many sparks between Perez and costar Thomas McDonell, so the love doesn’t burn super bright here. But they perform well together overall, they just don’t have the heat to turn up this tepid romance. The cast also includes Maureen Keiller, Robert Walsh, and Caroline Portu.

Use this Amazon link to check out A Show-Stopping Christmas and help support my site!