I was looking forward to Cross Country Christmas when I saw both Rachael Leigh Cook and Greyston Holt at the top of the bill. I enjoy Cook's Hallmark movies, and I recently saw Holt in A Very Country Christmas this season. Both usually have convincing performances in this genre of film. So, there is no surprise then to read that I enjoyed this one too. Overall, it is a cute, fun, and engaging Christmas movie. The plot is similar to UPtv's 'Dashing Home for Christmas' (another entertaining movie this 2020 season). The story here revolves around Lina (played by Cook) and Max (played by Holt) whose flight home for Christmas is forced to land (far from home) due to a winter storm. And so, Lina and Max team up to find a way home for Christmas. From delivering Christmas trees for a ride to stowaways on a cargo train, their journey is a fun and warm one, as they help each other and the new people they meet along the way. The plot, of course, is predictable and has been done before as some of the other reviewers here have pointed out. That said, I thought the script was strong. More specifically, the dialogue between the leads was engaging, it pulled me in. And in the end, for me, that is what is most important. There was also a distinct difference between the personalities of the two main characters, which worked well, I thought. What made all the above possible was the quality of acting, which was, overall, excellent. Cook had an impressive performance. She had this warm and friendly vibe to her portrayal of Lina (it was quite adorable, as another reviewer described it), which made it easy to connect to her character, to Lina. Holt had a strong performance as well. He did a good job playing the more reserved character of the two, which, again, added some nice contrast. The chemistry between the two was maybe not as strong as some of the other performances this year (Jill Wagner and Lucas Bryant in The Angel House come to mind). To be honest, I did not notice it much while watching the movie. It was only when I came here and read some reviews that I started thinking about it. What was noticeable was that there was no final kiss between the two at the end, a hallmark of Hallmark movies and the TV romance genre more broadly. Finally, the movie does instill a lot of Christmas spirit and cheer; it should get you in the mood, as it were, for the season. All in all, it is a warm and fun Christmas movie (with some quality acting), a nice new edition to Hallmark's 2020 lineup. Highly recommend.
36 Reviews
A tale of two movies
Pete-Claus22 December 2020
The other user reviews seem to fall into one of two categories: (1) the plot is too improbable to relate to, so the reviewer couldn't enjoy the movie; or (2) recognizing the kind of plot it has, the reviewer enjoyed the funny, touching moments that it brings, and appreciated the good dialogue lines scattered throughout the movie. Count me in the second category! This movie was a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed the way the romantic side of the story developed in the context of the lead characters' backstories.
Not bad, not the best.
MIssM1926 December 2020
Lina is going back home for the holidays, and so is Max. The both live in NYC but their childhood home is in Colorado. So, you know how this is: bad weather, snow storms, flights grounded, no rental car available so they are forced to figure out a way to cross the country. We've heard this before. And will hear it again. No biggie.
Lina is a creative solutions specialist o something like that so the movie moves around her figuring out ways to get a ride onto the next state. Max works in tech and had a rough couple of months.
It was cute. Rachel Leigh Cook probably was my favorite in this. She is involved in a few funny situations, which definitely made me laugh. I honestly didn't care about Greyston (i'm sorry). There is no pre-ending drama, it's just them reaching their destination. Did they have chemistry? They did, but not the romantic kind. I didn't want them to end up together, I wanted them to be best friends, they'd probably had more fun. You know, if I had to bet on their relationship, they wouldn't last much (i'm just being honest)
Look, I want to think there are good people in this world who are more than willing to help you out during a crisis but do people in the US just trust blindly? Do they get in a car with a stranger? O sleep in their house? I live in Latin America, that doesn't happen. So, it's a bit unrealistic for me.
Anyway, it's funny and kind of cute. Rachel Leigh Cook always shines on her own.
Lina is a creative solutions specialist o something like that so the movie moves around her figuring out ways to get a ride onto the next state. Max works in tech and had a rough couple of months.
