![]() This may turn out to be the best of Hallmark's Christmas movies for the new season - but it will be interesting to see if "Nine Kittens of Christmas", Sustad's long-awaited sequel to "Nine Lives of Christmas", can top it when it debuts on Thanksgiving Day. Joe Pantoliano is particularly good as the Santa suspect. The production is top notch and the supporting cast does their best to keep us entertained. The story is well-written and different from the usual Hallmark fare, a witty blend of charm and mystery, that keeps your interest throughout, particularly because the two leads are so much fun to watch as they develop a relationship that is ultimately very endearing. She takes on her role with energy and heart and seems to really be enjoying the opportunity to act with Campbell. Guess Campbell can't do every Hallmark movie with his frequent co-star, Kimberley Sustad, but the always good Mowry-Housley is an excellent substitute for Sustad. They rent a house in a very friendly neighborhood as they go undercover to spy on a suspected thief who plays Santa at Christmas events. Here, he plays a sort of egotistical slob of a police detective who is forced to live together with an up-and-coming new detective, played by Tamara Mowry-Housley. Hallmark's best funny man, Paul Campbell, is back and he delivers the goods again. If you are looking for something different this holiday season, then The Santa Stakeout might be what you are looking for. All in all, this is a light-hearted, fun, yet warm, Christmas movie. The music in this one was well done, adding to the comedy and the Christmas vibe of the movie. The movie has a lot of the classic Hallmark Christmas spirit with several Christmas celebration scenes. Pantoliano is particularly good as the Santa suspect. ![]() ![]() This, of course, is partly due to the dominance of the comedic element of the script, as noted above. That said, I was not completely convinced by their chemistry (i.e., the romance between the two), I'm afraid, as this never fully developed on screen. But it was the banter between the two that made this one work, I felt. Mowry-Housley also had a very good performance, I thought, injecting a bit of mystery and joy into the story. Though not as strong of a performance as last year, he was entertaining and engaging nonetheless here. In 2020, he had an impressive performance in Hallmark's Christmas by Starlight. Campbell, one of Hallmark's regulars, performs well in such roles. Though entertaining, I never found myself having an actual laughing-out-loud moment, as the humor was a bit light for my taste. Indeed, there were some touching scenes and dialogue sprinkled here and there throughout the movie. The writers too try to develop a bit of neighborly Christmas spirit via Francis, a rehabilitated ex-convict. The detective work and mystery are what one would expect from this genre of movie (and Hallmark): light and uncomplicated. The script is well-written with some good banter and dialogue between Tanya and Ryan. Christmas and the neighborhood is more enjoyable than they anticipated, so too is each other's company. As they investigate and go deeper undercover, they soon realize that the magic of the holiday season in the company of Mr. They go undercover as newlyweds and stake out their primary suspect Francis (played by Joe Pantoliano), who is known as Mr. These unlikely pair are teamed up together to solve a string of holiday art heists that have swept the city. Tanya, a rookie who recently arrived from Wisconsin, is an ambitious and well-organized detective who is looking to prove herself, while Ryan, who is a bit of a slob, is a seasoned detective that works from his gut. The story revolves around two Denver police detectives Tanya (played by Tamera Mowry-Housley) and Ryan (played by Paul Campbell). Indeed, the comedy overshadows the romance for much of the movie. This entertaining buddy cop comedy, with a touch of romance, strays a bit from your standard Hallmark Christmas romance/romantic comedy. The Santa Stakeout is a refreshing addition to this year's Hallmark Countdown to Christmas series.
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