Jingle Bell Run

Despite featuring new era Hallmark royalty, this Amazing Race style ripoff fails to capture any semblance of Christmas magic and manages to force a relationship upon us-and the lead characters-that no one wants.

Much like a half marathon that seemed like a good idea when I signed up, I had no interest in finishing the race or this movie. Alas, I trudged through every beautiful, but unremarkable scene.

You know from the beginning that this movie has a bigger budget than a normal Hallmark movie based on the graphics, superior lighting and multiple locations (all though they all look a little like basic Canada). So my hopes were high, but it did not last more than five minutes into the movie.

Our lead, Ashley Williams, is an elementary school teacher whose only personality trait is that she likes to teach kids how to read. Andrew Walker is a shell of a former athlete who doesn't know what to do after retiring from hockey. They both end up participating in a holiday themed game show where they race across the US (not Canada) to answer one question and complete one simple task at each place before magically moving onto the next city for another paint by numbers game show scene. They usually have time to sit by a fire too, and help you nod off.

The driving force behind this movie is the contest they are participating in, but as you would expect, the "will they or won't they" theme is needlessly thrust upon us. These two don't need partners to have fulfilling lives. Honestly, they seem pretty good single. Why mess up a good thing?

From the promotions, I expected this movie to be funny, like the Santa Summit, or Haul out the Holly, but it fails at every turn. Pass on this one.

Questions I still have: Why is the movie called Jingle Bell Run, when the show is The Great Holiday Dash? And they never once say "Jingle Bell Run." Trademark issue? Major issue here.

Why are there never any cameras filming them doing anything? There is a hot hockey guy painting a picture from scratch? Nope. No camera guy caught that for the show! It's small, but the Amazing Race producers must have been choking on their eggnog.

Measuring Christmas Magic: none, despite being focused on a game show that features only holiday traditions.

Cast kudos: none. Don't watch this movie.

Alternative movie titles: The Great Holiday Dash (duh); Forced to Be on a Game Show; finally-Help my friend signed me up for this and I never met the producers until day 1 of filming (ok, that one may be too long, yet no less accurate.)

Directed by Lucie Guest and penned by Tom McCurrie and Stephanie Sourapas, "Jingle Bell Run" is a holiday film that combines the spirit of Christmas with the thrill of competition.

The premise of "Jingle Bell Run" is engaging, as it mirrors the structure of popular reality shows like "The Amazing Race." Contestants are pitted against each other in a variety of Christmas-themed tasks that test their teamwork, creativity, and holiday spirit. Williams was good as the dedicated teacher, bringing warmth to her role, while Walker's portrayal of the competitive athlete adds a layer of charm. Their chemistry is questionable, making their journey sometimes feeling fake...

The film's cinematography captures the festive spirit well enough, with vibrant holiday decorations and picturesque winter landscapes that evoke a sense of nostalgia and joy. The pacing is brisk, keeping audiences engaged as the characters navigate through various challenges.

While "Jingle Bell Run" follows a familiar formula, it does so with a refreshing twist that emphasizes the importance of community, friendship, and the true meaning of the holiday season.

Whether you're a fan of reality shows or simply looking for a lighthearted Christmas film, "Jingle Bell Run" could bring a smile to your face and warmth to your heart.

Here Hallmark has made a Christmas movie with a reality show theme as contestants vie for a million dollar prize while engaging in a race across the country. Does it work ?

Yes, because Williams and Walker are such engaging performers, so they are able to carry this off. Plus, there is some comedy and sentimentality that is quite good.

The supporting cast does well, too, particularly Teana-Marie Smith as Shirley. So, basically, this works well and is an enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours. It's not one of Hallmark's best but it is satisfying and it will not make you feel like you wasted your time. It's worth it.

This Hallmark holiday rom-com stars Ashley Williams as Avery, an elementary school teacher, and Andrew W. Walker as Wes, a former pro hockey player.

Wes signs up for a holiday-themed, cross-country reality competition that begins in Chicago. Avery had no intention of joining the competition, but she decides to compete anyway to inspire her students. They are both chagrined when they learn they are paired as a team, but they make the best of it, and discover that their complementary talents make them a formidable twosome.

The two stars have good chemistry, though the story downplays the romantic side of things. But the ending is predictable. And so is the obligatory relationship "hiccup" that must be overcome in the final ten minutes.

Initially when I sat down to watch the 2024 Christmas movie "Jingle Bell Run", I have to admit that I harbored no expectations. Why? Well, the movie's cover isn't exactly enticing, nor does it have a particular sappy Christmas feel to it. But since I had never heard about it, of course I opted to give the movie a fair chance and thus added it to my December Christmas movie marathon.

Writers Tom McCurrie and Stephanie Sourapas churned out a script and storyline that definitely put the movie's cover and initial presentation to shame. The storyline was actually rather enjoyable and well-written. It was a script that sort of broke the formulaic theme of sappy Christmas movies, yet at the same time still managing to remain a sappy Christmas movie. Thumbs up to the writers for that accomplishment.

The only familiar faces on the screen for me were actress Ashley Williams and actor David James Lewis. The acting performances in the movie were good, and leading actress Ashley Williams and leading actor Andrew W. Walker had great on-screen chemistry and made the movie work nicely.

I was genuinely entertained throughout the course of the movie. And if you enjoy sappy Christmas movies, then you certainly should sit down and watch "Jingle Bell Run".

This is actually a Christmas movie that I will say is worth sitting down and watching, as it deviates from the standard archetypical formula of sappy Christmas movies.

My rating of director Lucie Guest's 2024 Christmas movie "Jingle Bell Run" lands on a six out of ten stars.