Jingle Bell Love

 

On Tuesday night Lisa and I watched Jingle Bell Love, a light hearted Christmas romance starring NKOTB's Joey McIntyre. It's available free on the Roku app. 

Joe plays widower Jack Cooper, who takes his 12 year old daughter to spend the holidays with his former in-laws in a quaint small town. His daughter is eager to pair him up, citing a promise she made to her Mom, and promptly tries to get him to date a local coffee shop owner played by Michelle Morgan.  Alas, unbeknownst to anyone in town but Joe, his employer has secretly sent him to buy out the coffee shop and replace it with a quasi-Starbucks. 

So what did I think? 

It isn't Oscar material, but it isn't meant to be. What it was intended to be, and what it is, is a sweet, simple love story that certainly matches up to any of the Hallmark Christmas Movies. It also, by the way, has some very good musical performances from a certain blue eyed New Kid. 

Do some plot points  not make sense? Sure. The wife seems to have died that year, based on the condolences he receives in town, yet everyone, from Joe to his in-laws, seems cool with finding wife # 2. Okay. What about the 12 year old who still earnestly believes in Santa? Etc 

Who cares? It was entertaining and endearing, and it's worth a watch.