Uncredited in cast list. Hope this helps anyone that was also interested.
21 Reviews
Mimi Kuzyk played Nana
dlang1050224 December 2019
Sweet, sisterly, slightly predictable, but humorous and a pretty wintry setting.
JaynaB6 January 2020
This is an almost-ensemble holiday rom-com with one main heroine, her groom, her ex, and her sister rounding out the leads. Sara Mitich is luminous although her hair is almost frighteningly red in this role. There's gentle comedy and authentic emotion from the 4 leads as they grow through their individual arcs although Colt doesn't get much range as he's supposed to represent stable, unchanging love.
Mimi Kuzyk is a gem as the girls' grandmother. The bride's parents are transparently OTT - the kind that's entertaining on-screen but you'd have to murder IRL. The bit players are a nice collection of eccentrics and bewildered bystanders.
There's been some criticism that the lead actress isn't suited for the role but I think that's a deliberate choice by the director to play up the character's unsuitability for the city life and the marriage/family she is running away from (not a spoiler, as it's in the title). The character dresses more naturally and loses the artificial hairstyle once she's out of the city, and even moves differently as she becomes more true to her own desires.
(One caveat as a writer: if anyone dragged me out of an in-the-zone writing session after a period of blockage, I'd be flinging my coffee mug at them, not going meekly back to the kitchen to help with the baking or whatever.)
The plot omitted a few of the usual set-pieces like sleigh rides and ice-skating although they did fit in Christmas tree hunting, and still managed to become a nicely watchable story. I'll keep my eye out for the actresses playing both sisters, to see what they make of more demanding roles.
Mimi Kuzyk is a gem as the girls' grandmother. The bride's parents are transparently OTT - the kind that's entertaining on-screen but you'd have to murder IRL. The bit players are a nice collection of eccentrics and bewildered bystanders.
There's been some criticism that the lead actress isn't suited for the role but I think that's a deliberate choice by the director to play up the character's unsuitability for the city life and the marriage/family she is running away from (not a spoiler, as it's in the title). The character dresses more naturally and loses the artificial hairstyle once she's out of the city, and even moves differently as she becomes more true to her own desires.
(One caveat as a writer: if anyone dragged me out of an in-the-zone writing session after a period of blockage, I'd be flinging my coffee mug at them, not going meekly back to the kitchen to help with the baking or whatever.)
The plot omitted a few of the usual set-pieces like sleigh rides and ice-skating although they did fit in Christmas tree hunting, and still managed to become a nicely watchable story. I'll keep my eye out for the actresses playing both sisters, to see what they make of more demanding roles.
Who played Nana?
dlang1050224 December 2019
Thought I might not like the movie. Once you get past the awful wedding dress it's kinda charming. The actress who played Nana/Barbara was the best! Would be a totally different movie without her. Can't believe she is not included in the cast list. Should have kept the original title.
Not to go cold over
TheLittleSongbird4 May 2021
My Christmas film viewings over-time have been a very mixed bag. With some surprisingly good hits, where regardless of how predictable they are succeed in being full of charm, warmth and heart so succeeding in being light-hearted and undemanding fun. But also some quite big misses, where the characters are not likeable, everything is forced and shallow with implausibility too in some of the worst cases, the acting and writing being weak and basically with just nothing to them.
Despite being a long way from perfect or being a complete hit, 'Cold Feet at Christmas' is thankfully closer to the former category. Certainly not a film to humbug on. As far as the 2019 Christmas output as part of my Christmas film completest sake goes, 'Cold Feet at Christmas' is in the high middle category (one would not think that looking at the rating here though), which was a relief after watching this practically straight after watching one of the worst of Lifetime's 2019 output (which, as has been said more than once in previous reviews, was very hit and miss) 'Always and Forever Christmas'.
'Cold Feet at Christmas' has a lot of great things. Best of all being Mimi Kuzyk, who brings so much life to her character and the film and was an absolute joy to watch. Candice Mausner and Joseph Cannata appeal as well. The chemistry between the actors on the whole was warm and connected well. Production values are slick and never drab or garish and the music is mostly quite pleasant.