It was cute. Rachel Leigh Cook probably was my favorite in this. She is involved in a few funny situations, which definitely made me laugh. I honestly didn't care about Greyston (i'm sorry). There is no pre-ending drama, it's just them reaching their destination. Did they have chemistry? They did, but not the romantic kind. I didn't want them to end up together, I wanted them to be best friends, they'd probably had more fun. You know, if I had to bet on their relationship, they wouldn't last much (i'm just being honest)
Look, I want to think there are good people in this world who are more than willing to help you out during a crisis but do people in the US just trust blindly? Do they get in a car with a stranger? O sleep in their house? I live in Latin America, that doesn't happen. So, it's a bit unrealistic for me.
Anyway, it's funny and kind of cute. Rachel Leigh Cook always shines on her own.
If You Love Rachael Leigh Cook, This is for You
jazznu30 December 2020
This was definitely not my favorite. In a year where Hallmark really brought forth some consistent quality in their Christmas movie slate for the first time in a while, this stood out as merely okay.
If you love Rachael Leigh Cook, then I think you'll really enjoy this movie. If you merely like her or find her more annoying than charming some of the time, then this might be a bit of a struggle to get through, especially the first half. Because despite there being a decent number of characters in the movie including a steady co-star, I felt the movie was largely a vehicle for her, she really dominates this movie. And though she has her good points, some of what is meant to be charming or quirky, just came off as annoying for me.
A note about the chemistry. I'm not all that familiar with Greyston Holt, really only know him from a Christmas movie he did last year with Adelaide Kane that was pretty good. But he was good here and Rachael play well off one another. They also very likely have pretty good chemistry. The problem is that the writing and/or directing don't put them into situations where that chemistry is showcased. They feel more like somewhat familiar travelling buddies that might eventually become real friends at the end of this than ones that will end up as a couple. Not the fault of the actors at all. This high school classmate setup is hardly new, so many ways they could've gone about bridging the gap between that history and a romance. But they don't start to make that transition until the second half of the movie. And when it does begin to happen, it's more forced than it should be, essentially a non-romantic dance and the cousin's wife mentioning sparks that we don't actually see. What we do see is good banter between the two throughout, which does work well in a friendship context. But what we are shown in terms of their budding romance, is rather tepid because it just wasn't made a priority until the final 30 minutes of the movie. But once they focus on it, it works.
But I will say, and a point in the writer's favor, that some of what I found annoying about Rachael's character was something she owned up to and apologized for and it didn't happen in response to something major or at the end of the movie, just something she finally realized and admitted. Kind of rare for a Hallmark movie, so it stood out as being a nice, different, more grown-up approach than we typically see. Her character became considerably more likable at the back-end of the movie after this happened.
This is not a movie to avoid at all. It's not bad. But for me, not great. And with so many other great Hallmark movies this year, hard to recommend making this a priority to see unless you're a big Rachael Leigh Cook fan.
If you love Rachael Leigh Cook, then I think you'll really enjoy this movie. If you merely like her or find her more annoying than charming some of the time, then this might be a bit of a struggle to get through, especially the first half. Because despite there being a decent number of characters in the movie including a steady co-star, I felt the movie was largely a vehicle for her, she really dominates this movie. And though she has her good points, some of what is meant to be charming or quirky, just came off as annoying for me.
A note about the chemistry. I'm not all that familiar with Greyston Holt, really only know him from a Christmas movie he did last year with Adelaide Kane that was pretty good. But he was good here and Rachael play well off one another. They also very likely have pretty good chemistry. The problem is that the writing and/or directing don't put them into situations where that chemistry is showcased. They feel more like somewhat familiar travelling buddies that might eventually become real friends at the end of this than ones that will end up as a couple. Not the fault of the actors at all. This high school classmate setup is hardly new, so many ways they could've gone about bridging the gap between that history and a romance. But they don't start to make that transition until the second half of the movie. And when it does begin to happen, it's more forced than it should be, essentially a non-romantic dance and the cousin's wife mentioning sparks that we don't actually see. What we do see is good banter between the two throughout, which does work well in a friendship context. But what we are shown in terms of their budding romance, is rather tepid because it just wasn't made a priority until the final 30 minutes of the movie. But once they focus on it, it works.
