toddsgraham Review of A Chance for Christmas

A Chance for Christmas (2021 TV Movie)

Groundhog Day meets Christmas with a twist...

[7/10 · 18 November 2021]

I must say, I really enjoyed this Tubi original Christmas movie. The story is fun, festive, and a bit quirky at times, with some brilliant performances. The storyline revolves around Christina Chance (played by Tori Anderson), a (family cooking) social media influencer who is very close to landing a lucrative sponsorship if she can manage 2 million live views of her Christmas Eve vlog-cast. But everything is not what it seems at the Chance's, as 'the darling family, loving husband, and authentic charm and style' are roles meticulously crafted by Christina to sell The Family Chance brand. Our other protagonist in this story is Devon (played by Mykee Selkin), a marketing executive who is a fan and supporter of The Chance Family. Devon decides to spend Christmas Eve helping Christina with her big shoot. However, the two have a bumpy start, not seeing eye-to-eye, and this day never seems to end, that is, they find themselves on a Christmas Eve time loop. And so our story begins, as we watch Christina and Devon try to create the perfect Chance Family Christmas Eve (over and over again). During their 'Groundhog Day' experiences, they eventually discover each other and what is truly important in life in order to escape the time loop. Given the rise and prominence of social media influencers in Western societies today, I found this story to be refreshing, as it sheds light on, and makes fun of, this social phenomenon. The script, I thought, was well-written. It was fun, cute, and touching (at times). The writers do a good job too with the dialogue and interaction between the characters, the family members. Some of the characters are odd and quirky, which makes for some fun dialogue and exchanges. Indeed, I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions. But what stands out in this one is the acting. Anderson had a wonderful performance. She had a warm, yet determined, vibe to her performance, which worked well on screen, I felt. The chemistry between her and Selkin was also convincing. The supporting cast in this one was excellent, especially given the peculiar nature of some of the characters. Indeed, these were some very strong performances. The movie also had a nice Christmas vibe to it. I was impressed with the various gingerbread castles, rockets, and so on that Christina made. All in all, it is a cute and fun Christmas movie, with some heartfelt moments to boot. It will no doubt bring a smile to your face or even make you laugh or chuckle a bit. This, along with some brilliant performances, make for a great viewing experience this Christmas season. I highly recommend it.