Crashing Through the Snow

I enjoyed this 'Christmas in July' Hallmark movie. The plot was a bit more 'grown up' as another reviewer has pointed out, and the acting was very strong. The underlining message too was warm and heartfelt, which is what one might expect when watching a Hallmark movie. The storyline revolves around Maggie Collins (played by Amy Acker), who is awkwardly invited by her ex-husband Jeff's (played by Kristian Bruun) girlfriend Kate (played by Brooke Nevin) to spend Christmas with them and the children at her parents' estate in Aspen, Colorado. The plot thickens when Kate's brother Sam (played by Warren Christie) shows up for Christmas. Noticing that Maggie is struggling with seeing her daughters spend time with the new girlfriend/family, he makes her an offer to help her 'beat' his sister in the 'competition to win Christmas'. Little did they know that such a partnership would lead to something much more. Though the plot was very 'Hallmark' (predictable), it dealt with real-life issues common in the US; i.e., how parents and children deal with blended families after divorce, especially during the holidays. The script was strong, though I would have liked a bit more development of a backstory as to why Maggie and Jeff divorced. The dialogue between the two leads (Maggie and Sam) was engaging. Indeed, the chemistry between Amy Acker and Warren Christie was quite convincing on screen, I felt. The hot springs scene towards the end, for example, felt authentic. Warren too had some nice warm scenes with the daughters. Overall, both had excellent performances. The supporting cast was strong. The two daughters (played by Summer Howell and Myla Volk) both had very cute performances. If I am being honest, it did take me a while to get used to Kristian Bruun's performance as Jeff (the ex-husband); it seemed awkward at times. The movie too had a bit of your typical Hallmark festive cheer and Christmas spirit. In particular, I enjoyed the Reindeer Relay. The wrapping paper ornaments were a new one for me as well. And, of course, it would not be a Hallmark movie without the building of a gingerbread house. The music in this one was also done well, especially during the reindeer relay scenes, something that Hallmark and Lifetime don't always get right. All in all, it was a wonderful way to begin the 2021 Christmas season (in July). I highly recommend it.

For a made for TV Christmas rom-com that didn't even come out on Christmas this was pretty great. There are many shortcomings due to the way it is produced but despite all that, it is much better than it has any right to be. An awkward family gathering and a romance around it is not a new concept but the family dynamics that are kind of entirely new with the exes prospectively going for siblings while thinking about their kids have been dealt with nicely. Amy Acker was so charming that even some of the over the top moments became much more believable. I wish this was an actual Hollywood production with a few cast changes which would've really made this a great Christmas rom-com.

I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed the movie! It was well written and kept me in suspense. I liked that there was no villain but like in real life we make people villains who we are threatened by and they are often threaten by us as well. It was a nice movie about blended families and all the awkwardness that comes along with that. The tough conversations, the balancing act, hurt feelings, and that no one is perfect. There were many mirrored storylines for each generation and they learned from one another. Lots of Christmas activities, cookies, and decorations.

This is a more mature Hallmark movie, it still has "cocoa" and "traditions", but it's more modern and real. Jeff and Maggie are a divorced couple, that's the new reality and Jeff has a girlfriend Kate and Maggie has a developing relationship with Sam, Kate's brother. That parallels life, even though Hallmark would like all marriages to be "forever" they aren't, people get divorced and remarry. Amy Acker and Warren Christie the two leads have chemistry and the story is good and believable.

Hallmark has missed so many opportunities for hits, like the 2016 film "The Pumpkin Pie Wars" with Eric Aragon and Julie Gonzalo. They could have had spin offs from that movie, but they missed it. They have had competition from Lifetime, UP, Paramount and others ,which means their "formulaic" model isn't a trade secret any longer. Hallmark has to up their game and produce a higher quality product.

Maggie (Amy Acker) is a single mother of two daughters. When her ex (Kristian Bruun) asks if the girls can spend Christmas in Aspen with his girlfriend Kate's (Brooke Nevin) family, it upsets Maggie's holiday traditions. When they ask if she wants to come too, it means some unusual relational dynamics will be at play. Things really get complicated when Kate's brother Sam (Warren Christie) unexpectedly comes for the holidays and is attentive to Maggie's needs.

Each of the characters is dealing with strong feelings, which ebb and flow with each happening or revelation. There really are no villains in this story, just miscommunications and realistic interpersonal concerns.

The cast is uniformly strong, giving each character its due in the emotional dance that envelops them all. The ending is satisfying, but open enough that a sequel could even make sense. I would watch it.