WINDOW WONDERLAND: Romance in the Workplace with Chyler Leigh and Paul Campbell

Every year there’s one standout among the pack of original holiday movies, one that is just a little more on par with a feature film. This year, I think that movie is Window Wonderland.

The premise is familiar but still fun: a pair of co-workers vie for the same promotion, competing against each other, and romance blooms. In this case, Sloan Van Doren (Chyler Leigh) and Jake Dooley (Paul Campbell) are department store employees who specialize in creating in-store displays. When their boss, the head window dresser, responsible for the displays that cause people to stop on the street, jumps ship, Sloan and Jake both aspire to the position.

When their boss challenges them to an artistic duel – each must create a new holiday window display every week – the race is on. Sloan’s methodical, professional approach clashes with Jake’s more free-spirited style, but as they begin to appreciate each other’s talent more, attraction builds.

Theirs isn’t the only romance brewing, however; window washer Mac (Terence Kelly) and bathroom attendant Rita (Naomi Judd) have been eyeing each other for a while, but neither has been willing to make the first move. When they finally do spend some time together outside of work, one of them is in for a major surprise.

What makes Window Wonderland my favorite of the new crop of holiday movies so far is the banter between Sloan and Jake. It’s witty, fast-paced, and good-natured. Leigh and Campbell have amazing timing, delivering their zingers so perfectly, you’ll wish you could pull that off the next time you’re left searching for a comeback. It’s a credit to the actors that all that bantering never comes across as cruel or cutting. They are a delight to watch as their characters fall for each other. (Credit should also be given to writers Tippi Dobrofsky and Neal Dobrofsky and director Michael M. Scott.)

Window Wonderland premieres Saturday, November 23 at 8/7c on The Hallmark Channel.