There are a fair share of amusing moments that never felt overdone and an equal amount of never too over-sentimental serious ones. The writing is a long way from perfect, but compared to some Christmas films seen recently it's acceptable, here not heavy or not going overboard on the cheese. Enough of the story is very charming and heart-warming and even if the characters are not meaty they were characters to me that were worth caring for.
Did feel however that Sara Mitich didn't always seem comfortable, even for her fish out of water character, while Harmon Walsh is somewhat dull in a role that is not very well fleshed out.
Also there is no doubt, with it being the case with all Christmas films made by either Hallmark, Lifetime UpTV etc and being a long way from being a novel premise, that the story is very predictable and quite safe throughout, so there are major plot points and developments that can be seen from a long way away. The ending is easily foreseeable in particular.
Overall, quite decent. 7/10.
Despite being a long way from perfect or being a complete hit, 'Cold Feet at Christmas' is thankfully closer to the former category. Certainly not a film to humbug on. As far as the 2019 Christmas output as part of my Christmas film completest sake goes, 'Cold Feet at Christmas' is in the high middle category (one would not think that looking at the rating here though), which was a relief after watching this practically straight after watching one of the worst of Lifetime's 2019 output (which, as has been said more than once in previous reviews, was very hit and miss) 'Always and Forever Christmas'.
'Cold Feet at Christmas' has a lot of great things. Best of all being Mimi Kuzyk, who brings so much life to her character and the film and was an absolute joy to watch. Candice Mausner and Joseph Cannata appeal as well. The chemistry between the actors on the whole was warm and connected well. Production values are slick and never drab or garish and the music is mostly quite pleasant.
There are a fair share of amusing moments that never felt overdone and an equal amount of never too over-sentimental serious ones. The writing is a long way from perfect, but compared to some Christmas films seen recently it's acceptable, here not heavy or not going overboard on the cheese. Enough of the story is very charming and heart-warming and even if the characters are not meaty they were characters to me that were worth caring for.
Did feel however that Sara Mitich didn't always seem comfortable, even for her fish out of water character, while Harmon Walsh is somewhat dull in a role that is not very well fleshed out.
Also there is no doubt, with it being the case with all Christmas films made by either Hallmark, Lifetime UpTV etc and being a long way from being a novel premise, that the story is very predictable and quite safe throughout, so there are major plot points and developments that can be seen from a long way away. The ending is easily foreseeable in particular.
Overall, quite decent. 7/10.
pretty good
the_doofy23 December 2019
The actress with the gruesome red dye hair does not fit into a 'mountain girl' type, so they should have cast someone else for the roll, but all in all a decent christmas flick, very predictable
its go enough laughs in it to make it worth while, a guy can watch this and not have too many regrets. Probably for older viewers since there is no graphic sex and violence
The other 'sister' character is well scripted to show what real love is at several layers
worth the watch
its go enough laughs in it to make it worth while, a guy can watch this and not have too many regrets. Probably for older viewers since there is no graphic sex and violence
The other 'sister' character is well scripted to show what real love is at several layers
worth the watch
No Surprises here.
man-9651311 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
You can just look at the poster and quickly figure out the plot to this entire "Christmas Movie".
While it is a big pile of over used cliches... it does have some very strong selling points. No one is discovered to be an incognito European Prince, and absolutely no one is related to Santa Claus. Also delightful is the fact that Candace Cameron Bure is nowhere to be seen, nor is this filmed in ANY of the four small towns in Suburban Vancouver that Hallmark invariable uses for its seasonal movies.
The bright spot in this very little movie is the delightful Mimi Kuzyk. She breathes a bit of life, and professionalism into an otherwise bland movie.
This is not a bad movie. It is like a big bowl of oatmeal - warm, and comforting, and totally lacking any spice or excitement.
While it is a big pile of over used cliches... it does have some very strong selling points. No one is discovered to be an incognito European Prince, and absolutely no one is related to Santa Claus. Also delightful is the fact that Candace Cameron Bure is nowhere to be seen, nor is this filmed in ANY of the four small towns in Suburban Vancouver that Hallmark invariable uses for its seasonal movies.
The bright spot in this very little movie is the delightful Mimi Kuzyk. She breathes a bit of life, and professionalism into an otherwise bland movie.
