To those complaining about the movie not being true to the movie location...this is ridiculous. Almost all Hallmark and Lifetime movies are filmed in Canada and the movie location is usually Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago or locales in Vermont. It is cheaper to film and produce made-for-tv movies in Canada. They have a studio, homes and towns they use year round to make almost all of their movies. Otherwise they would have 3 or 4 Christmas movies per year rather than the 20 plus they make. It costs millions to block off streets and shoot movies in the cities they say the location really is. Many of these movies are based on books, short stories or novellas and they try to stay within the geographic location of the original story. Some use fictitious towns. Very few movies...including million dollar blockbusters...are filmed in the location that is represented in the movie. It wouldn't be financially feasible to film a made-for-tv movie in a city of 75,000.
14 Reviews
Really enjoyed this movie!
lyndavanleeuwen19 December 2019
Most of the Hallmark movies & characters are so superficial and pretentious, they aren't appealing! Loved the the lead characters in Radio Christmas! The male lead & his daughter were particularly lovable. Nice to see roles that seemed believable. That Outdoor hockey game in Winnipeg sure would be cold, though! Let's see more of these actors, with the same writers. Almost forgot to say how nice it was to see Tim Reid on TV again! Good Christmas movie.
Good and strange
doctorsmoothlove10 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
"Radio Christmas" is a Lifetime movie released in 2019 for its Christmas marathon. This one is pretty good even if it's totally predictable.
A radio DJ's building in Philly conveniently becomes unavailable for her use. Her employer reassigns her to the "small town" of Bethlehem. Having never visited Pennsylvania outside of the airport, I was aware of the town. Wikipedia reports that it is the seventh largest house in Pennsylvania. Why pick such a large town? Why not make the film take place in a smaller place such as DuBois?
The DJ is played by Keshia Pulliam as Kara. Kara meets a hunky single dad DJ by the name of Scott (Michael Xavier). Scott is a passionate, small town guy who loves his local town. He is apparently also form Philly but keeps that under wraps. Kara informs Scott that she has heard of a "Secret Santa" who donates thousands of dollars to various local projects.
It's not hard to figure out who the Secret Santa is. Regardless of that, the film has good energy and a well written love story. The leads have a gentleness to them and their romance doesn't feel forced. Scott is especially busy taking care of his daughter whom he doesn't understand. Andie (Nakai Takawira), as the daughter is a good movie kid. She is able to be curious without being cute. I often feel that these kinds of movies use children as a cheap source of sentimentality. Kara interacts with Andie who clearly would like to have a mother figure and for her father to have a spouse figure.
The Secret Santa is revealed by a podcast recording Kara accidentally makes. There is a twist ending you may not see coming. The revelation forces a conversation between Scott and his father who didn't approve of Scott's charitable donations. Men can be headstrong and generally don't communicate well. The forcing out of the emotion is welcome for their family and is a good positive message overall. I say let this one pass in spite of its strange setting.
A radio DJ's building in Philly conveniently becomes unavailable for her use. Her employer reassigns her to the "small town" of Bethlehem. Having never visited Pennsylvania outside of the airport, I was aware of the town. Wikipedia reports that it is the seventh largest house in Pennsylvania. Why pick such a large town? Why not make the film take place in a smaller place such as DuBois?
The DJ is played by Keshia Pulliam as Kara. Kara meets a hunky single dad DJ by the name of Scott (Michael Xavier). Scott is a passionate, small town guy who loves his local town. He is apparently also form Philly but keeps that under wraps. Kara informs Scott that she has heard of a "Secret Santa" who donates thousands of dollars to various local projects.
It's not hard to figure out who the Secret Santa is. Regardless of that, the film has good energy and a well written love story. The leads have a gentleness to them and their romance doesn't feel forced. Scott is especially busy taking care of his daughter whom he doesn't understand. Andie (Nakai Takawira), as the daughter is a good movie kid. She is able to be curious without being cute. I often feel that these kinds of movies use children as a cheap source of sentimentality. Kara interacts with Andie who clearly would like to have a mother figure and for her father to have a spouse figure.
