Director: Don McCutcheon
Writer: Mark Amato, Karen Berger, Sue Tenney
Stars: Danica McKellar, Brennan Elliott, Dan Lauria, Hattie Kragten, Gage Graham-Arbuthnot
Countries: United States
“Burned out from the hubbub of the Chicago gallery world, artist Kelly (Danica McKellar) returns home to the picturesque Grand Valley just in time for Christmas. Maybe her favorite town’s shining season will reinvigorate her love of art and guide her down her next path. Leo (Brennan Elliott), businessman and all-star dad to his children, struggles to balance his time this holiday season. When he is assigned to review a hotel in Grand Valley for its value, he sees this as the perfect opportunity for a Christmas family vacation. It isn’t long until Kelly and Leo’s worlds collide. As Kelly re-experiences her favorite Grand Valley traditions with Leo and his children, she begins to find her way back to her passion for art.”
One of the best christmas movies we have seen from Hallmark…
Most all of the Hallmark Christmas movies are delightful but this one was quite a disappointment. The movie was a real snoozer. Very dull and boring with very little chemistry between the characters.
I am STUNNED at all the negative reviews on this movie. It was SO good!!! People who are negative about it expect WAY too much from movies. I’m obsessed with Danica Mckellar the lead actress. She always acts with her emotions and you can feel everyone. This isnt meant to be an action packed movie. It’s a Christmas hallmark movie for goodness sakes. The kids are SO adorable and their relationship with Danicka in the movie just makes your heart melt. The dad in the movie the main character and Danicka have really good chemistry and yes it’s a storyline that has been done before, the lodge is gonna close if they dont figure it out kind of like the movie Christmas at holly lodge but this one is amazing. And not because I love Danica Mckeller. It’s a feel good movie. Shes an artist and they way she brings that out with the kids and her love life is just flawless. Dont listen to all the negative reviews. This is a classic Hallmark feel good Christmas movies and its 100% one of the better ones. And will have your heart flutter. The only thing negative and heartbreaking is that its not on DVD yet for me to buy because the second it is I’m gonna buy like 2 copies I love it that much
Danica McKellar,famous for Winnie Cooper from “The Wonder Years” stars in this Hallmark Christmas special entitled,”Christmas at Grand Valley’. She co-stars with Brendan Elliot.The TV movie tells the story about a painter named Kelly.She is looking for an inspiration as she feels that there is no success in life.Along the way,she meets a corporate bigwig Leo. Together with Emma,Max and Mikey,they spend a Christmas camp to look for fun.Will they finally find happiness together in life during the Holiday season?As we know before the credits roll,the answer is yes for despite the fact that Leo and Kelly once again re-connect.Wiser than they were,they find joy and happiness with each other.And together,they find fresh beginning and love with one another.
6/10 – Danica McKellar is great, but this one is not going to be a classic
Bless their hearts they tried.Both main characters border on scrooge like behavior. But what really grates and I mean literally grates is the voice of one of the minor characters. I practically jumped out of my skin. What’s worse was the dialogue. Come visit my shop some time children… Ick Worthy!Don’t waste your time with this one.
Danica McKellar and Brendan Elliott are so miscast and dull.Grand Valley town is beautiful story just blah.best person is Vera the dad and the kids .
I would have to agree with most of the other reviewers here. This movie was just plain ole boring. The leads had ZERO chemistry together. I always enjoy BE but whose idea was it to cut his hair that way?…. No, no, no… he’s so handsome but wow, that hair cut was the worst. While I like DM, I just find her acting to be the same… same sad faces, same bewildered look…. idk… but this movie had no zest, no zeal.. no spark! Sorry 🙁
I think Hallmark should be more careful when casting actors with deep, throaty voices. What works in dramas where the husky voice can be useful, just does not work for Hallmark. At :38 minutes, when Angela’s character invites the children to her shop across the street, I was cringing.
Typical Hallmark; plots are similar. Chemistry between the stars wasn’t the best but the trees weren’t wilted and the snow looked real.
I have watched all the Hallmark, Lifetime, ION and Freeform Holiday movies this season. I usually really like Danica McKeller, and Dan Laura in most things they do. This movie actually bored me. I have a high tolerance for these movies, so I was caught off guard at how dull it was. There was zero chemistry with Brennan Elliott and he had a strange haircut. He plays a villain much better. I just do not think he is leading man material. The kids who played his kids were cute and good. Someone else said Hallmark has been hit and miss this season, and I agree. The other networks have upped their game and I saw some of my favorite new Holiday movies on Lifetime and other networks. This movie was a disappointment. The story just did not work.
This year of holiday moves on Hallmark have been a real hit or miss for the 2018 season. This isn’t one of their worst but it’s not one of their better either. I happen to love Brennon Elliot and I enjoy quite a bit of Danica McKellar movies. I was expecting so much. Danica has been in so many Christmas Hallmark movies that I enjoyed except this movie. This movie just fell short. The supporting cast was great. I found myself more intrigue by the supporting cast story than the actually main story. I can’t say if Brennon and Danica just didn’t have good chemistry or if this was just a poorly written movie. I usually rematch the Christmas Movies as much as I can before hallmark goes back to their regular programming, it’s safe to say I saw this once and won’t be watching it again. I hope Hallmarks 2019 Christmas countdown line up has better movies than the 2018 line up.
I always look forward to a Christmas movie with Danica McKellar. This one is so poorly written that even Danica can’t do much with it. I did enjoy most of the supporting cast, but this is not a movie I’ll ever need to watch again.