This is not a bad movie. It is like a big bowl of oatmeal - warm, and comforting, and totally lacking any spice or excitement.
Some funny moments
Jackbv1237 November 2020
Warning: Spoilers
How can you not laugh at the wedding dress worn by Sara Mitich for way longer than was necessary. The whole bit in the store with Maggie both hiding and being clumsy is pretty good.
After that it just got sad, and not in a touching way, as Mitich tried to act disgusted by Colt's presence. Actually I wasn't impressed with Mitich most of the way through.
The side story of Olivia scheming to attract Douglas' romantic attention is at times more interesting and funny than Maggie and Colt. If there was any chemistry in this movie, it was between Candice Mausner and Joseph Cannata, Olivia and Douglas. Olivia's hero worship of Douglas was only slightly less obvious than Nana's matchmaking of Colt and Maggie. Both should have embarrassed all the characters involved. I don't think Douglas completely realized how far his affection went for Olivia until late in the game.
I hate it when the published synopsis tells you things that don't happen for half the movie. There was no sign of a blizzard for literally half the broadcast time. And then the same synopsis is downright misleading. For one thing, the place they're stuck is Nana's home and doesn't have enough normal sleeping accommodations for everyone..
Throughout the movie, it seemed to me that many choices made by the main characters didn't make sense. Some of this was reflected in the dialogue. Maggie's parents and Douglas waited a long time before they took any action with Douglas finally acting first . More than once Maggie's parents rank among the worst interfering parents of all time. Even so there are some humorous moments in "kidnapping the reverend".
The story is a bit unusual as rom/coms go. For one thing, romantic rivalries are raised a notch above the usual. Unfortunately, the movie sometimes resorts to childish behavior for humor, like the two men slapping each other's chests in anger as the prelude to a fight.
Viewers will probably either hate the interludes where characters replay interchanges with other characters in their minds, or viewers may think those interludes are creative. I thought they were done clumsily.
All in all, this is not the usual rom/com a la Hallmark or Lifetime. The climax is a good example. Like many other parts of the movie, it was just plain strange even if you saw the end result after the first 20 minutes. Still, I can see how many will love this movie.
After that it just got sad, and not in a touching way, as Mitich tried to act disgusted by Colt's presence. Actually I wasn't impressed with Mitich most of the way through.
The side story of Olivia scheming to attract Douglas' romantic attention is at times more interesting and funny than Maggie and Colt. If there was any chemistry in this movie, it was between Candice Mausner and Joseph Cannata, Olivia and Douglas. Olivia's hero worship of Douglas was only slightly less obvious than Nana's matchmaking of Colt and Maggie. Both should have embarrassed all the characters involved. I don't think Douglas completely realized how far his affection went for Olivia until late in the game.
I hate it when the published synopsis tells you things that don't happen for half the movie. There was no sign of a blizzard for literally half the broadcast time. And then the same synopsis is downright misleading. For one thing, the place they're stuck is Nana's home and doesn't have enough normal sleeping accommodations for everyone..
Throughout the movie, it seemed to me that many choices made by the main characters didn't make sense. Some of this was reflected in the dialogue. Maggie's parents and Douglas waited a long time before they took any action with Douglas finally acting first . More than once Maggie's parents rank among the worst interfering parents of all time. Even so there are some humorous moments in "kidnapping the reverend".
The story is a bit unusual as rom/coms go. For one thing, romantic rivalries are raised a notch above the usual. Unfortunately, the movie sometimes resorts to childish behavior for humor, like the two men slapping each other's chests in anger as the prelude to a fight.
Viewers will probably either hate the interludes where characters replay interchanges with other characters in their minds, or viewers may think those interludes are creative. I thought they were done clumsily.
All in all, this is not the usual rom/com a la Hallmark or Lifetime. The climax is a good example. Like many other parts of the movie, it was just plain strange even if you saw the end result after the first 20 minutes. Still, I can see how many will love this movie.
SO BORING! Not worth your time.
itmeansflower14 February 2021
My husband & I love watching the silly, fluffy Christmas movies. We watch a bunch every year. We only got thru 1/2 an hour of this oh-so predictable, completely boring thing. (I won't even honor it by calling it a movie.)
Do yourself a favor & find something- anything- else to watch!!!
