The reason I think this movie is a bit better is that, although a very familiar story, it didn't follow the formula girl figths with guy, they make up, there's a big fallout due to a misunderstanding, they make up.

Some years ago, I saw the Hallmark movie 'The Irresistible Blueberry Farm', which starred Alison Sweeney. It was brilliant, and today, it is still one of my favorite Hallmark movies. So, when I saw her at the top of the bill, I was looking forward to seeing 'Open by Christmas'. And I was not disappointed. It is what I call a classic Hallmark movie: a warm and heartfelt Christmas story with a good script, superb performances, and a nice Christmas vibe. One of my favorites thus far, though we are only a few weeks into the season. The story centers on Nicky (played by Alison Sweeney) who has come home to celebrate Christmas with her family. To her surprise, her parents are moving on, retiring, and selling their home. As such, they have hired Derrick (played by Brennan Elliott) as their realtor. When Nicky finds an unopened Christmas card while packing, she and her best friend Simone (played by Erica Durance) begin their search for Nicky's high school secret admirer. At the same time, Nicky and Derrick start spending time together, getting her parents' house ready for an open house viewing by Christmas. The movie has a warm and natural flow to it. The dialogue felt authentic as the story explored some human emotions that were engaging and relatable. The writers too did a good job of intertwining the multiple storylines, though, as other reviewers have observed, this did take away from Nicky and Derrick's romance. I enjoyed the touch of mystery in this one, even though I (and everyone else, I suspect) knew who the secret admirer was from the start. The acting overall was wonderful. Sweeney, a Hallmark regular, had a very convincing performance. Elliot too was impressive. The chemistry between the two was pretty good as well, although they could have used a bit more screen time together. The supporting cast was outstanding, especially Durance's performance. Finally, the props, scenery, and sets were beautiful, giving the movie a nice Christmas feel. No meaningless Christmas filler in this one, as another reviewer observed. All in all, it is an enjoyable movie that provides some holiday warmth and a bit of Christmas spirit. Fans of Hallmark Movies and Mysteries will no doubt enjoy.

Well, I have to say that the cover for this 2021 Hallmark Christmas movie at least didn't have the usual cheesy presentation that most of the Hallmark Christmas movies tend to have. So as I sat down to watch "Open by Christmas" I figured that it might actually transcend the usual Hallmark Christmas cheese.

But I was wrong. Boy, I was wrong.

The storyline written by Amyn Kaderali and Christine Conradt was really cheesy and generic, even for a Christmas movie, nay, even for a Hallmark Christmas movie nonetheless. But hey, if you enjoy these super sappy romantic Christmas movies, then "Open by Christmas" should be something for you. I, however, was hoping for a bit more than the usual Christmas sap and cheese.

The acting in the movie was adequate, but it was just difficult to get submerged into the storyline, and thus the characters felt somewhat bland and generic.

"Open by Christmas" failed to stand out in the midst of the nearly 40 Christmas movies I have sat through this year. So I do believe that come tomorrow, then I will have forgotten about director David Weaver's 2021 movie by the title "Open by Christmas".

My rating of "Open by Christmas" lands on a less than mediocre four out of ten stars.