The Secret Santa Project review – festive romcom tries for the Love Actually style multiple story strands | Movies

Feelgood Christmas romcoms are like faculty nativity performs: you possibly can forgive rather a lot in return for a toasty heat festive glow. The Secret Santa Venture, based mostly on a e book by Tracy Bloom and set in a London council’s accounting division, manages a quick flicker of cosy appeal in locations however in reality it’s little bit of a Christmas clunker.Like Richard Curtis’s Love Truly this can be a movie with a handful of interwoven storylines. Samantha Giles performs Diane, the grinchy head of accounts who within the custom of London romcoms walks to work over Westminster bridge previous Huge Ben; she would like to see Christmas cancelled and save the council a couple of kilos. Her husband Leon (Mark Williams) is a panto director, and Diane suspects he’s obtained a factor occurring with Snow White. This plot line shouldn’t be one million miles from Emma Thompson’s in Love Truly, nevertheless it bungles alongside to a slipshod decision missing the poignancy of Thompson slipping off to the bed room for a cry on Christmas Day.At work, Diane’s quantity two Jerry (Barrie Ryan English) has fallen for a person he met in a espresso store. Perky graduate trainee Jolene (Myla Carmen) makes an attempt to sprinkle Christmas pleasure along with her plan for secret Santa – exchanging acts of kindness as an alternative of less-than-a-fiver novelty socks. One of the best efficiency is from ex-EastEnders actor Charlie Brooks as Stacey, a single mum whose new boyfriend is clearly a complete douche.There are some things value writing house about. The movie nails the dynamics of an workplace the place individuals have labored with one another for years and tolerate one another’s foibles with an eye-roll or side-eye. However its joyful endings really feel unearned and will depart a sickly feeling just like consuming three-day-old turkey leftovers on a sherry hangover. The Secret Santa Venture is on digital platforms from 17 November.