The Secret Santa is revealed by a podcast recording Kara accidentally makes. There is a twist ending you may not see coming. The revelation forces a conversation between Scott and his father who didn't approve of Scott's charitable donations. Men can be headstrong and generally don't communicate well. The forcing out of the emotion is welcome for their family and is a good positive message overall. I say let this one pass in spite of its strange setting.
Get over it
Jackbv12329 November 2019
Yes, the story of Bethlehem PA is not accurate. So you dis the whole movie? Perhaps it would be worthwhile to look at some things about the movie beyond that one glaring problem. (BTW - I have done the same thing at least partially and I apologize for it. I usually try to avoid it but if I do have a problem getting past one sticking point, I still try to bring out other things positive and negative in any review I write.)
The story should have been Bethlehem, Iowa, or Utah, or anywhere we can file away as made up. If you do that, this is a unique story. The radio/podcast angle is nice. It does lead to the common reporter-investigates-a-secret trope, but even that is not as worn out as some themes. I knew almost immediately who was the Secret Santa, but the whole audience learns that fairly early in the movie. As soon as Kara said she'd keep the secret, it was a pretty certain guess that somehow she would fail.
For me these movies are about relationships and I really enjoyed the relationships between Keshia Knight Pulliam's Kara, Michael Xavier's Scott, and Nakai Takawira's Andie. I loved that Andie is a hockey player, but that's minor compared to how warm that three-way relationship became.
This is a Lifetime movie, but as many of them do, it has what we tend to call a Hallmark ending. To do that, they used some unexpected things and some predictable ones.
The story should have been Bethlehem, Iowa, or Utah, or anywhere we can file away as made up. If you do that, this is a unique story. The radio/podcast angle is nice. It does lead to the common reporter-investigates-a-secret trope, but even that is not as worn out as some themes. I knew almost immediately who was the Secret Santa, but the whole audience learns that fairly early in the movie. As soon as Kara said she'd keep the secret, it was a pretty certain guess that somehow she would fail.
For me these movies are about relationships and I really enjoyed the relationships between Keshia Knight Pulliam's Kara, Michael Xavier's Scott, and Nakai Takawira's Andie. I loved that Andie is a hockey player, but that's minor compared to how warm that three-way relationship became.
This is a Lifetime movie, but as many of them do, it has what we tend to call a Hallmark ending. To do that, they used some unexpected things and some predictable ones.
Radio blah blah!
adamjohns-425753 December 2020
I have to say that I completed a jigsaw whilst watching this, because it really didn't grab me that much at all.
I wasn't attracted to any of the characters or interested in their stories, which is a shame because the search she does could have provided a really good story for this film, but it was all very lightly achieved and so didn't quite have the passion and drama it could have done.
It's not that bad, it's not that good.
I wasn't attracted to any of the characters or interested in their stories, which is a shame because the search she does could have provided a really good story for this film, but it was all very lightly achieved and so didn't quite have the passion and drama it could have done.
It's not that bad, it's not that good.
Secret charm
TheLittleSongbird25 August 2020
This is another Lifetime Christmas film where the premise sounded great, and also different. Which was appreciated as not many Lifetime Christmas films divert much from their usual formula, so a big part of me was really hoping that 'Radio Christmas' wouldn't waste the potential it had. Was also though not sure what to expect, having seen mixed reviews and people criticising it for it not being accurate to the location it's set in which sounded rather nit-picky to me.
Still think that way. Sure it is not authentic in setting, but that was most likely not possible with the budget constraints for made for television so it was made somewhere where films were cheaper to produce from my understanding. But criticising a film solely for that is a little unfair, especially considering that it means that every other component is forgotten about. To me, 'Radio Christmas' was a surprisingly good film with many good qualities, that managed to not waste its premise.
'Radio Christmas' may have dialogue that is a bit high on the cheese and sugar factors, not that that was not expected as that is common with Lifetime.