But I will say, and a point in the writer's favor, that some of what I found annoying about Rachael's character was something she owned up to and apologized for and it didn't happen in response to something major or at the end of the movie, just something she finally realized and admitted. Kind of rare for a Hallmark movie, so it stood out as being a nice, different, more grown-up approach than we typically see. Her character became considerably more likable at the back-end of the movie after this happened.
This is not a movie to avoid at all. It's not bad. But for me, not great. And with so many other great Hallmark movies this year, hard to recommend making this a priority to see unless you're a big Rachael Leigh Cook fan.
Working together at Christmas
TheLittleSongbird3 May 2022
Rachel Leigh Cook is often worth watching, regardless of the quality of everything else in the film etc. Greyston Holt is more take and leave and it really does depend on the whole. Was not sure as to whether their chemistry would work, with their acting styles being quite different. Hallmark have made a large number of watchable and more films, but quite a lot of their work is less than average. So a very mixed bag in terms of overall quality for them.
'Cross Country Christmas' is neither one of the best or worst of Hallmark's 2020 output, which was a variable year but nowhere near as bad as expected considering the circumstances. With nothing terrible and a few surprisingly very good, but most were between mediocre and decent. It's another one of the somewhere in the middle efforts and is more decent and slightly above average than anything. So worth a look but a long way from essential.
The film is far from perfect. Didn't care for Holt, who is rather stiff and bland and his character comes over as too uptight and unintentionally creepy. Particularly early on. He and Cook do have chemistry, but it is more of the eventual best friend type. It needed a lot more charm and affection to convince as a romantic partnership and the relationship itself doesn't develop enough.
Also did think that 'Cross Country Christmas' started off on the slow side, where the pace lagged, the story was particularly slight, where Holt's character especially was uninteresting and difficult to invest in and where the dialogue was very stilted and cheesy. The final quarter didn't quite work, any conflict is bland and forced and it all feels neat in resolve considering how development to Holt's character and the central relationship were not easy to get behind.
However, there is a lot to like. The best thing about 'Cross Country Christmas' is the truly delightful Cook, whose subtle charm really radiates. Her character was also nicely developed without being too perfect, certainly easier to invest in than Holt's thanks to no overblown character flaws. The supporting cast are solid even if the character writing is not exactly meaty (wasn't bored by it either).
Production values still manage to be great. 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. Often have found the music a problem in Hallmark Christmas films, but it wasn't over-scored and wasn't inappropriate tonally. While the dialogue is not what one would call amazing, it is not as cheesy or as forced as a lot of festive films or films with similar story types, once the film gets going that is. The story is formulaic and does have pacing and dramatic problems, but is also immensely charming and heart-warming on the most part and there is nothing mean-spirited about it.
In summary, above average if unexceptional. 6/10.
'Cross Country Christmas' is neither one of the best or worst of Hallmark's 2020 output, which was a variable year but nowhere near as bad as expected considering the circumstances. With nothing terrible and a few surprisingly very good, but most were between mediocre and decent. It's another one of the somewhere in the middle efforts and is more decent and slightly above average than anything. So worth a look but a long way from essential.
The film is far from perfect. Didn't care for Holt, who is rather stiff and bland and his character comes over as too uptight and unintentionally creepy. Particularly early on. He and Cook do have chemistry, but it is more of the eventual best friend type. It needed a lot more charm and affection to convince as a romantic partnership and the relationship itself doesn't develop enough.
Also did think that 'Cross Country Christmas' started off on the slow side, where the pace lagged, the story was particularly slight, where Holt's character especially was uninteresting and difficult to invest in and where the dialogue was very stilted and cheesy. The final quarter didn't quite work, any conflict is bland and forced and it all feels neat in resolve considering how development to Holt's character and the central relationship were not easy to get behind.
