Rescuing Christmas (2023) User Reviews

Jingle Bells and Wishes Well

[natmavila · 6/10 · 21 December 2023]

"Rescuing Christmas" is the kind of movie that you watch with a mug of hot chocolate and zero expectations. It's a classic Hallmark-style holiday film that doesn't reinvent the sleigh but offers a cozy, predictable ride. The plot is as fluffy as freshly fallen snow - Santa wanting to boost holiday spirit is heartwarming, and the choice of Erin, a Christmas grinch, as the recipient of three wishes is a neat twist. The elves, Chuck and Debbie, are delightfully quirky, adding a sprinkle of elfish charm to the story.

The film's strength lies in its simplicity. It's a feel-good, easy-watch movie that doesn't demand much from its audience. Erin's journey from a Scrooge-like character to someone who embraces the holiday spirit is predictable, yet satisfying. The chemistry between Erin and Sam, the charming love interest, is sweet, albeit a tad cliché. It's the kind of film where you know exactly what you're going to get, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

However, there's a surprising edge to this G-rated holiday fare - a rogue "damn" that slips through. It's a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, but it's amusing to think how this little slip-up got past the censors. It doesn't detract from the film's family-friendly vibe, but it does raise an eyebrow. Overall, "Rescuing Christmas" is like a well-worn Christmas sweater - familiar, comfortable, and just right for a lazy December evening. Just don't expect it to be the star on top of your holiday movie marathon.

Interesting concept that felt bland

[ircregister-zulu · 5/10 · 10 December 2023]

Wanted to love it, but the cast didn't grab, hold my attention. I found myself doing other tasks while checking back in periodically. Sam Page is a good anchor, but felt monotonic in this particular offering. Rachel Leigh Cook appeared a bit off, perhaps being executive producer took away from her usual shine. The ending seemed to be a bit of cut ins pasted together to wrap up the ends. The elves were annoying which in an odd way brought some sort of emotion. The optics of a non White Santa was irksome. Non White, female, Christmas overlord was bothersome. In fact, a good reason to downgrade further.

Breakout Brilliance: The Unforgettable Performance of the Radio Intern Shines Bright Amidst Lackluster Film

[robinsonanne-21051 · 5/10 · 17 December 2023]

The radio intern emerged as the unequivocal star of the movie, delivering a performance that not only breathed life into a lackluster storyline but also set a standard of excellence that the other actors failed to match. His acting prowess, marked by a professional and captivating demeanor, showcased a rare talent that surpassed the mediocrity of the film's lead characters, Sam and Erin. While the radio intern's authenticity and refreshing presence enriched every scene, the shortcomings in the performances of Sam and Erin were glaring. In comparison, the radio intern's unbothered attitude and nuanced portrayal stood out, highlighting his superior acting abilities and making him the true highlight of the production. His contribution was not just commendable; it was a masterclass in elevating a movie beyond its limitations.

Many amusing moments

[VetteRanger · 7/10 · 24 December 2023]

Two elves convince (an unconventional) Santa Claus to let them rekindle Christmas spirit by giving someone three wishes ... as long as the wishes aren't outrageous ... like wishing for a million dollars.

The only issue with the movie is that it takes far too long to get to the crux of the story, which is when our female lead wishes away Christmas. This is a bit too similar to another 2023 film where the female lead ALSO wishes away Christmas. In both movies, they have to start convincing people to take the holiday back on ... albeit in slightly different ways.

But ... no outrageous wish ... yet wishing away Christmas is allowed. LOL

This movie doesn't really hit its stride until the third wish which cancels out Christmas and she has to try to recreate the holiday using whatever they can find, since dedicated Christmas decorations don't exist. That gets a bit humorous.

Dialogue is also good. Definitely worth the watch.

Xmas RESCUED!!!

[reginabernaldo · 10/10 · 9 December 2023]

Omg. So...I LOVED this movie! It's so hard when it's a great story, but an actor-or many- just kind of aren't into it and are just not right for the role/s. I'm a Hallmark movie connoisseur due to being on the spectrum, and I appreciate predictable plots...however this was a pleasantly surprising Xmas movie and everything was PERFECT! Loved the original plot, the great acting and writing... the flow, editing? This is a well-rounded holiday movie that I plan to watch every Xmas. But seriously... I watch Xmas movies all year round, so... this movie just bought my hallmark subscription for the next year. Thanks to all who made it- keep making magic please! ✨

Absolutely loved!

[TashaF86 · 10/10 · 12 December 2023]

This movie was amazing! I loved how original the story line was! One of the best Christmas movies Hallmark has done in recent years, and I'm a lover of most. Rachel Leigh Cook and Sam Page are both fantastic individually in all their movies, but together they were perfect! I hope to see them in more movies together in the future. The elves were also perfectly paired, and there were laugh out loud moments as they experienced the human world. I hope to see more movies with this special type of Christmas magic in them. It's a movie the whole family can enjoy and be interested in. There was just something special about this one, so I knew I had to write a review!