Predictable
Cam8neely825 November 2019
Pleasant romance for Christmas
youngandrestless1234514 December 2020
A Predictable, Though Entertaining, Romantic Yarn That Could've Been Better.
P3n-E-W1s317 December 2022
Greetings, salutations, and a seasonal welcome to all you movie aficionados. Here are my considerations and recommendation for Christmas Wedding Runaway.
Story: 1.25/2 - Direction and Pace: 2.50/4 - Performances: 1.25/2 - Enjoyment: 1.25/2
Total 6.25/10
The concept of an unhappy Merry Christmas being on the cards for at least one person this Christmastime drew me to this Christmas Wedding Runaway. I mean, a bride getting cold feet on the day of her Xmas nuptials scampers off to Nana's contemplating her choices and potential future. Her escape from wedded bliss should leave at least one guy blue this Christmas. But that's not the case because right from the outset, the writers place a monumental neon sign over Olivia, the fugitive's sister, and five minutes into the story, you've guessed the ending. And this is a shame, as the writers could've interwoven Olivia's feelings into the narrative more subtly. Doing so would've added extra depth and potency to the story. Since we know who will enter Happy-Ever-After Land at the finale, it becomes a matter of how they'll carry us to the forgone conclusion? Luckily, the writers are decent at characterisations, especially the three principal characters: The Runaway Bride - Maggie, the old-flame - Colt, and the Grandmother - Nana. Of these three, Nana is the best. She still single-handedly maintains her farm and stables, and she's an independent woman with an independent mind, who's not afraid to speak it, either. Another pair I enjoyed was Olivia's parents, who appear to only care about appearances and their stature in their community. The romance that begins to re-bloom between Maggie and Colt does so in a mildly ireful, though always tender, fashion, which makes it great for building their characters. And the adventures they have along the way, with the small twists the writers add, are enough to keep you entertained until the forgone conclusion arrives.
The director does an okay job with the direction. It's pretty standard stuff, though they pepper the movie with a few decent compositions. And though there's not a constant heart-warming atmosphere, that's ideal for this type of tale - It's there when it's needed, and that's what matters.
All the performers are excellent, particularly Mimi Kuzyk, who plays Nana. She perfectly displays the woman's kindness with an underlying strength. You feel that if you get on the wrong side of Nana, you'll regret it. The only one who let the side down slightly was Joseph Cannata, as the Groom - Douglas. He's a smidgen too straight and stiff, though that may be his character - but it does appear a little off on-screen.
I would say that the writers missed a few opportunities to make the story more potent and realistic, while the director could've tightened his cinematography a bit. Doing so would've made this film more enjoyable. And that's where Christmas Wedding Runaway sits - at the enjoyable table, so I can only recommend it for one watch. Sadly, it doesn't possess the power to draw you back to it next year, and that is a shame as it could've.
Please check out my HO! HO! HO! Christmas Belles list to see where I ranked the movie.
Take Care, Stay Well, And Best Wishes For A Merry Christmas.
Story: 1.25/2 - Direction and Pace: 2.50/4 - Performances: 1.25/2 - Enjoyment: 1.25/2
Total 6.25/10
The concept of an unhappy Merry Christmas being on the cards for at least one person this Christmastime drew me to this Christmas Wedding Runaway. I mean, a bride getting cold feet on the day of her Xmas nuptials scampers off to Nana's contemplating her choices and potential future. Her escape from wedded bliss should leave at least one guy blue this Christmas. But that's not the case because right from the outset, the writers place a monumental neon sign over Olivia, the fugitive's sister, and five minutes into the story, you've guessed the ending. And this is a shame, as the writers could've interwoven Olivia's feelings into the narrative more subtly. Doing so would've added extra depth and potency to the story. Since we know who will enter Happy-Ever-After Land at the finale, it becomes a matter of how they'll carry us to the forgone conclusion? Luckily, the writers are decent at characterisations, especially the three principal characters: The Runaway Bride - Maggie, the old-flame - Colt, and the Grandmother - Nana. Of these three, Nana is the best. She still single-handedly maintains her farm and stables, and she's an independent woman with an independent mind, who's not afraid to speak it, either. Another pair I enjoyed was Olivia's parents, who appear to only care about appearances and their stature in their community. The romance that begins to re-bloom between Maggie and Colt does so in a mildly ireful, though always tender, fashion, which makes it great for building their characters. And the adventures they have along the way, with the small twists the writers add, are enough to keep you entertained until the forgone conclusion arrives.
