User Reviews

This was a pretty good movie. Of course, it relied on a fusion of two fairly overdone tropes, namely the big city girl returns to her hometown at Christmas and begins to consider returning full-time, and the famous person connects romantically with a normal person. It worked better in this case, because the famous girl Darcy was already friends (actually former high-school frenemies) with her average Joe love interest Adam. Also, the fact that she was kind of a has-been in the music industry, rather than a current reigning pop star, made her much more relatable. You really could believe that she could just come and hang out with her sister and niece for Christmas, just like any normal person would, and you could believe that she would take it upon herself to direct a musical group of local teens including her niece.

Okay, a fair amount of disbelief still had to be suspended for you to buy into this movie. Like, for example, how she took a group of no-talent kids and, after barraging them with positive messages of "believing in yourself", they instantly transformed into a professional-quality singing group, complete with multi-part harmonies. There's also the relationship between Darcy and Adam. They were way too acrimonious at the beginning for you to really buy that they would connect romantically after such a short time. He doesn't even couch his interest in some innocuous comment like, "Maybe we could grab a bite to eat". He flat out says he's asking her on a date. Somehow, I wasn't quite buying it.

Otherwise, I thought the interactions between Darcy and Adam were good and realistic. Their banter was pretty engaging. I also enjoyed the relationship between Darcy and her sister Gretchen and her niece Megan. Patti Murrin as Darcy gave a great performance. She was positive and upbeat and made her character of a former pop princess seem believable and relatable. Brendan Penny as Adam was also good. The glasses were an interesting touch that you don't often see in Hallmark movies, at least on men. It's interesting that the guy got the glow-up this time, by eventually removing the specs.

One thing I also liked was that, when Darcy had to miss the kids' performance because of a conflicting meeting that was vital to her music career, neither the kids nor Adam tried to make her feel guilty about her "abandoning" them. They were totally understanding and went on to perform fine without her, though she magically was able to show up for the performance anyway. I also liked how they didn't force her to choose between life in her hometown, where a relationship with Adam would be possible, and her career as a pop singer. She was able to have both, though I think that probably never could have happened in the real world.

All in all, a fairly engaging Hallmark Christmas romance, with good performances and a decent script. Definitely worth a watch.

This movie is definitely worth a watch, it just won't be on our rewatch list, for a couple of reasons.

First, let me say that this is one of the few Hallmark Christmas movies that puts more than trees and Santa in the script. They have actual Christmas Carols which say the word "Jesus"! You hardly ever see that, and I thought it refreshing that if you're going to celebrate a holiday, you mention the core reason FOR the holiday. So bonus marks there.

Unfortunately, the script is a cliche we see at least a couple of times a year. Famous person returns home, gets involved in a local event, and then their return to success requires they leave before the event. We saw it coming roughly from the time the female lead got involved in the glee club contest.

The male lead's nerdiness was a bit overplayed, and the female lead's forced smiles wore thin on me. BUT, if there is an award for cheerful face scrunching, the two sisters get blue ribbons.

So don't avoid this movie. Just don't set your hopes up for anything in the screenplay which smacks of an original idea.

Brendan Penny is an extraordinary actor. I looked forward to his new Hallmark film. Evidently the casting director just matches any male with any female and counts on the story line to compel a "romantic match." In this case, Patti Murin is a mess and a miss! She plays an aging pop star/song writer who had one hit song years ago. She has relocated from New York City to Dayton (Ohio) and is staying with her sister while she recharges her depleted creative batteries. Her character is arrogant and insensitive and jumps to conclusions, making her an obnoxious character. As an actress, Patti Murin has a huge mouth, in an uninteresting face, with gloppy hair and scrunched eyes (as if her contacts are really bothering her). Her scenes seem forced and fake. She should be playing a neighbor who sells Tupperware. That is the caliber of her "charm." Brendan Penny plays a long-suffering local music teacher, who is forced to work with this local "celebrity" interloper while she tries to organize and promote those music students who auditioned but did not make the cut for the high school's chorus singers (led by Penny), as they prepare for a competition.

Murin's character "smart mouths" Penny at every turn. (He should have tossed her butt out, "old celebrity" or not. She is pushy, obnoxious, has no actual knowledge of music theory, or any sense of discipline, and appears to be worthless. Her only "contribution" is that of carping and nagging.

Lastly, the "modern" twist on traditional Christmas music may be "edgy" to some, but I found the "modern" renditions to be to be loud, forgettable, and no improvement on traditional Christmas music. As if Iambic pentameter has no value in the new modern age of jazzy hip-hop, or whatever the "new noise" was supposed to be. As if changing the syllabic verse, or beat, could improve the old standards. The song arrangements are cheap and cheesy; merely "changed" for the sake of "change" with no significant improvement.

I was VERY disappointed with "In Merry Measure!" It is the ONLY Brendan Penny film I will NOT rewatch. It's too painful. Patti Murin is simply too old and frumpy to play this kind of role. She is like an older aunt who is carrying too much weight and breathes through her mouth OR she is trying to draw attention to her new dentures. When Penny had to kiss Murin at the close, it was just embarrassing. He gave her a quick smack, since it was in the script. Murin never closes her mouth so he must have had to kiss her teeth. He deserves a cute young leading lady who is not so vulgar.

Incidentally, Penny's retro glasses are exactly what a music teacher would wear. They are VERY au courant and not "old" at all. The glasses are truly "edgy," while the "progressive" (awkward) dancing is not.)

