Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

One common plot device is what I call the hanging lie, or the looming lie. Well instead of her having one and him having one, in this case, Greta is part of both of them.Of course the reveal ruins everything in Greta's life, but there are a couple little twists yet to come.Katrina Law is a talented actress and she does well in this movie. She and Jordan Belfi have some chemistry, although there is too much going on in the movie for them to spend enough screen time together to really sell it. Except for two people, all the supporting cast is good also. I suspect Susie Abromeit and the guy playing the boss did as they were directed, but I thought both were a little over the top and cliché in their parts. She was so transparent and he was more unreasonable than he had to be.This movie did not exploit all the Christmas themes as much as most Hallmark Christmas movies do, so there was not so much of the heartwarming stuff I enjoy.As I implied, I think this movie would have been better if they'd found a way for Katrina Law to show more of her talent and work it with Belfi more, but overall it was still enjoyable.

Perhaps if Hallmark didn't brag so much about their up-coming new Christmas movies in the previews, then I wouldn't have such high expectations...and I wouldn't be so disappointed.After seeing this movie several times, I still couldn't find anything enticing about it...or warming...or fun...or delightful. But I did find that it had PLENTY of deception and nothing. The plot was all based on deception: "Greta" lied to everyone about who she was....."Ben" and "Greta" created a deception about their relationship...The mother and her live-in "friend" held back their info and continued to deceive after knowing who "Greta" really was.....the brother's girlfriend had deceptive motives with her engagement. The plot...the lines...the players...all were ho-hum. On the favorable side: It did not have any annoying players...which some Hallmark Christmas have. It did not have blaring "background" music and / or atrocious "singing" to drown out the dialogue...which is typical of Hallmark's Christmas movies to have.

Great (Katrina Law) works for a blab magazine in the Los Angeles area. Single and very pretty, she nevertheless has been unlucky in love. One of her friends is getting married soon and Greta, good friend, volunteers to pick it up from the bridal boutique. But, wait! Just then she gets a call about trailing a famous political family up in the mountains of California. Dashing off in her shorts, she drives the car into a snowbank and starts to get the big "chill". Needing extra clothes, she puts on the wedding gown and then tumbles down a hill. At the bottom is a good looking guy, Ben (Jordan Belfi) who swears he is the caretaker of the nearby mansion of the famous family Greta is to find. Ben asks Greta about her dress, is she a runaway bride? Playing along, Greata says yes. No one is there to blow here cover. But, not so Ben. Soon it becomes clear that Ben is the elder son of the rich politician and it is expected that he will announce a decision to run for office. Just at this critical moment, Ben's younger brother shows up with a new girlfriend. Horrors! She's Ben's old flame, a true golddigger. Thinking quickly, Ben asks Greta to pretend to be his current squeeze. She agrees to play along. But, what will happen when the secrets start coming to the surface? This nice film is funny and romantic. It has all a romcom lover could wish for, that is, an attractive cast, a beautiful setting, sensational costumes, an energetic direction and a clever script with plenty of twists and turns. Even if its snowing to beat the band, fans, try to get a look at Snow Bride.

Katrina Law is a reporter for a gossip magazine. She winds up invading a political family in a wedding dress; since one brother is dating the ex-girlfriend of the other, she winds up pretending to be the girl friend of the ... well, it's all put together pretty well in this decently written Hallmark Channel romantic comedy.My reviews of Hallmark romcoms frequently seem cynical. That is a reaction to the cynical manner in which they are assembled to appeal their audience. The leading ladies are all brittle, driven, unattached, beautiful professionals who need to connect to their hidden niceness. The men vary over the lot until they end up thoroughly domesticated. However, in this one, Jordan Belfi STARTS as the good-looking scion of a rich, truly decent family. He wears elk-pattern sweaters and drinks chamomile tea of his own free will. He could be a senator for the asking, but yearns to write romance novels. He almost cries a couple of times and probably likes cuddling and long, romantic walks on the beach. It's another chick flick with a Christmas background. It could have been rewritten slightly for Arbor Day.There's nothing wrong with this particular genre of movie, no more than with a western, or a murder mystery, or a buddy picture. However, neither is it incumbent upon us to cheer wildly every time the beautiful young woman discovers happiness in the arms of the handsome young man with the assumption that this time it's for ever after. Sometimes some one puts in some extra effort or some major talent gets interesting. Sometimes you get something where you want your time back. Most of the time, however, what you get is something to kill a couple of hours; and that is okay.And so is this one. There are a couple of nice plot twists that drive the story and which make sense because of the characters. There are the older supporting actors who perform their roles gracefully, simply and interestingly. The establishing shots up by Big Bear Lake are pretty and if the music is again too intrusive and controlling, that seems to be another aspect of this particular genre. I just wish they could change the last.