A Biltmore Christmas

This Hallmark holiday romance is an enjoyable time-travel story that borrows some elements from (and honors) "Time After Time" and "Somewhere in Time".

This fantasy film features Bethany Joy Lenz as Lucy Hardgrove, a screenwriter with a shaky career who is charged with rewriting "His Merry Wife!", a film from the forties. She travels to the Biltmore Estate, to gain insight on the subject, where she encounters an hourglass among the original film's artifacts. Somehow the timepiece transports her, and she interacts with the cast and crew of the film, leading to complications.

Miss Lenz is wonderful in her role. Kristoffer Polaha, who plays the male lead, grows on you, as the role requires. The rest of the cast is quite enjoyable, especially A. K. Benninghofen, who plays Margaret, the superfan of the original film, who becomes a super sleuth and practically forces Lucy to reveal her secret. Jonathan Frakes is a pleasant surprise.

The Biltmore Estate itself is a star---worth seeing and a great setting for a romance.

Finally, the ending of the film is very satisfying. This is a feel-good film that really warms the heart.

I have been waiting for this movie since the first trailer I saw for it. I love the Biltmore. I love Bethany Lenz. I love Kristoffer Polaha. But I could not have imagined the absolute magic that they would create in this movie. The writing far surpasses any Christmas Hallmark movie I've ever seen (and I've seen them all.) The device for the time travel is ingenious and used with both humor and pathos. The 1947 sets and costumes are gorgeous. The acting feels like a major release movie instead of tv. I laughed and cried. I can't wait to watch again to catch more - there's so much to absorb in every scene. Thank you and congratulations to Hallmark for creating a new Christmas classic.

Call me crazy, call this hyperbole, but, this is one of the finest if not THE finest Hallmark Christmas Movies I have ever seen. Clever and creative and oozing with charm and real romance and Christmas joy that does not feel forced or a pale carbon copy of a movie they have already made six dozen times. The two leads give outstanding performances and have sensational chemistry and all of the supporting players have a great time playing with the 1940s parlance and style. In an abstract way, one could almost think of this as a riff of the weepy romantic classic Somewhere in Time, but, with the genders reversed. This is the third movie Hallmark has put out in 2023 that has surpassed my expectations. This is really interfering with my annual holiday tradition of Hate Watching the mediocre ones! Highly recommended, even if you think you don't like Hallmark Christmas Movies!

Kristoffer Polaha always adds his unique charm to a character, and he doesn't do the same character every time, as some of the actors and actresses in these movies do. We particularly know Bethany Joy Lenz from "A Christmas Secret", which is one of our Hallmark Christmas favorites.

This film has performances that rival old-style big-screen movies, and the plot has a classic fantasy charm with a unique twist ... an hourglass that sends our intrepid heroine to the past for an hour at a time ... unless it gets broken.

The dialogue between the leads is quick and clever, and the plot constructs great atmosphere between them. Highly recommended.

Well, credit where credit is due. Hallmark swung for the fences on this one and I'd suggest they knocked it right out of the park.

A Hallmark classic, but also - dare I say? - a Christmas movie classic full stop. No tired tropes. No small towns. No festivals. None of that. Just an inspired, brilliantly-conceived plot that hits all the marks and pulls at all the heart strings.

Casting was perfect. Kristoffer Polaha was born for this role. He is brilliant as Jack Huston, his finest moment, and One Tree Hill alum Bethany Joy Lenz shines as Lucy.

Star Trek alum Jonathan Frakes and Robert Picardo are great.

The Wes Brown and Rachel Boston cameo at the end (with a nod to one of my favourites, 'Check Inn to Christmas') was fantastic.

The Biltmore is a spectacular location, and 'A Biltmore Christmas' makes full use of the historical property.

The music, the sets, the costumes: all astounding. The recreation of Hollywood's Golden Age was perfect.

So, so good. In every way.