Tough and cynical New York celebrity novelist Dru Cassadine, known for her romance stories, is desperate for a breakthrough after a string of flops. Spurred on by brutal reviews and a not-so-subtle threat by her publisher to drop her, she is given just weeks to turn out a best seller.

To get her creative juices flowing, Dru decides on a change of scenery. Reluctantly, she returns to her childhood home for the holidays. Landing in Harbor Pointe, a small picturesque beach town, a flood of memories washes over her.

As the town prepares for Christmas, and she struggles with her past, handsome local widower, Brysen Flynn and his spunky teenage daughter Peyton enter her life. Dru’s tough New York heart melts as she befriends Peyton, and romance begins to spark with Brysen on the Southern shore…with an unexpected twist no one saw coming.

Recently, the wonderful network, INSP, sent me a copy of a movie they will be premiering on November 25th on their network entitled Christmas On the Coast. I agreed to review this movie in exchange for that DVD, and all opinions are 100 percent my own.

First of all, I will admit that my expectations were rather low for this film. That is not in any way intended to be negative, but I am an avid Christmas movie watcher, and I spend most of my time over on the Hallmark Channel. All too often, I am disappointed by the Christmas fare offered by other networks. So I went into this movie expecting a film that would be clean but possibly boring and/or lacking in some way.

I am happy to report that this movie far exceeded my expectations! The story was easily relatable to a writer like me. The fact that Dru has lost touch with her passion and her family is something that can easily happen to anyone. And while the way in which the story was told may not have been new, the way in which the story unfolded had a few surprises along the way, all without sacrificing family-friendly content. While the story could have been set in any of the four seasons, the fact that Christmas was the backdrop gave it that little bit of magic and flair.

My criticisms of the film are virtually non-existent. Yes, there are the typical romance tropes, but the acting was proficient and definitely above average for most of the cast. Maybe the movie didn’t look like a theatrical release, but I don’t get caught up in how things are shot and what may or may not be believable as far as sets and decorations go.

Julie Ann Emery & Burgess Jenkins

The two leads of the film truly surprised me in a good way. After all, if the leads are not up to the task of carrying the production, the storyline can fall flat. While I was basically unfamiliar with the prior works of Julie Ann and Burgess, I actually discovered that I have seen Burgess before on the Hallmark Channel (The Heart of Christmas, The Shunning). I have seen Julie Ann in passing on some of her guest star roles. But I will admit that this was the first time either of them stood out to me. I thought they were an unusual pairing at first, but as time went on, I definitely witnessed the chemistry, and their interactions within the movie drew me in. I’m not going to say that they were my all-time favorite on-screen couple, but they were definitely above average.

Bonnie Bedelia

Of course, Bonnie is quite recognizable. I most recently saw her last year in the Hallmark network’s production of A Joyous Christmas, but her credits are quite substantial. As Dru’s mother, no one better could have been chosen. She was probably the most authentic of the actresses in the film, and definitely one of the most believable. I mean, who wouldn’t want her as a mother?

Clarence Gilyard Jr.

As a nice surprise addition to the cast, Clarence was simply fantastic! You might remember him from Walker, Texas Ranger. Even though he is older, he still brings all the warmth and personality to an important side character.

Cait Pool

And in the role of Burgess’ character’s daughter, Peyton, I thought that Cait was perfectly cast! I have never seen this young actress before, but I hope this is the beginning of a stellar career for her!

So if you are looking for a family-friendly Christmas film with a nice message and some fun acting, this is the movie to check out! If you haven’t had the opportunity to see it or you just want to watch it again, tune to INSP today for the premiere on their network!

MORE INFO

On INSP

Official Movie Website

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