Happy Holidays From Cherry Lane movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Happy Holidays From Cherry Lane

This sugary-sweet Christmas movie releases on the Hallmark + channel on December 12, 2024.

RATING: TV-G

LENGTH: 1 hour 24 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE: B

IN A NUTSHELL:

The Hallmark movie includes 3 different stories that all took place in the same house but decades apart. It’s Christmas Eve day and each family experiences an emergency.

The film was directed by Gail Harvey.

THINGS I LIKED:

The first of the Cherry Lane Christmas movies was so popular and successful that Hallmark added 3 more to create a franchise story. Be sure to check out Christmas on Cherry Lane that came out in 2023. You don’t have to see the first one to appreciate this one though. The others in the franchise are called Seasons Greetings from Cherry Lane, and Deck the Halls on Cherry Lane.
The leading ladies who star in each of the 3 stories are Catherine Bell, Erica Durance, and Julie Gonzalo.
The leading men include James Denton, Benjamin Ayres, Ryan Rottman, Serge Houde.
While kids might be bored, the content of the movie is family-friendly. You will be perfectly safe watching this one with your grandmother. In fact, she’ll enjoy the family the most that lived in the house during the 1960s.
It’s fun to see three different families having Christmas experiences in the same house, decades apart.
One of the families creates a time capsule. Have you ever made one?
We see quite a few acts of kindness.
While there is no laugh-out-loud humor, there are amusing moments that make for a pleasant viewing experience.
The mystery is to figure out how these 3 stories are connected!

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

What bugs me about some of the characters in this kind of movie is that they’re completely self-centered and oblivious to others’ feelings or needs.
Another weakness is how unrealistic the characters are. A lot of the dialogue doesn’t represent how real people talk.
One of the characters mentions playing “Pinochle”. Was the script written by a 90-year-old? Does anyone under 90 actually play Pinochle anymore?
The kisses are so un-passionate.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Kids will be bored.

THEMES:

Christmas memories
Romance
Family
Time
Taking chances
Letting go of the past
Supporting loved ones and friends

FUNNY LINES:

“Did you just quote Footloose?” – Jessie (Julie Gonzalo)

INTERESTING LINES:

“I’m a high school principal. You can’t show weakness or they will eat you alive.” – Regina (Catherine Bell)
“Everybody needs somebody sometime.” – Nelson (James Denton)
“We always want more time, don’t we?” – Nelson (James Denton)
“The things that were important to you when you were a kid don’t have to be the same things that are important to you now.” – Jessie (Julie Gonzalo)
“We are who we are because of what we’ve experienced in our past, the love we had, the life we thought we wanted. Sometimes, you have to let go of the past and look to the future.” – Tim (Ryan Rottman)
“What do we want the future us to know about the now us?” – Alex (Noah Bromley)
“Memories are just a way of keeping the things we love close to us, you know?” – Ivy (Eva Tavares)
“Creating new memories doesn’t mean forgetting the old ones.” – Ivy (Eva Tavares)

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