“A Picture Perfect Holiday” is a charming, entertaining holiday telefilm worth checking out!
Click here to watch “A Picture Perfect Holiday” on Amazon
TITLE: A Picture Perfect Holiday
FILM YEAR: 2021
DURATION: 87 Minutes
COMPANY: Lifetime Television
Directed by J.E. Logan
Written by Anna White
Produced by Brian Nolan, Peter Sullivan
Executive Producer: Barry Barnholtz, Zelma Kiwi Jeffrey Schenck
Line Producer: Lauralee Browne
Music by Matthew Janszen, Gioacchino Marincola
Cinematography by Lars Lindstrom
Edited by Randy Carter
Production Design by Thomas Molina Jr., Molly Saito
Costume Design: Nancy Cannon
Starring:
Tatyana Ali as Gaby
Henderson Wade as Sean
Dina Mayer as Leila
Paula Andrea Placido as Dani
Rivkah Reyes as Amelia
Ben Loeky as Robert
Joyce Cohen as Fran
Scott Takeda as Bill
Ahaise as Chad
Tito Livas as Tyler
Fashion photographer Gaby (Tatyana Ali) lands a great job. Encouraged by her editor to attend the annual Christmas Photography Retreat to ramp up her skills, Gaby learns her rental has been double booked with photographer, Sean (Henderson Wade.)
For day 33, one holiday telefilm that I have been waiting to see is “A Picture Perfect Holiday” because it stars actress/singer Tatyana Ali (for those who grew up watching “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”).
The film is directed by J.E. Logan and written by Anna White and stars Ali, alongside Henderson Wade (“Riverdale”, “Extant”, “Walker”), Dina Meyer (“Starship Troopers”, “Johnny Mnemonic”, “Star Trek: Nemesis”), Paula Andrea Placido (“Shameless”, “Star Trek: Picard”), Rivkah Reyes (“School of Rock”, “Monuments”), Ben Lokey (“Breakin'”, “A Field So White”), Joyce Cohen (“Independence Day”:, “Read it and Weep”) and many more.
For this holiday telefilm, Tatyana Ali plays the role of photographer Gaby. She is looking for an opportunity to become a staff photographer for Style Source and is hoping her boss Leila (portrayed by Dina Mayer) and because she primarily shoots fashion photography, Leila tells her that her resume doesn’t include enough other things and lacks the emotional component/warmth.
But her boss tells her about a Christmas photography course at Pine Falls Retreat and what better to learn how to capture the emotion and warmth through Christmas.
So, when Gaby arrives to Pine Falls Retreat and checks in her room, she automatically comes into a room with a man wearing only a towel. The man is nature photographer Sean (portrayed by Henderson Wade) who is there for the Christmas photography retreat.
When Gaby calls the retreat owners, Fran (portrayed by Joyce Cohen) checks with her husband Robert (portrayed by Ben Lokey) and both realized they booked two people to the same room.
Fran and Robert hope the two can stay at the same retreat together and even buys them groceries.
So, as the two try to get used to living together for the next five days, they realized how total opposite they are. While they both are passionate about photography, Gaby is into digital photography, Sean is into film photography.
Sean loves Christmas, Gaby is not a Christmas person at all but is doing it just to get a job as a staff photographer.
So, will these two eventually iron out their differences and enjoy and learn at the photography retreat?
First, I found the premise of this holiday film to be entertaining. For one, I’m also a photographer and photographed fashion and celebrities. Second, I also have traveled to cover Christmas holidays in other countries. So, in a way, I was really looking forward to this telefilm, and as mention also, because it stars the beautiful Tatyana Ali.
I had no idea that Ali had various Christmas telefilms that she starred in since 2017.
For the most part, I enjoyed “A Picture Perfect Holiday”. It’s different from most series, but does focus on the the opposites can attract romance theme.
Now, having to put away my knowledge of photography (ie. seeing Gaby try to take photos closeup of objects, while moving, without much lighting and without a macro lens, at times I had to remind myself, this is not real, this is a telefilm). But the film is charming and it also tries to showcase diversity with two African American leads and a supporting case featuring gay couples.
But overall, “A Picture Perfect Holiday” is a charming, entertaining holiday telefilm worth checking out!