The director does an okay job with the direction. It's pretty standard stuff, though they pepper the movie with a few decent compositions. And though there's not a constant heart-warming atmosphere, that's ideal for this type of tale - It's there when it's needed, and that's what matters.
All the performers are excellent, particularly Mimi Kuzyk, who plays Nana. She perfectly displays the woman's kindness with an underlying strength. You feel that if you get on the wrong side of Nana, you'll regret it. The only one who let the side down slightly was Joseph Cannata, as the Groom - Douglas. He's a smidgen too straight and stiff, though that may be his character - but it does appear a little off on-screen.
I would say that the writers missed a few opportunities to make the story more potent and realistic, while the director could've tightened his cinematography a bit. Doing so would've made this film more enjoyable. And that's where Christmas Wedding Runaway sits - at the enjoyable table, so I can only recommend it for one watch. Sadly, it doesn't possess the power to draw you back to it next year, and that is a shame as it could've.
Please check out my HO! HO! HO! Christmas Belles list to see where I ranked the movie.
Take Care, Stay Well, And Best Wishes For A Merry Christmas.
Christmas barely mentioned
slshires64-15 November 2020
Better than some, Good laughs
dred-787-98393210 December 2021
It's not Shakespeare, it's not profound, but it IS funnier than some Hallmark movies it's trying to clone. The wedding dress and the fiancé are hilarious. Yes, there are some implausible events. Yes, it is uneven in parts. Yes, at times it seems like a high school play. And why are they snowed in down the mountain but it's sunny and dry near the summit? But it is funny, and the opening and closing shots of the farm and forest are really nice.
Awkward starlet casting mistake
superdad-9970214 October 2021
Male costar is clearly working overtime, trying to save the poor skills of the "starlet." Casting company couldn't have done a worse job. She's hideous in her goth makeup, at the beginning, only to go downhill from that, with low acting skills, and dismal audience appeal. Rating of a single star is a gift, going solely to the costar's stellar efforts to salvage the project. Epic fail.... as a Hallmark Christmas movie.
So so
majoq18 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Average rom com.
Average cast the only exception being Nana.
Average music.
Average plot.
Everything in this movie is average.
It's true that it has some funny moments, but that's all.
The only good thing is the photography.
Leads have no chemistry AT ALL.
The same could be said about the sister and the fiancée. She behaves like a child.
And don't get me started on the parents: HOW OLD ARE THEY!? 4?! Taking a priest to marry her daughter when she didn't ask o know about it!?
Very bad movie and let me tell you that I usually love Christmas movies!!
Don't waste your time. Don't watch it.
Go for a walk.
Average cast the only exception being Nana.
Average music.
Average plot.
Everything in this movie is average.
It's true that it has some funny moments, but that's all.
The only good thing is the photography.
Leads have no chemistry AT ALL.
The same could be said about the sister and the fiancée. She behaves like a child.
And don't get me started on the parents: HOW OLD ARE THEY!? 4?! Taking a priest to marry her daughter when she didn't ask o know about it!?
Very bad movie and let me tell you that I usually love Christmas movies!!
Don't waste your time. Don't watch it.
Go for a walk.
A gem of a movie
Pete-Claus26 December 2019
The best Christmas comedy/romance I've seen in 2019. As you might guess from the title, a bride starts feeling overwhelmed as her wedding approaches and bolts for the hills. A good cast works through the aftermath with good spirits, and a lot of humorous lines and comedic acting that kept me laughing, even as important life choices are being considered by the main characters. As other reviews have indicated, one of the strongest and most interesting characters is found in the supporting cast. Interesting storyline with some unexpected twists. Very highly recommended. Be sure to stick with it through the initial scenes, where my spouse was ready to turn it off, until the plot really gets rolling. We both enjoyed it immensely.
Nana knows
grakky19 December 2019
Christmas wedding runaway
mitchellrharl23 December 2020
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