Clever

[Jackbv123 · 8/10 · 7 December 2023]

In some ways the premise is common. It's a quest where the romantic leads work together to achieve a goal, in this case to bring back Christmas. It is a not so common subset where the quest is to restore some reality that has been changed, usually by a wish. In many cases, the lead is the center of the quest and has been given a new life. In some cases like this one, the entire reality has been changed for everyone, that is if you accept the reality of Santa and Christmas magic.

It takes a while to set up the quest. And enlisting Sam doesn't seem to be the obvious choice, but Erin needs help from someone. The romance development doesn't receive a lot of screen time and therefore it may seem like "falling in love" was rushed. Rachael Leigh Cook and Sam Page still manage to display some chemistry.

There is a strong thread that the meaning of Christmas is family and friends and love and spending time together. Also some stabs at Christmas commercialism.

There are a lot of good lines. I typically don't laugh at lot at movies but I found myself laughing out loud a few times especially early on. The acting is good if you allow for some necessary silliness. I think RLC has good comedic timing.

My title says "Clever". I thought this was shown in imagining of the results of trying to get people to celebrate a Christmas that they have no basis for. Tennis balls for ornaments is just a small example. Or the mom complaining about what Erin was telling her kids which was actually kind of creepy.

Clever Concept

[athompsonblue · 8/10 · 7 December 2023]

A jaded, stressed out woman wants a break from all the festivities and obligations of Christmas. In a moment of fury, she wishes for it to all just go away. The next morning, she wakes up to find that all the Christmas decorations in town are gone, and nobody except her has any memory of the holiday. She then scrambles to revive Christmas.

It's a funny idea -- having the protagonist reintroduce Christmas to her family and to the town, and they point out how absurd the holiday traditions sound.

The male love interest is very likable in this movie. And the actor playing jolly old Saint Nick did an excellent job.

This Was Fun - Great Dialogue

[cincy-47983 · 9/10 · 17 December 2023]

Kudos to the writers and folks who produced this clever movie. At first blush the concept of 3 wishes seemed overused or even silly but it wasn't at all. Many chuckles were delivered through the great imaginations of the folks who wrote, conceived and produced this movie. I won't state any of the details to reduce spoilers but expect to see many elements of Christmas viewed from very unique aspects.

Sam Page and Rachael Leigh Cook work well together and brought this clever story off nicely and made it seem fun and realistic. And, kudos to the folks who played the elves and Santa. So, if you want a fresh and fun Christmas flick, this is it.

LOVED IT

[audreep-46353 · 10/10 · 1 January 2024]

"Rescuing Christmas" follows the story of Lauren, a high-powered marketing executive who returns to her hometown to help save the local radio station. The station is struggling, and the holiday spirit seems to be fading. In the movie, the character of the radio intern plays a significant role in the development of the plot. The intern is portrayed as enthusiastic, passionate, and eager to learn. Their dedication to the radio station and willingness to go above and beyond their duties serve as an inspirational example to the other characters. With their hard work and creative ideas, the radio intern becomes an essential part of the team working to rescue Christmas for the community. Through their determination and positive attitude, the intern helps to reignite the holiday spirit and brings newfound hope to the town.

A modern "It's A Wonderful Life"

[aaronm-48893 · 10/10 · 25 December 2023]

This movie is extremely cute, it's over the top in the best way. It's genuinely hilarious and just much more enjoyable than I expected for a cheesy hallmark Christmas movie. There's some one liners over the course of the whole movie that are true laugh out loud moments - especially from the mom character and both of the elves. Santa also has some really fun moments, and the love story, while not unexpected, plays out in a sweet way that makes you excited to see the end.

It feels like a modern version of "It's A Wonderful Life" - You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll immediately make this a permanent part of your Christmas collection.

Good, original Hallmark Christmas movie

[herrcarter-92161 · 8/10 · 7 March 2024]

This was a Hallmark movie that didn't feel like a Hallmark movie. It was much more original. It also had the inestimable talents of Rachel Leigh Cook. The difference between her and the standard plug-and-play Hallmark actress was evident for anyone to see. She's always funny, likable and relatable and lights up any scene she's in. Her relationship with Sam, the guy she's supposedly not dating, was good too. There was a fair amount of chemistry between them. I also enjoyed the North Pole characters, especially the two wacky elves. They definitely provided lots of comic relief.

The whole concept of what you would do if Christmas suddenly disappeared was unique and creative. Some of the bizarre things that people came up with for Christmas decorations was amusing. I did think there needed to be more of a character arc for our heroine Erin. She needed to be a true Christmas Grinch, who only grudgingly came around to accept and finally embrace Christmas. Instead, she was more stressed out about Christmas, but she didn't really hate it, and she was immediately horrified when she realized her wish had erased it. So, supposedly, she could only take back the wish if she really felt it, but it seemed like she really did feel it for most of the movie. It didn't really make sense.

All in all, a fun, entertaining Christmas movie. Kudos to Hallmark for coming up with a more original Christmas story and getting a good A-list actress like Rachel Leigh Cook to act in it. I can only applaud the trend.