One of the better films to come out of the Hallmark channel at Christmastime, A Gift to Remember follows the romance between Ali Liebert and Peter Porte, who have a very rocky start. While on her bicycle, Ali literally crashes into Peter, and he hits his head a little too hard on the pavement. He's hospitalized, but wakes up with no memory of who he is! Ali feels terribly responsible, so she visits him often to help him recuperate, and as they get to know each other, they fall in love.
In one scene, Ali searches his apartment for clues to inspire his memory, and she thinks it's incredibly strange that he has no Christmas decorations in any of this rooms. It's supposed to be this huge red flag, but only on Hallmark would it not even occur to her that he might not celebrate the holiday! "You're Jewish, bud," my mom said to the TV, hoping to help Peter and Ali along.
Humor aside, this is actually a really good movie, one that I plan to watch every year as it's re-aired on television. The leads have a very sweet chemistry together, and it's refreshing to see a romance that isn't peppered with bickering or surface flirtations. Ali puts her heart into her performance, and her dramatic acting makes all the difference in the world. She has some very pretty expressions, and she's an instantly likable heroine.