At times, the music is a touch intrusive though other Lifetime Christmas films did this a lot worse.
However, even with the lack of authenticity, the production values still manage to be pleasing. It's not too drab or garish in photography, the editing didn't seem rushed or disorganised and the scenery has a real charm to it. Most of the soundtrack is nostalgic and appealing to listen to, capturing the festive spirit well. The story, which doesn't execute any changes of pace too conventionally, is immensely charming and is full of warmth and heart, really appreciated that it had some not so familiar story elements which stopped it from being too cliched. It also felt natural and not contrived and had a nice subtle energy. The ending is not a surprise but other films of theirs do far worse at premature telegraphing.
It was great too to have characters worth caring about (not always the case with Lifetime), ones that did have personality and personalities that interested and endeared. Nothing overdone or annoying. The acting is all quite good, with likeable leads and a supporting cast that give their all to what they have. The character relationships are genuine and don't come over as disconnected at all.
Overall, surprisingly good. 8/10
Still think that way. Sure it is not authentic in setting, but that was most likely not possible with the budget constraints for made for television so it was made somewhere where films were cheaper to produce from my understanding. But criticising a film solely for that is a little unfair, especially considering that it means that every other component is forgotten about. To me, 'Radio Christmas' was a surprisingly good film with many good qualities, that managed to not waste its premise.
'Radio Christmas' may have dialogue that is a bit high on the cheese and sugar factors, not that that was not expected as that is common with Lifetime.
At times, the music is a touch intrusive though other Lifetime Christmas films did this a lot worse.
However, even with the lack of authenticity, the production values still manage to be pleasing. It's not too drab or garish in photography, the editing didn't seem rushed or disorganised and the scenery has a real charm to it. Most of the soundtrack is nostalgic and appealing to listen to, capturing the festive spirit well. The story, which doesn't execute any changes of pace too conventionally, is immensely charming and is full of warmth and heart, really appreciated that it had some not so familiar story elements which stopped it from being too cliched. It also felt natural and not contrived and had a nice subtle energy. The ending is not a surprise but other films of theirs do far worse at premature telegraphing.
It was great too to have characters worth caring about (not always the case with Lifetime), ones that did have personality and personalities that interested and endeared. Nothing overdone or annoying. The acting is all quite good, with likeable leads and a supporting cast that give their all to what they have. The character relationships are genuine and don't come over as disconnected at all.
Overall, surprisingly good. 8/10
Spoiler for PA residents
lazerhawk-9080819 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Bethlehem PA is a medium sized City with a large casino, a huge old steel factory turned entertainment venue and a vibrant downtown. It hosts an enormous Musikfest and Celtic fest which attracts hundreds of thousands annually. It's not a quaint small town. There's no town square where they light the little tree. It's way older than 100 years. There's more like 50,000 residents rather than 50, so twenty people with shovels couldn't dig it out from a blizzard. And it certainly is not a small town just outside Harrisburg, so you can't break down there on your way from Philly to Pittsburgh. Ah, and the guy who runs the local radio station is not the most prominent citizen. Pro tip, next time you set a movie in an actual locale, maybe read its Wikipedia page. The best part about it is that it's residents are ridiculously hometown proud. I call em Beth Heads. Beth heads eyes and ears will bleed, cause the whole place is a little more involved than the courtyard outside the radio station and the B&B around the corner. Drop. Dead. Hilarious. Hahaha
Wrong info
ramussen10 November 2019
Cute movie but so wrong
abittone15 November 2019
As someone who's lived near Bethlehem their entire life, the info on the city is wrong, they don't use the actually town itself (which is gorgeous) and that's just disappointing. The movie itself was cute, I just wish they would have done the ACTUAL city of Bethlehem justice.
Great Movie
ctthomas-3602511 November 2019
Distracting lead actor
aka-3026612 December 2020
Can I be emailed the details of the ending?
okapi-7589212 November 2019
Giving Bethlehem a bad name
gmr-9902912 November 2019
I love love love this movie
kekepittman13 December 2020
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