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IMDbPro

Candy Cane Candidate

  • TV Movie
  • 2021
  • 1h 28m
IMDb RATING
5.4/10
493
YOUR RATING
Candy Cane Candidate (2021)
Holiday RomanceComedyHolidayRomance

After her political campaign for city council ends in a landslide loss, Julia returns to her hometown for Christmas to drown her sorrows.After her political campaign for city council ends in a landslide loss, Julia returns to her hometown for Christmas to drown her sorrows.After her political campaign for city council ends in a landslide loss, Julia returns to her hometown for Christmas to drown her sorrows.

  • Director
    • Pat Kiely
  • Writer
    • Melissa Bustamante
  • Stars
    • Jacky Lai
    • Jake Epstein
    • Edwina Renout
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.4/10
    493
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Pat Kiely
    • Writer
      • Melissa Bustamante
    • Stars
      • Jacky Lai
      • Jake Epstein
      • Edwina Renout
    • 8User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos3

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    Top cast13

    Edit
    Jacky Lai
    Jacky Lai
    • Julia
    Jake Epstein
    Jake Epstein
    • Parker
    Edwina Renout
    • Sylvie
    Henry Kwok
    Henry Kwok
    • George
    Danny Vo
    Danny Vo
    • Noah
    • (as Daniel Nguyen)
    Mickeey Nguyen
    Mickeey Nguyen
    • Jax
    Stephanie Herrera
    Stephanie Herrera
    • Mayor Rodriguez
    Kara Duncan
    Kara Duncan
    • Lucy
    Benedict Marsh
    • Nick
    Marnie McPhail
    Marnie McPhail
    • Gwen
    Jinny Wong
    Jinny Wong
    • Stella
    Tedd Dillon
    Tedd Dillon
    • Grandpa Parker
    • (uncredited)
    Colby Frost
    Colby Frost
    • Pierce
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Pat Kiely
    • Writer
      • Melissa Bustamante
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews8

    5.4493
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    Featured reviews

    5Jackbv123

    Love vs politics

    Opponents in an election is not the most common Christmas movie premise. Other than that, this movie covers a multitude of other common tropes. Even the potential job far away is part of the usual formula. The two leads frequently rehash their high school days. The conflict and climax are a bit unusual. What no broken pipes?

    I didn't like Julia for most of the movie. She softens a bit in the second half, but in the first half she has a huge chip on her shoulder and seems to be constantly picking a fight, not just with Parker. Parker on the other hand is almost totally positive. Jacky Lai and Jake Epstein have chemistry mostly thanks to Epstein. They occasionally have some nice banter.

    The movie is pretty heavy with liberal political themes. There is a secondary romance with two high school boys who kiss. Julia is constantly pushing green themes. I didn't notice any racial issues other than the fact Julia is Asian.

    Some issues of relatively low significance: What's with several slow-mo's of people walking down stairs? And then there are the messages that someone with poor eyes, or a small screen can't read.
    1the_doofy

    Christmas or politics??

    I really enjoy some of the hall mark Christmas movies

    And after watching a couple of these life Christmas things it made me realize one of the things i like about hall mark stuff is they don't go over the top pushing a political agenda

    This script to this movie is so blah that it doesn't even begin to disguise the political over tones

    Considering that Asians have started being brutally physically attacked in this country in some areas by the very platform this movie is scaffolding, it makes it doubly disgusting.
    3pauleosborne-68540

    Willing Suspension of Disbelief

    Whenever I'm watching these types of movies, I willingly accept a suspension of disbelief, because it's a movie, not a documentary. At the same time, I expect some level of plausibility. Julia has just lost an election for Boston City Council (appears to have been a special election) and returns to her hometown on the other side of the state to think about her future (run again or work for the green company, both worthy choices). Nevertheless, I have no idea how Julia can consider a run for mayor of her hometown, considering that she's a non-resident who may or may not have filed any papers in an off-camera moment. I'm also thinking that there's no way an outgoing mayor can arbitrarily change an election date to suit her personal schedule - don't they have a city charter that covers things like special elections and what happens if the mayor dies or resigns? Election irregularities like this could put them all in jail. These problems could have been resolved by some handwaving on part of the writers. For example, having the city solicitor say that he/she has checked the charter and that special elections have some flexibility around residency and election requirements would preserve that suspension of disbelief.
    1kmr-22308

    Please just stop, Lifetime

    Lifetime really just needs to stick with what it knows best and stay out of the holiday movie biz. I hope they got these "actors" and "writers" on the cheap! Just horrible. I've tried to watch six now and couldn't last 30 minutes on any of them.
    2gfrasmd

    Christmas?

    Watching Lifetime Holiday movies is like watching stereotyped interviews of beauty pageants contestants. After the tenth one running on the "World Peace" platform, you realize they all are empty-headed morons.

    What happened to real wit, humor, and feelings? And, by the way, what happened to Christmas values and spirit?

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      Shot in 15 days.
    • Goofs
      After Parker and Julia kiss for the first time, red lipstick is seen on Parker's lips from the side view. But in the next angle, the lipstick has been removed and his lips are clean.

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • December 20, 2021 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Canada
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • A Christmas Rivalry
    • Filming locations
      • Kemptville, Ontario, Canada
    • Production companies
      • MarVista Entertainment
      • Neshama Entertainment
      • 1Department Entertainment Services
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 28m(88 min)
    • Color
      • Color

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