This was such an uplifting film that tackled standard familial concerns with maturity and emotionally open conversations.
Holiday heritage surrounds the after effects that death can have on a tight-knit family. In the surface, it sounds like the standard Hallmark holiday fare. Big city heroine returns to her family bakery to reunite with her high school love while helping with local holiday festivals.
However, in reality, it addresses issues that we encounter in our day-to-day but with honesty and openness. A year after the death of the family patriarch, The protagonist Ella returns home to discover increasing tension between her mother and grandmother.
The script is amazing. The level of maturity each family member showcased while expressing her perspective is super touching. I loved when Ella addressed the difficulties in her hometown relationship, not with overdramatic tears but with clear communication.
This is another example of Hallmark using its standard template but increasing the production values, the writing, the acting and the directing to produce a quality final result.
This was a very diverse cast, featuring Black, brown and white cast members without explicitly calling it out. Basically, it just showcases slice of life humanity. Personally, as a person of color, I also love when mainstream channels showcase upper middle class African American families as just that families, while still acknowledging the cultural background.
Honestly, this was such a good script and it was supported by an amazing cast. The clothes were amazing. The numerous hairstyles that Holly Robinson rocked were off the hinges. The houses were gorgeous and I always love holiday winter scapes with non-stop snow.
So, if you're looking for the Hallmark template but with a strong script and grounded acting, this is definitely for you.
