North to Home

9.0 stars.

I feel that less is more with this film, and if I try too hard to do it justice, I might say too much. 'North to Home' is a journey that must be appreciated by everyone, a masterpiece worthy of receiving awards.

It's a tear-fest start to finish...happy tears, reminiscent tears, loving tears, gripping tears. The acting is absolutely superb, these ladies shine like angels. In addition to the sublime performances shared by the women, the men also stand out in spite of their backseat roles.

Hats off this this film, it's probably the finest Hallmark I've seen. It is balanced so perfectly with all elements seamlessly working together. It's about a family that reunites for a mother's birthday to share the memories of past tragedy, courage, and healing. The characters are so likable, and the relationships are equally as authentic and full of life, energy, and depth. Fonseca, Sustad, Durance...Enough said. Each of them tapped into some magic from deep inside themselves to bring us a perfect interpretation of a family coming together to share life and all it has to offer.

I will honestly say this is the most well-rounded film I've seen in a long while; and although 'North to Home' is not my highest rated Hallmark, it is by far the best one.

The network Hallmark Movies and Mysteries is where I go, especially during the Christmas season, for the sentimental, the sappy, the tearjerker. I was very disappointed during Christmas of 2021. HMM started out well enough with 2 good movies in that tradition. Not the first week, but early in the season. For me, Christmas 2021 was a bad year. Since probably early November, there hasn't been a truly heartwarming movie on HMM, or for that matter UpTV or GACF. Until now, two weeks after all the Christmas premieres were done and I wasn't expecting it. Don't get me wrong. There is nothing about Christmas in North to Home.

This movie is about family and loss. It's about sisters. There is one romance, but it is definitely not the focal point. Until somewhere past the half way point, it was a very nice movie about a family struggling with loss and guilt and little secrets. There are a few different threads going, but nothing major. Then there is a very nice twist. Maybe there were clues, but I don't remember them. It caught me totally by surprise and that doesn't happen all that often.

The rest of the movie after the twist gets very sentimental and sappy. The good kind. I won't say more about the story.

The acting is good. All of the three sisters were good.

Hallmark Movies and Mysteries has shown it likes to take on some heavy topics, particularly around the death of loved ones. This one was well-acted and well-directed but a little too heavy on melodrama, particularly between the sisters. An enjoyable film with strong performances. Really like Lyndsy Fonseca and hopes she does more movies with Hallmark, but feel like she's cut out for a more lighthearted role.

This was a very touching (and realistic) story of the aftermath of a 25 year old tragedy and what happened to the siblings involved. Thoroughly enjoyable and "believable". Sad, joyful, well worth your time.

This was so much better (and more emotional) than I thought it would be. And it was a very different kind of Hallmark movie than the ones that loyal viewers like me are used to seeing. In fact, the only new love story in the movie was the least interesting relationship (I also didn't really like the big reveal in connection with that story).

Instead, like Every Time a Bell Rings ( which starred this movie's multi talented director Ali Liebert), the main focus was the relationship between three sisters. They were played by three very beautiful, talented and compelling actresses (Lyndsy Fonseca, Kimberley Sustad and Erica Durance) and their mother was played by the very reliable Barbara Niven (from Chesapeake Shores) who may be the most beautiful 68 year old woman on the planet.

Lyndsy Fonseca just starred in her first Hallmark movie (Next Stop, Christmas- one of last year's best Hallmark movies) and I'm looking forward to many more from her. Kimberley Sustad was great in Christmas by Starlight with Paul Campbell. And Erica Durance was, for me, the best thing about Open By Christmas and I really wish Hallmark would put her in her own movie.. They were all wonderful here.

The relationships between between the two married sisters and their husbands was also portrayed as very healthy with a nice approach to the home/career conflict that Beth was experiencing. I could quibble about Hallmark's ongoing refusal to acknowledge the lack of daylight in Alaska during the winter (they'd be in the dark during that 7am hike), and Beth's overreaction to the girls getting cookie dough on their faces, but Hallmark movies don't get much better than this.