I think sometimes Hallmark original movies try a bit too hard to be quaint and upbeat, becoming virtual caricatures of themselves in the process. The 2015 original piece “Ice Sculpture Christmas,” part of the annual Countdown to Christmas, oozes more sweetness than a maple tree and while a tame and enjoyable holiday effort, totes the line of good and campy just a bit too much for a critical movie viewer.
One area hallmark always seems to excel in is plucking lesser known female leads from obscurity who handle the staring roles with the effortless ease of a seasoned backup quarterback. In the case of “Ice,”, the honor goes to the delightfully adorable Rachel Boston (even her name is cute).
Boston, who co-stars in a television series I have never heard of called “Witches of East End” has a smile and giggle that brighten a room, and her perkiness carries the otherwise humdrum and predictable tale from start to finish with the fervor of a Hollywood A-lister.
Boston plays the jovial Callie Shaw, an optimistic woman from a working class upbringing. Shaw has just completed culinary school and has landed a job at the bottom of the restaurant ladder as a dishwasher in an upscale swanky country club. The frosty and festive open sets the side plot in place – Callie has the unusual hobby making ice sculptures, a talent she has excelled at since childhood.
Callies first day bubbliness is cut short by the head chef at the kitchen – Chef Gloria (Brenda Strong who “Seinfeld” fans will instantly recognize as Sue Ellen Mischke, the braless wonder). Chef Gloria is flanked by mischievous boot licking sidekick Jen (Leanne Lapp), an aspiring head chef who will do whatever it takes to stay in Gloria’s good graces.
Of course Chef Gloria is also an avid ice sculpture. Of course there is an upcoming ice sculpting contest, winning prize is $10,000 the exact amount Callie owes for her recent college degree (I wish I could attend that school). If that’s not coincidental enough, its the 25th annual edition of said contest (not 22nd, not 27th). Of course Chef Gloria always wins the contest, and of course the other chef at the club recently quit leaving an opening for his position.
Its a lose lose situation for Callie, as she finds herself a subordinate of Chef Gloria, wanting to please her enough to get the vacant chef position but also wanting to win in the contest. Sidekick Jen will, as expected, sabotage Callie at every chance she gets.
Director David Mackay takes the Cinderella-esque story of poor working class versus rich and elite, and mixes the Christmas backdrop well enough to prove a point but fails to overly wow the viewer with a series of tired clichés and overly predictable scenes and lines.
While solid in holiday merriment, “Ice Sculpture Christmas” is a bit drawn out with the cheer. Callie finds herself smitten over a wealthy executive named David Manning (David Alpay), a brilliant business mind who works for his money-hungry father but of course secretly yearns for a life with a more giving existence.
Compounding the siliness is that Callie and David met once for thirty seconds as children and now, thirty years later, David somehow recognizes her immediately. Apparently the perfectly handsome David has remained celebate through college, and his twenties, and half his thirties, just waiting eaglery for Callie to return to his life.
Callie, a lifelong ice sculpture, manages to teach the novice David her craft in short order. Callie’s widowed father wants to honor the memory of his wife with a charitable business. Despite Jen’s blatant dislike of Callie the entire movie, she still manages to trick Callie with her lies and deceptions.
“Ice Sculpture Christmas” is a good family choice for a holiday movie. Be warned. Its sweeter than a melted candy cane and you may find yourself with a cavity or two after watching it.
by – Matt Christopher