However, there is a lot to like. The best thing about 'Cross Country Christmas' is the truly delightful Cook, whose subtle charm really radiates. Her character was also nicely developed without being too perfect, certainly easier to invest in than Holt's thanks to no overblown character flaws. The supporting cast are solid even if the character writing is not exactly meaty (wasn't bored by it either).
Production values still manage to be great. 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. Often have found the music a problem in Hallmark Christmas films, but it wasn't over-scored and wasn't inappropriate tonally. While the dialogue is not what one would call amazing, it is not as cheesy or as forced as a lot of festive films or films with similar story types, once the film gets going that is. The story is formulaic and does have pacing and dramatic problems, but is also immensely charming and heart-warming on the most part and there is nothing mean-spirited about it.
In summary, above average if unexceptional. 6/10.
What a cute movie!
nemman6322 December 2020
I cannot believe at my age I am using "cute" to describe a movie I like, but yet there it is.
I really liked this movie. Best One I have seen so far this year for the Christmas batch.
Both of the leads were excellent, and you cold see them slowly becoming attracted to each other in a very heart warming manner. Sure it was derivative of Planes, Trains and Automobiles, but all of these movies are derivative of something, and at least this one went for a classic and not just another schlocky paint by numbers plot.
I was waiting for the scene where the state trooper pulls them over in a burned out shell of the pet grooming van, but alas... probably for the best though.
Anyway, i thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it!
Cross Country Christmas
JoBloTheMovieCritic23 December 2020
Unrealistic in the cutest way
TheCheeseMistress21 February 2021
One thing that makes this movie different is the fact that the main couple shares practically every scene from beginning to end, starting as childhood acquaintances and slowly growing feelings for each other, a progression that feels too rushed in a lot of movies of this genre but in this case we truly see two people falling in love instead of just saying "I love you" just before the end.
The whole movie is a sequence of the most implausible and random events: usually this level of absurdity takes you away from the story and all you can think of is "What the hell were the writers thinking of!", but in this case I found myself enjoying every moment of it.
Also I loved the main actress, she's absolutely perfect for the genre. I'm happy to find that she's made other Hallmark movies, which I'm definitely going to watch.
The whole movie is a sequence of the most implausible and random events: usually this level of absurdity takes you away from the story and all you can think of is "What the hell were the writers thinking of!", but in this case I found myself enjoying every moment of it.
Also I loved the main actress, she's absolutely perfect for the genre. I'm happy to find that she's made other Hallmark movies, which I'm definitely going to watch.
Enjoyable Movie
pattersonjamie-1207915 January 2021
Ride em!
adamjohns-4257520 November 2021
I love Greyston Holt, I want to grab those ears and ride him through Christmas, but the lead female on the other hand would drive me crazy.
It's a cute version of a story that we have admittedly seen before and it could have been dealt with better. It didn't have that warmth that others have had.
I wasn't in a rush to turn it off, so it can't have been that bad. Greyston is just so lovely, why would I, but other than that there isn't much to talk about.
5ish.
It's a cute version of a story that we have admittedly seen before and it could have been dealt with better. It didn't have that warmth that others have had.
I wasn't in a rush to turn it off, so it can't have been that bad. Greyston is just so lovely, why would I, but other than that there isn't much to talk about.
5ish.
Amazing Funny Trip Accross Country!
ppetretich-121 December 2020
From the first 10 minutes you know you are going to enjoy this trip with 2 friends a man and his female traveler! It's one short trip after another, each small trip brings them closer to home and each one is a clever twist! You won't want to miss this enjoyable trip with them.Don't miss this enjoyable movie!
Peter Petretich
Peter Petretich
Attention wardrobe department.
malachite-784322 November 2021
I liked this movie. Sure, it has some ridiculous elements in it, and some things that do not make sense, but, hey, it's a Hallmark movie.
What I can't understand is why the wardrobe people keep choosing jackets with animal fur trim on them. Hello-it's 2021. Don't we all know by now how these animals are kept in small wire cages before being inhumanly killed and skinned just to make a hood trim on a winter coat?
