Office worker Emma (Jen Lilley) decides to give up her job when she finds out that the company she’s working for is making cut-backs just before Christmas. In doing so, she saves the job of her co-worker but finds herself with plenty of time on her hands. A chance meeting with professional dancer Leo (Matthew Morrison), who she saw perform a year earlier, leads to an opportunity for her to travel to Paris and fulfil her dream of being a dancer. As she practices with Leo in preparation for a competition, sparks fly and Emma realises she may have reignited more than just her passion for dance.
Before I dig into the film, a fun fact is that former ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ professional Pasha Kovalev is the choreographer for this film and he has a small cameo. ‘Strictly’ fans should also know that this film marks the acting debut of current ‘Strictly’ pro dancer Graziano Di Prima. With both of those dancers involved, you know going into the film that the dancing is going to be spectacular and it is. Thankfully, there’s more to the film than just the dancing and ‘A Paris Christmas Waltz’ is an enjoyable holiday movie that stays on the right side of cheesy.
The set-up may be very unbelievable (seriously, a novice dancer is never really going to be selected to compete in a pro dance competition) but the story actually unfolds nicely allowing you to suspend disbelief for 84 minutes. When we meet Emma, she’s dreaming of doing more with her life and it’s her friend Cece (Stephanie Siadatan) that volunteers Emma to become Leo’s partner for an upcoming competition in Paris. A short trial dance makes Leo realise that Emma has potential and before she knows it, Emma is being whisked off to Paris to train with esteemed choreographer Henry (Paul Freeman).
As Emma gets underway with her training, she struggles to hide her attraction to Leo and the arrival of his ex-girlfriend and dance partner Giselle (Jade Ewen) throws a spanner in the works. Not only is Giselle competing for Leo’s heart, she’s also part of the dance competition making her a rival to Emma. The usual elements of a love triangle come into play and ‘A Paris Christmas Waltz’ turns into a very enjoyable watch.
Despite the iffy set-up, Jen Lilley and Matthew Morrison are utterly charming as Emma and Leo. They quickly form an easy chemistry and you can see that they got on well while filming. The film plays to both of their strengths with plenty of dancing and a bit of singing, and Morrison in particular impresses with his dance ability. As a seasoned star of the stage and screen, he really shines during the dance sequences. Jade Ewen, former Sugababe turned actress, impresses too as the cunning Giselle. I’d actually liked to have seen a bit more of her as she steals the scenes she’s in.
‘A Paris Christmas Waltz’ takes a highly unbelievable premise and sells the heck of out it. As part of the Great American Family Christmas slate, the film is among the best of this year’s titles and it’s positively charming to watch. With the backdrop of Paris, fantastic dance sequences and a romance you can actually believe in, the film is a real festive treat that will get you into the holiday spirit.
Cast: Jen Lilley, Matthew Morrison, Paul Freeman, Stephanie Siadatan Director: Michael Damian Writers: Janeen Damian and Michael Damian Certificate: Unrated Duration: 84 mins Released by: Great American Family Release date: 19th November 2023
Find out more about ‘Paris Christmas Waltz’ at https://www.greatamericanfamily.com/movie/a-paris-christmas-waltz/
