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| The poster screams "Hallmark" but it's actually a real movie, and a good one too. |
I thought only for a minute about using the "A Toast to Hallmarkent" template on this film, but almost instantly I realized it didn't fit the mold. Firstly, it centers around a guy, and the Hallmark movies don't center around their films around the guy, certainly not to this exclusivity. Secondly, this one's not really a Christmas romance story, even though that is in there too, but it's not the main focus. Thirdly, it uses "Holiday" in the title, and not "Christmas", even though it's definitely a Christmas movie and not a "holiday" movie. Fourth, it's got a soundtrack with real songs, so there's legit good music in here (who doesn't want to kick off their Christmas with Run-DMC?). Plus, it's a quality production, and doesn't have that gauzy Hallmark look to it.
In the film, Romany Malco plays Rush Williams, a widower, father of four, and very successful top-rated drive-time radio DJ. When his station is suddenly bought out by a national broadcasting firm, Rush is laid off as the new owners go with a different choice for their national slot. Rush's longtime producer Roxy (Star Trek Discovery's Sonequa Martin-Green) learns that another recently shuttered radio station is up for sale and suggests they buy it together. Roxy's business plan is tight and she sways Rush, but in order to get the capital to buy the building and run the station, Rush needs to sell their estate. His son just got accepted to Harvard, his oldest daughter is desperate to keep up with her rich-girl friends, and his youngest girls, twins, want nothing less than a mini-horse for Christmas. They don't react to the news that their dad lost their job, the house is being sold, and they have to move into their old house where their Great Aunt Jo now lives.
A riches-to-rags story is not the most unconventional Christmas tale, but it works so well here because the film dedicates itself to its family. In what could have been a very cheesy moment, Rush talks with his dead wife, and Malco deftly navigates the pain, love and wistfulness in the scene. Later he discovers thumb drives full of pictures and videos his wife meticulously organized, and he and the kids revisit some wonderful past times that were held in the old house... all except Jamal, who is still pained by all the loss and sacrifice he's had to face.
The movie shows these moments are also healing ones for Rush, and he finally accepts that it's okay to move on, Roxy is there for him, as she has been for years. The film plays this relationship with an exceptionally natural progression. They have a very charming and familiar relationship and in a way, Roxy is already integrated with the family. She's been supporting him all along with no ulterior motives, but when she starts to see he's ready to accept love again, she's ready for both giving and receiving. Hallmark movies are so chaste in their depiction of romance, so many of those movies have characters dance around their feelings towards each other to such a degree that in most cases it doesn't ever seem like they do. Here, there's not only chemistry between Malco and Martin-Green but a connection between their characters that is so much deeper than just "the holiday spirit" or whatnot.
Revealing their pairing to the family results in squeals of "FINALLY" from the girls and Aunt Jo, but Jamal isn't having it. He goes missing on Christmas Eve, and when Rush finally catches up to him, the heart-to-heart they have is one of the realest, most self aware conversations I've ever seen in a film like this. Rush sees exactly where he failed as a father, by trying to "stay brave" in front of the kids he didn't show them how to grieve, he didn't show them how to face pain. He has also been covered up their grief by buying them things and spoiling them. They have a lot of joy in their life but also hardships and they can easily deal with one but not the other. It's a profound moment that brought me to tears. Real man-tears. For manly men to have.
This has its comedic moments (like when the twins start a Go Fund Me) and a few good lines throughout ("Why'd I have to have smart kids? Dumb kids are so much cheaper"), and Deon Cole is always welcome comic relief. But it's a film about family, and making it through tough times together. The spirit of Christmas is about family and this film is a total "show don't tell". It's charming, heartfelt and very likeable.
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