All I kept thinking about was the poor long haired dog, like a German Shepherd, that was killed for the useless trim. What's wrong with fake fur, anyway?
Come on Hallmark. Get your act together. Please.
What I can't understand is why the wardrobe people keep choosing jackets with animal fur trim on them. Hello-it's 2021. Don't we all know by now how these animals are kept in small wire cages before being inhumanly killed and skinned just to make a hood trim on a winter coat?
All I kept thinking about was the poor long haired dog, like a German Shepherd, that was killed for the useless trim. What's wrong with fake fur, anyway?
Come on Hallmark. Get your act together. Please.
About the journey, not the destination
MickyG3331 December 2022
7.4 stars.
Two people who grew up in the same town in Colorado now live in New York City, but neither one knows the other lives there. They are at the airport to fly back to Colorado for the holidays and they bump into each other. Unfortunately, the flight is grounded and all flights west are canceled due to a snow storm. This movie is about their trek across country by any mode of travel they can find, and their relationship develops along this journey which is full of ups and downs.
He is grieving due to personal loss, and is in need of a sympathetic ear, and she is there to provide it. They meet a lot of really nice and wonderful people on their trip, and the adventure is full of little surprises, and fun moments. Both of them mature and are richly blessed by this shared experience.
This was an endearing movie, and I loved how the slowly growing friendship became so much more by the end. The writer definitely got the nuances and timing just right.
I will probably watch this every couple of years, maybe not every year, but was great!
Two people who grew up in the same town in Colorado now live in New York City, but neither one knows the other lives there. They are at the airport to fly back to Colorado for the holidays and they bump into each other. Unfortunately, the flight is grounded and all flights west are canceled due to a snow storm. This movie is about their trek across country by any mode of travel they can find, and their relationship develops along this journey which is full of ups and downs.
He is grieving due to personal loss, and is in need of a sympathetic ear, and she is there to provide it. They meet a lot of really nice and wonderful people on their trip, and the adventure is full of little surprises, and fun moments. Both of them mature and are richly blessed by this shared experience.
This was an endearing movie, and I loved how the slowly growing friendship became so much more by the end. The writer definitely got the nuances and timing just right.
I will probably watch this every couple of years, maybe not every year, but was great!
Rachel Leigh Cook was adorable.
rg7991210 January 2021
I'm not her biggest fan tbh, but I genuinely liked her character. She was fun and light, quirky but believable. I enjoyed the movie because of that. It was a nice fun Christmas movie. The male lead was good I guess, but if I had my choice I'd have cast another male lead that could play off Rachel Leigh Cook better.
fun Christmas movie full of adventure and holiday fun
momof3boysj30 December 2020
Without transportation and a need to get to their childhood hometown, former high school pals begin a trek home in a variety of transportation modes. Being misdirected, no luggage, and one cell phone, leaves them taking shelter where they can--there are plenty of antics and holiday deliveries and fun along the way. While traveling, they reminisce about growing up, and through bonding they find a commonality which leads to deeper feelings.
An enjoyable Christmas movie with lots of merriment, holiday joy, and a few festive hijinks to keep us on our toes, rooting for these two to make it home in time, plus a budding romance.
An enjoyable Christmas movie with lots of merriment, holiday joy, and a few festive hijinks to keep us on our toes, rooting for these two to make it home in time, plus a budding romance.
Not a great effort here
jagfannn22 December 2020
This is a recycled script that we've seen many times and there is nothing special about it. Rachael Leigh Cook and Greyston Holt do a good job, and there is some cute and funny banter between them, but there is not a lot of chemistry. I wouldn't say it's one to avoid, but it's just not that great
Adorable!
mrdavidpyoung21 December 2020
We all have watched a lot of these Hallmark movies with a lot of the same twists, but this one is adorable. Rachael Leigh Cook is perfect in this role (and so cute) and Greyson Holt really holds up his end. Super Christmas movie for the holidays. So much fun.
