Lucky Christmas

Elizabeth Berkley is once again the freshest thing in an otherwise stale movie, this one made-for-TV. Sorry yuletide concoction attempts to equate car theft, a lottery win, ice hockey and last-chance boy-girl romance with the holiday spirit. Financially-strapped single mom (whose husband disappeared somewhat mysteriously before the story begins) has her car stolen with a special "Christmas lottery ticket" in the glove compartment. Of course the ticket is a winner--worth an underachieving one million dollars--and of course the guy involved in the car-nabbing is a handsome bachelor with a soft spot for struggling moms and their offspring. Berkley actually manages to make her scenes tender and believable, however the rest of this Hallmark Channel presentation is rather bedraggled.

Not one of the best but still well worth watching, I just love the theme in these movies. Yes, I recommend it. James Welch Henderson, Arkansas 12/28/2021.

"Lucky Christmas" has an opening that might tempt some to think this won't be a very good film for the holidays. But once it gets past two grown men, Mike and Joe, drinking beer as they toss Joe's family mementos into a barrel fire, the story takes on some new twists and angles with a single mom her young son.

The lucky aspect of this film is a state lottery in Michigan that each week from Thanksgiving to Christmas will pick a winner for one million dollars. The plot develops around that when the singly mom, Holly, has a winning lottery ticket about two weeks before Christmas. But several things happen that keep her from having her ticket to cash in by midnight on Christmas Eve.

These characters will come together, along with a few more, in an unusual and refreshingly different Christmas movie. The three principals in the cast are all very good. Elizabeth Berkley is Holy, Jason Gray-Stanford is Mike, and Michell Kummen plays Holly's son, Max.

This is a good Christmas film about hard work, trust, kindness and family. Most people should enjoy it.

A decent Hallmark Channel Original Movie starring Elizabeth Berkley (Saved By The Bell, Showgirls) and Jason Gray-Stanford (the clutzy detective on Monk.) Both turned in pretty good performances in this quite predictable average romance set at Christmastime. It really has very little do with Christmas, which is sad because that's what a freakin' Christmas movie should be -- Christmasy! But with so many produced for television every year, many of the stories are stale yada yada yada that could almost just as easily take place in August. This is one of those. Not too terrible, though. Surely could be a lot worse but when it comes to their Made-for-TV movies, Hallmark Channel routinely has at least average productions... and if you know their cards, they're dripping with sap.

--A Kat Pirate Screener

I am not usually too picky when it comes to cheesy holiday movies, and it takes a lot for me to not finish any show or movie once I have started watching it. However, I was so annoyed by the stupidity of the characters that I turned it off less than halfway through the movie. A Christmas movie should put you in the holiday spirit. Not this one. Instead of settling in to enjoy a festive movie, I became more and more irritated. The plot was convoluted and predictable. While I have no complaints about the majority of the actors and their performances, I could not stand to look at the leading man's buddy for one more minute. He was repulsive in character and so unappealing in appearance that it was hard to believe anyone would be his friend or go along with anything he wanted to do. I could not stand looking at him for another minute. If ignorance doesn't get under your skin, maybe you will enjoy it, but otherwise, avoid this movie at all costs!