Hallmark
Starring: Brandon Routh, Kimberly Sustad, Gregory Harrison
Also Starring: Trace
Directed by: Mark Jean
Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!
Synopsis: Based on the book by Sheila Roberts. Firefighter Zachary Stone (Brandon Routh) adopts a stray cat named Ambrose (played by cat actor Trace) and meets a fellow cat lover in Marilee White (Kimberly Sustad).
Featured Felines: Zachary has a fear of commitment and doesn’t plan on adopting a cat but Ambrose seems to choose him, showing up out of the blue. It turns out Ambrose’s owner was an elderly woman who passed away.
Marilee is studying to be a veterinarian and owns a long-haired calico cat named Queenie (still looking for the name of the cat actor who portrayed her). Marilee lives in a rented home that doesn’t allow pets and has to keep Queenie hidden.
The two bump into each other off and on before starting to make a connection. When Marilee is evicted from her home because of Queenie, Zachary offers her the attached apartment in the home he is renovating. This gives Zachary and Marilee a chance to get closer. Ambrose and Queenie become friendly right away.
The firehouse where Zachary works adopts Ambrose as their mascot and are proud of their firehouse cat. Chief Sam (Gregory Harrison), in particular, takes to the cat (Harrison is reportedly a cat lover in real life).
As is typical in these Hallmark holiday films there are obstacles that stand in the way of romance, not the least of which is Zachary’s current girlfriend Blair (Chelsea Hobbs) who doesn’t like cats.
While the cats are not particularly instrumental in bringing the couple together (except in the most rudimentary way) they are featured throughout the film and add a nice element to the story.
The animal trainers on the film were Mark Dumas and Connie Rusgen.
Final Mewsings: Cats make Christmas merry and bright.
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