Another Mind-Numbing Hallmark Movie
IceQueen997 December 2021
Seasoned actors who suddenly became amateurs. They brought down what little credibility this film may have had. Same nonsense, different movie. Should I take a shot at guessing what happens at the end? It'll be tough but I can try.
Predictable, but cute movie
jenrn-0972228 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I thought this movie was cute. The leads were believable, and they played off each other well. Other reviewers that said the plot was unbelievable were not wrong - but that's what makes the movie. I didn't think I was going to like the movie - everything that can go wrong does had been done before - often. But there were just enough friendly people and crazy situations while they were traveling that gave it a warm fuzzies feel. It was touching when they talked in the van and he finally told her about his father, and she drove all night to get him home in time for his family brunch. But the weather in all the states they drove through was too warm for the time of year. No snow anywhere? That was probably the most unbelievable part. The ending was cute, but I will agree with other reviewers - they did seem more like siblings at times, than love interests - but I blame Covid. It seemed like all the Hallmark movies this Christmas season kept it to a one-chaste-kiss-per-movie limit. My only disappointment was the fact that the same lines were used to end this movie as ended her other movie Frozen in Love. Then Niall Matter said "This is a book I don't want to end" and she replies "Me, neither", and they kiss. This one was, "This is a journey I don't want to end" and she replies, "Me, neither", and they kiss. I mean, couldn't the writers be a little more original and not use the same lines for the same actress? Otherwise a fun movie...
Feel Good Movie
tara-352-9753586 January 2022
Love love love Greyston Holt! This movie had a good story line. A few serious moments, a few feel good moments, and a few funny moments. The chemistry between Holt and Rachel Leigh Cook was good. The acting was good. Definitely a movie I would watch again!
Thank God for my fast forward button.
spikeluvr21 December 2020
This is one of the worst Hallmark movies this season. Or any season for that matter. The premise started out ok but quickly devolved into the most ludicrous developments. The leads have a little chemistry but, like a lot of Hallmark movies, they act more like brother and sister right up until the single chaste kiss at the end. Hallmark has lost sight of the idea of romance in their so called "romantic" holiday movies. Most of their leads don't even seem physically attracted to one another. They keep churning out more and more junk and think substituting quantity for quality makes it all ok. Too bad for those of us who'd rather see one The Christmas Card than ten of these turkeys.
Enjoyable Watch!
lorriehoagland-380576 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Cross Country Christmas was funny and touching with good character development and chemistry between the two leads. Kind of a romantic twist on Planes, Trains and Automobiles. I really enjoyed the heart warming mini-stories with the people they met along the way. Rachel Leigh Cook is very likeable and believable. There was even a couple of unexpected story twists to keep it from being the same old same old.
Bored beyond belief
rhonnie-431391 August 2021
Not sure why this is getting such high ratings. It was super dull. I couldn't sit through it at all.
I thought the lead actors had zero chemistry. I've seen them in other Hallmark movies - and they were adequate. In this movie they didn't seem to fit each other. Besides, that the plot was silly.
I couldn't sit through it for the two hours so I channel surfed until the next Hallmark movie was starting. Unfortunately I still had to to stomach the last 5 minutes - it was awful.
So not watching it ever again.
I thought the lead actors had zero chemistry. I've seen them in other Hallmark movies - and they were adequate. In this movie they didn't seem to fit each other. Besides, that the plot was silly.
I couldn't sit through it for the two hours so I channel surfed until the next Hallmark movie was starting. Unfortunately I still had to to stomach the last 5 minutes - it was awful.
So not watching it ever again.
Loved it!!
takeaknapp-628651 December 2021
Don't listen to the neigh sayers who trash talked this little gem of a movie. I didn't know who either one of the leads were but now I've added them both to my favorites. Such a sweet, and funny movie. Totally recommend it for the entire family! Wish Hallmark would make more like this-maybe even do a follow up to this movie. I thought it was great! Do yourself a favor, grab the family and some hot cocoa and gather round the TV set for this one, you won't be disappointed.
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