A Season for Family

This one is a really great movie for the whole family. It kind of has a small mystery regarding adopted brothers and how they come to find each other. I found it very enjoyable and entertaining to see how it all played out. Really Loved Brendan Penny as the single dad. His loyalty to his deceased wife was admirable. The two kids were so sweet and made the story more believable because they liked each other so much and favored each other.

I enjoyed all of the supporting cast and highly recommend this one. I even shed a tear towards the end in regards to the boys getting their Christmas wishes.

Being adopted is one of the kindest shows of selfishness a person can show, but denying that adopted child the truth and even worse family is selfish, insensitive and abominable. Trying to tie deception to a flimsy excuse of a promise to wait for some magic number 10 indicates incompetence and immaturity as a parent. Zero empathy or loyalty to his child but blind loyalty to a person who is deceased? What?!! I'm just so disappointed that Hallmark thought that this behavior would make for a charming character that we are supposed to relate to. Not at all. What if his wife was actually alive and, say, his sister knew and hid that from him because she promised to protect the secret until he turned 50. How stupid is that? Come on. Do better...

I expected this to be one of Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel's sentimental stories rather than just a rom/com. And it was, sort of. Sometimes with a sentimental story, the romance is tacked on. It's secondary. In this movie it was integrated into the adoption story of the brothers who didn't know they were brothers. The romance almost takes over. There are still some sentimental moments, but the reveal is early in the movie to everyone but the boys. The romance develops like it would in most rom/coms and the obstacle, the secret from the boys, is always hanging there part of the romance story too.

Actually, the story is very predictable once the pieces are in place. The viewer can see how the details are going to be worked out as circumstances develop just screaming to come to that predictable conclusion. That's too bad. I'm not sure how it would have worked in a more sentimental way, but it sure seems like that would have made it better.

I've only seen Stacey Farber a few times but she is appealing as Maddy from the get-go. I actually liked her in those appearances too, but at least one, Butlers in Love, the movie itself was iffy at best. She has chemistry with Brendan Penny. Maddy is always upbeat and encouraging.

A couple of other things I didn't love. The plot thread of not telling Cody because Paul and his wife had agreed was just too rigid. It was necessary to make the story come out the way it did, but it didn't make sense. The other - just before the climactic moment there was a musical montage showing the main characters being thoughtful and it just left me flat.

The question that for me has become key to how much I love a movie - will I watch it again? Answer - I don't know. I think Stacey Farber as Maddy will bring me back.

The Brendan Perry is one of my favorite Hallmark actors. The storyline is a very nice Christmas story with a light romance. The chemistry between the adults works well. That said, the two little boy actors are not what I would normally expect from Hallmark. It might have worked better if the children in the story were girls. Or maybe it's the boys who seem a little soft for the parts. The scenery is perfectly Winter and the story is very believable. I can't help but think the movie would have been one of Hallmark's best this year if the boys would have been a bit more "boyish." Or maybe I'm wrong.

No spoiler here, just a statement that can let the viewer know that a quality family movie is here to enjoy. Although a long shot for plausibility, fine acting, good supporting actors and a steady growing story unfolds nicely. Whereas in some Christmas love stories the kids are second tier, here we have two responsible adults. This doesn't dampen the romance but brings a sense of reality to the account. Excellent acting gives the slow unveiling of emotions, rather than bluntness sometimes seen in rushed movies. Touching musical score and strong child actors come together for a heart warming Christmas tale.