Darcy is a former pop star whose popularity has faded and now sings in small intimate venues. When she loses her agent, she goes home to Dayton Ohio for Christmas and ends up coaching a high-school singing team with her high-school rival, Adam (Brendan Perry). How does all of this come about? Her widowed sister's daughter tries out for an opening on the championship choral team and totally blows it because of her lack of confidence. In fact, the coach didn't even let her finish the audition! Mean! This pisses Darcy off so much, that she gets all of the rejects together to form a competing team. They start out to be awful (and hilarious), but Darcy's coaching style gives them confidence, and they quickly are just as good as their rivals, if not better. The #1 team recognizes their talent and the kids propose to the two bickering antagonistic coaches that they join forces and form a new group to compete in the county(?) competition. Quite mature and nice of the kids. The two frenemies are now co-coaches.

Brendan Penny' character is quite the arrogant, self pitying, whiny jerk at first. He is obviously very jealous and resentful of Darcy's past success. And then he has a dorky nerdy thing going on as well. Not exactly leading man material, but the banter and snarkiness between the two coaches is witty and funny even as Adam himself is detestable. Thankfully, he learns from Darcy's more positive and affirming approach with the kids. When he apologizes for his harsh and insensitive methods things warm up considerably between the two coaches. He admits he always admired her. They become friends, but it's not until he shows up at Darcy's doorstep without his nerdy glasses and a bit of a makeover, that Darcy starts to fall for him. It's a cliché, but I loved it.

After a lot of work, and many disappointments, Darcy finally gets a chance at a contract with a big record label. Predictably, she has to choose between meeting the bigwigs and being with the team on their big night. I'm not sure what old Hallmark would have done, but with the new Hallmark, she goes to New York with the blessings of everyone to meet the VIPs without a second thought. She gets the contract, but instead of schmoozing the night away, which the powerbrokers want her to do, she risks offending them and tells them she has to go back to Dayton to be with her team. Good for her, and they respected her for it.

Patty Murin was adorable in this. I didn't recognize her but she usually plays the Not-so-Glamourous Best Friend roles. The two leads have great rapport. They bounce off of each other naturally while acting the fast-paced script. Besides the excellent acting, funny dialogue, and good message, this movie featured a really great Christmas song selection and some equally great singing. There was actually an original song, written by our songwriter heroine that was actually really good! I'm glad Hallmark has moved away from trying to pretend Christmas is not a Christian Holiday and embraced a few Christmas Carols that are actually about the birth of Jesus. I don't mind non-secular, but last year, a movie "la-la-la-ed their way through Joy to the World to avoid singing the words. That was a bridge too far. This all ended with a series of flashback scenes from the movie we just watched. I guess they needed some filler, but it was creative and something different. I liked it.

Darcy returns to her hometown to spend Christmas with her sister and niece, after years of struggling as an irrelevant pop star. Her high school choir rival, Adam, is directing the choir for the upcoming Christmas Carol Competition and has cut her niece. Darcy starts her own choir with her niece and the others who were cut before combining the two choirs to create a powerhouse choir to perform at the big competition. Along the way, Darcy realizes that all her travelling and pursuing of her singing career has not made proper room for Christmas family memories and love in her life.

Jennifer Robertson (from Schitt's Creek) is so funny and warm and cozy in her role as the sister!

MeetCute: Darcy's niece did not even get to finish her audition because the director stopped her. Darcy storms in to talk to the director and discovers its none other than, Adam, Darcy's high school rival. Adam says he worked hard in his career to become the Head of the Music Department after Darcy always beat him for the top Solos and is going to continue his streak of winning the Herald Angels Christmas Carol Competition. Darcy then decides to start her own choir after this interaction.

Christmas Carol Competition: Darcy and Adam's Choirs compete for who gets to compete for the High School at the County Christmas Carol Competition. The two groups decide to combine their talent and unite the team, which unites the two coaches: Darcy and Adam!

At the Competition, The Herald Angels beautifully sing Christmas Carols: Hark the Herald Angels Sing, I heard the Bells on Christmas Day, and Go Tell it on the Mountain

The Herald Angels win the Competition!

Almost Kiss: Adam walks Darcy home from their date and the snow begins to fall. The setting is beautiful against the backdrop of the Christmas-decorated house and beautiful snow falling.

He leans in to kiss her, but she says she does not want to get too attached as she is going back to New York after the holidays.

Ending Kiss: Darcy gets a big break with a record label! The catch is, she has to flip to New York to meet the record label executive to sing for him on Christmas Eve, which is exactly the timing of the Herald Angels' Christmas Carol Competition. At the choir's Christmas dinner, Darcy tells everyone she can't make it to the competition.

When she arrives at the Record Label's office in New York, Darcy finds that Adam has hidden a shirt in her luggage that reads, "Coach Darcy."

At the competition, Adam tells the Herald Angels to "have fun!" which is completely opposite of his cut-throat, competitive nature in the beginning of the movie.

Darcy surprises everyone at the Christmas Carol Competition, telling her sister that she is going to make Dayton her new home and not put her travelling career above her family anymore. The record label signed her and supported her decision.

"I am never going to miss a Christmas with you and Megan again." -Darcy to her sister

Darcy surprises Adam too and their choir wins the competition!

On Christmas morning, Darcy, her sister and her mom open presents in matching pajamas before taking a family picture. The ending is a montage of all their Christmas memories.

Favorite scene with

Darcy (Patti Murin) - Her Date with Adam and Stopping him from Kissing her because she's going back to New York after the Holidays and wants to Protect herself from getting Hurt. Patti Murin as Darcy was So Dang Adorable!!! And I Loved Brendan Penny as Adam! He was Hot with and without his Glasses! BTW #1, I Loved this Movie! It made me Laugh and Feel Good. And it made me Bawl Like A Baby at The End! BTW #2, I Loved that this Movie was set in Ohio! Although I Grew Up in California, my Roots are in Ohio (Columbus). BTW #3, I Hope to see a Sequel to this Movie (Christmas 2023)!

Set in New York and Ohio.