Not a great movie, BUT

Rating: 6/10 (24 May 2020)

It delivers exactly what it promises, a film for the victims of unrequited love - and who, honestly, has never been there? the message is, get out of your rut and who knows, maybe, just maybe, you will find what you are looking for. Because many people move in circles that are just made for that sort of frustration, but there are many others where you can relate to people on a normal basis (remember Notting Hill?).
The process is set up quite quickly and evolves as one might expect, but what's wrong with that, especially in the sort of seasonal fare that is meant to make us feel cozy and snug?
It is perhaps a sad reflection of our times that the film has been criticised not only for what it is but also what it's not, revealing much determination to be cruel and vile.
Yes, it's predictable, which is the default position for this genre - and tell me how many films are not; Parasite wasn't as good as the moving Shoplifters, but won the Oscar for being full of surprises.
No, it's not 'clever', but it's quite intelligent enough. Leave 'clever' to the thriller genre where it's most appropriate.
This film gives one a warm, sympathetic feeling, and plenty of laughs along the way, many provided by Eli Wallach, in a superb performance that at 90 years of age had the director keep telling him to slow down. That along is worth the price of a ticket or DVD (yes, I'm old-fashioned that way :)