Christmas on Ice is my latest review. It was released in October of this year and is distributed by Lifetime Television. Directed by TV movie auteur John Stimpson, "Ice" is a different kind of holiday helping from Lifetime. Gone is the googly-eyed stature by the pseudo romantic leads. Gone is all the muss and fuss about what are the best Xmas cookies. Finally, gone is the overindulgence of Christmas decor that seems to make every yuletide Lifetime swipe seem like a pop-up postcard. Yes "Ice" is more a drama in which a skating rink must be saved before a mayor decides to close it down. It's all about the bottom-line here (what business isn't about that bottom-line).
So OK, Christmas on Ice has some poignant moments but there's not much at stake. The ending feels a little anti-climatic with every resolution tied up neatly in a big bow (no pun intended). Added to that, the characters lives are bubbled, the plot about the little people VS the corporate suits seems imposed, and there's still that Lifetime cliche about a single father who lost his wife a few years ago. Oh well. At least you still get into the holiday spirit as you somewhat surrender to "Ice". I mean what goes better with Christmastime than outdoor skating in Worcester, MA (the film's snug shooting location).
Overall, Christmas on Ice is watchable but it suffers occasionally due to its main persona name Courtney (played by former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Abigail Klein). Klein channels Courtney as a somewhat standoffish young adult who's seamlessly bent on getting her way. She runs a skating rink that doesn't make any money yet she wonders why the powers that be are trying to take it away. Courtney also lives in a nice apartment, dresses accordingly, appears astute, and looks gorgeous. My questions for her are as follows: How does she pay her everyday bills? How does her rink stay open with its various expenses? Why won't she take a job that actually provides her with income? And what's with the sometimes snooty attitude Courtney? Next time try not to be so "Icy".
Written by Jesse Burleson
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