A '90s Christmas

My partner and I love the 90s and so were really excited to watch a ridiculous Christmas movie about traveling back in time, however, this has NOTHING to do with the 90s. It's almost as if no one in the movie actually lived through them. The clothing was just modern Christmas. The makeup was 2024. There was one 90s song and that was it. If someone didn't explicitly tell you this was 1999, you would never, ever know it. Also, to go from supposedly 44 to 19-years-old all she did was remove her fake glasses (yes, they legitimately had no lenses). I was ready for a trip down memory lane and they absolutely did not deliver.

When I saw a 90s Christmas movie coming to Hallmark, I was all in. I graduated in 98, and that decade is everything, especially music-wise.

This movie was not even close to what i thought it would be. Lucy was not likable at all. She treated her family and friends poorly. And really didn't learn any lessons until the movie's last five minutes. It was vexing.

Lucy knew she treated those people poorly but didn't really try to remedy that. I get the death of a father. It sucks, and everyone grieves differently, but isolating her mom and sister was rough to watch.

The chemistry between her and her ex was lacking. Overall, the storyline wasn't strong, and it is not worth a rewatch.

've always been fascinated by the idea of time travel. More specifically going back in time and changing decisions you made. Or possibly correcting mistakes or enjoying moments that you know you'll never get again. In A '90s Christmas we get to see that scenario play out for successful lawyer Lucy (Eva Bourne).

In present day, Lucy earns a long-sought after partner position at her law firm, but has no one to celebrate with. Luckily Grace (Katherine Barrell), a magical time-travel angel/old time uber driver, shows up to transport her back 25 years when she made some critical decisions that shaped her life.

Of course, she returns to struggling with her decisions about boy-next-door Matt (Chandler Massey). Their relationship is the A storyline. But we're treated to several others, too. I'll point out just one. Sister Alexa (Alex Hook from The Way Home), is working through coming out to her mom. Lucy, of course, knows Alexa is gay and gives her great advice to help her deal with any struggles that will come her way in the future. This sort of side story isn't one we see a lot on Hallmark and I really appreciate the inclusivity.

The 90s references are funny, but consist mostly of Lucy mentioning things from the present day that her 1990s family wouldn't understand. Pinterest board, anyone? I would have liked to see more 90s cliches, but the Y2k and Windows 95 references were on point.

I chucked at how easily Lucy believed she time traveled. Lucy believed Grace's story really fast. Ok, I guess I time traveled ... moving on. Sure, we didn't need to belabor the point, but a little bit of skepticism would be expected. Newspapers and familiar dogs did the trick though.

Let's be real, every Hallmark Christmas movie ends with a kiss at the end, when the two people declare their love for eachother. We aren't expecting to be surprised. Most of the time it's not exactly earned. We just need that kiss to complete the story. But, dang it, this one was different. It takes you on a lifetime journey that feels real and emotional. Yeah, I got a little lump in my throat. This movie earned that kiss and that ending.

Props to Writer Ryan Peckinpaugh and Director Marni Banack for bringing that scene to us.

Finally, I'm concerned about Chandler Massey's time travel/alternate reality experience. He was the understanding boyfriend in the wonderful Next Stop, Christmas. He watched someone time travel in that one, but didn't get to himself. In fact, he had to wait around for a long time to find out if his girlfriend was full of baloney about time travel. And in A Tale of Two Christmases, he's one corner of an alternate reality love triangle-ironically with Katherine Barrell again. So my question is this: when does Chandler get to time travel?! Or is he destined to observe, but never partake? How very sad indeed.

Cast Kudos: I have to go with Eva Bourne on this one. Super fun. To play herself at 44 and 19, and be modestly believable is commendable. Losing the glasses and gaining bangs helped things along.

Measuring Christmas Magic: Full magic. I mean, we time-traveled, right? This wasn't a regular movie disguised as a Christmas movie either. It's a solid Christmas story that could only really be told this way as a holiday tale.

Alternative Movie Titles: It should have been anything but '90s Christmas. The title made it seem as though the 90s was a much bigger part of the movie. How about these alternatives: Going back to Christmas; The Christmas Do Over; 19 at Christmas.

I like Hallmark movies, and I even like the cheesy Hallmark movies. This was, however, SO bad that after it's over I'm angry. The idea for the movie was good, but it did not remotely deliver - hence the frustration. The writing, acting, casting, costumes & makeup, even the sets - no real thought to the eras they're in, how to make it believable, or why we should care. The mom was good (I actually could believe she was grieving) and the ride share driver/spirit? Angel? Was likable. One star for each. But dear god, the rest of it was unwatchable.

For good time travel Christmas movies watch: Journey Back to Christmas, Kristin's Christmas Past, A Shoe Addict's Christmas, A Timeless Christmas, and one for Hanukkah - Round and Round. They're good! And I'll still be waiting for a good time travel '90s centered movie.

This movie has a nouveau Hallmark feel to it; it's progressive, aka, featuring same-sex couples, and the humor is edgier and more modern.

It starts with what I would estimate is a 30-something attorney, who has just made partner at her firm. (Turns out, she is allegedly 43, but this actress is not a day over 34.) As she contemplates her mom/sister's invitation to go back home for Christmas (she currently lives in Chicago), she stays staunchly married to the idea of avoiding it. Eventually, she takes a ride-share with mysteriously intuitive driver (*cue the magic chime sound*), then falls asleep. It's then and there that the movie drifts back to 1999, complete with her living at home in her 90s bedroom.

As just about 80% or more of most Hallmark or GAF Christmas movies tend to do, there is a need to suspend reality and go boldly into 'pretend'. Nothing is meant to be truly realistic, except for the moral of the movie -- which does a decent job of exploring what matters vs. What may not (in life). I loved the actress playing her Mom, who is also in "To Have and to Holiday", and I also appreciated the super funny references to old dial-up sounds, the fact that we all considered "ask jeeves"-type search engines to be THE authority of information, and the truth that Mambo #5 was absolutely a one-hit wonder for...whomever that was.

There were almost no slow or boring moments, and the chemistry among the actors was palpable. It looked like they had fun making the movie.

I did wonder what happened to her assistant, as just about every character had a new life outcome, but he just didn't get shown or mentioned again. Maybe his role was to establish the progressive feel of the movie.

I will say that the one thing I didn't love was the Friends reference to "Lobster". I can still hear Phoebe's voice in that scene, and I'm so over Friends now; most of all, I would much rather the writers of this movie come up with their own creative terms/ideas, vs. Leaning on old Friends humor.

I loved Maxey, the dog, and the adorable trick he did mid-movie. The ending montage was enough to make me - a perennially dry-eyed hallmark watcher - tear up.

On my personal ranking scale, this was nearly a DND for me. ("Do Not Delete" from my DVR)