One December Night

I've been a fan of Hallmark Christmas movies since they did few enough titles a year that they didn't all look the same. "One December Night," thankfully, doesn't follow the recent formula.

I was curious to see how Peter Gallagher had matured; my image of him is from another favorite Christmas movie where he plays the immature brother, "While You Were Sleeping." Age has been kind to Gallagher, and his acting proved he's more than just a pretty face.

While the plot still contains a few too many, "Will they or won't they?" (when we all know they will), it's nice to see a story that revolves around older actors in this bromance. The young folks in this case are the side story.

While it's no "Christmas Card" or "Snow Bride," still, nice job Hallmark.

Wow! This movie breaks the mold of what one finds on Hallmark this time of the year. I almost believe that it was made my an independent production company and Hallmark just bought it--it really does not have any of the usual tropes. Ladies, if you have a husband/ boyfriend around and you want to force them to watch a Hallmark movie this Christmas, I guarantee that this one will make them the least ill!

6/10 - music-themed Christmas flick does a nice job of balancing some originality while maintaining the familiar Hallmark spark that people tune in for.

As soon as I saw Peter Gallagher (aka the dad from 'The OC') and Bruce Campbell (aka Ash from the 'Evil Dead' franchise) at the top of the bill, I was looking forward to seeing 'One December Night'. I can report that I was not disappointed. The acting is great. The story is engaging; i.e., it feels genuine. And the musical performances sprinkled here and there are surprisingly good. The story is about two feuding rock star fathers (played by Bruce Campbell and Peter Gallagher) who, after ten years, reunite for a lucrative holiday concert in the small town of Pineville, the place where their band, Bedford and Sullivan, began. The challenging task of keeping these two from butting heads lies with their children, Jason Bedford (played by Brett Dalton) and Quinn Sullivan (played by Eloise Mumford). Jason and Quinn, who also work in the music industry, have their own personal and professional motives for making sure their dads reconcile and take the stage that one December night. It is through this challenging experience that the two reconnect and soon discover that they are more than childhood friends. The story has several layers, several storylines. The writers do an excellent job of bringing these together in a coherent, and more importantly, engrossing overall narrative. What makes this work, and one of the strengths of the film, is character development. The writers do a brilliant job of portraying Bedford and Sullivan as complicated and flawed men who are at turning points in their lives. The dialogue, in particular, between the two reveals a considerable amount of depth to their relationship, which pulled me in as a viewer. The script also does a good job of integrating humor with the more touching, heartfelt scenes. I may have even shed a tear or two. What makes all this work on-screen, of course, is the acting. It was impressive. Both Campbell and Gallagher had strong performances. They are the perfect duo in this one, both tapping into different energies that work well together on-screen. Dalton and Mumford too had convincing performances. The chemistry between the two felt authentic and genuine. I could feel them (re)connect and fall in love on-screen, which is always a plus for a romance. Finally, this Hallmark movie was a bit light on the Christmas traditions and holiday cheer (no making of gingerbread houses in this one...thank god), which I suspect will be refreshing for some and disappointing for others. However, we do get an ugly Christmas sweater and some fun Christmas sunglasses. All in all, it is an enjoyable Christmas movie, a change of pace for Hallmark, which many fans will no doubt enjoy this holiday season.

A broken friendship in need of mending, grief for losses in need of closure, aging with failing health, a rekindled youth friendship, good music, and Christmas time. Here, all you need for a rich story to tell in a movie. What makes the movie enjoyable is that all the ingredients are honestly dosed well, with gentle touch, and rendered credible. What could have gone, as often happens, pretentious or garbled with cheap emotions, becomes, here, a captivating and moving production. The acting is good, the pace is just right, the pathos is real. Kudos to Hallmark for choosing a different and thoughtful pathway.