Journey Back to Christmas (2016 TV Movie) User Reviews

time travel makes this unique

[phd_travel · 8/10 · 23 March 2019]

A different Christmas story for a change! This is an interesting and original story about a 1945 woman is transported in time to 2016.

It's entertaining enough to keep one interested. The contrast between the values and traditions is cute and provides some cute insights. Nice link between the past and present with Tom Skerrit.

Candace Cameron Bure handles the role well. It could have been daft if not handled well.

Way Above The Average Hallmark Movie

[Christmas-Reviewer · 7/10 · 30 November 2016]

BEWARE OF FALSE REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW TO THEIR NAME. NOW WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE MOVIE. IF ITS A NEGATIVE REVIEW THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST THE FILM . NOW I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 200 HOLIDAY FILMS. I HAVE NO AGENDA. I AM HONEST

I disagree with Candace Cameron-Bure on politics I can push that aside to watch her films on the Hallmark Channel. Most of them are great and she has such a pleasantness that make her films worth watching. "Journey Back to Christmas" is one of those films that might not of worked if it was cast with someone else. Candace proves her star power here. SHe carries the film on her shoulders and she makes it look easy.

In this film she plays A WWII era nurse is transported in time to 2016 and meets a man who helps her discover the bonds of family and that the true meaning of Christmas. Oliver Hudson co-stars.

In between the lines the film shows (without preaching) that we all have to have faith in others. If we don't have faith then we have "Nothing".

I will watch this again. Candace "Congratulations". This is your best Hallmark movie. Looking forward to more.

Strong ending redeems a lackluster tale.

[rebekahrox · 8/10 · 4 December 2016]

***Huge spoilers****Unlike many, I am not a huge Candace Cameron Bure fan. I find her competent. The first ¾ of this movie left me rather cold, despite the wonder and mystery provided by the great concept of a miraculous Christmas comet. The main character, Hanna, was just a too sweet cardboard cutout. However, the time travel gimmick usually delivers stories that keep me engaged, or at least semi-engaged, and this one was no exception. I did roll my eyes at the irrational behavior and attitudes of some of the townspeople and the police. Why all the hate and suspicion of nefarious motives on the part of the police chief, Her primary supporter, Jake's, partner, and the town busybody? The conflict was too manufactured and not rational. When Hanna, fresh from segregated 1945, is examined by the black doctor, and interrogated by the black chief of police, why no surprise or incredulity? They missed a great opportunity to add a little depth to the story there, and it would have taken all of 20 seconds. Her one champion, Jake, a policeman, was nicely played by Oliver Hudson. Sarah, Jake's partner, was foreshadowed to be the love interest, but for most of the movie, her cynicism and unfounded suspicions made her very unlikable.

The last ¼ of the show is more than redeemed by the appearance of the Tom Skerrit character. Now an aged and respected figure whose life was changed by Hanna by her kindness to him when he was a little boy, he validates her story. He leads the way to finding a solution to her predicament of which life to lead. Previously unknown ties between Hanna of 1945 and Hanna of 2016 are uncovered. The doubters are proved wrong and they are even a bit redeemed in the process. Both Hanna and the understanding cop,the two leads, find their happy endings, though hers was cheesy to the max. Oh well. Sometimes cheese is the way to go.

Everything was tied together beautifully. The last quarter of the film had me in tears. It was that good. I don't think I have ever seen a Hallmark movie that went from "blah" to stellar with such whiplash speed!

It's nice to see that there are more dreamers and believers...it made me cry

[Ed-Shullivan · 10/10 · 23 November 2018]

I just loved this film. If you are over the age of 50 you must have memories of your own younger self, and can only wish now that you would have held on to some of your own personal belongings/artifacts such as maybe some special basebal glove or hockey cards, toys, books, record albums, report cards, christmas decorations, and/or family pictures. Journey Back to Christmas helped bring back some of my own memories from decades ago and as this Christmas themed film's intention was to help us determine if we are either believers in the unfamiliar or lean more toward being skeptics, it is obvious that we are better off if we believe in miracles, or at minimum that our hearts and minds remain open to other people's opinion(s) and beliefs.

Candace Cameron Bure, Oliver Hudson, Raven Stewart, and Tom Skerritt's performances were especially enjoyable. Darn it if they didn't make me cry a few times throught this retrospective and nostalicg Christas tale. Of course this is a film about stirring up the Christmas spirit in all of us and much like many of our fondest memories as time fades so do many of our past practices. A picture can tell a thousand stories and Journey Back to Christmas is a most enjoyable Christmas classic.

I give this film a perfect 10 for 10 rating

special

[Kirpianuscus · 14 November 2020]

First, Candace Cameron Bure makes just miracles with her character. Second, it is not exactly, for so many reasons, a Halmark film. Or, more exactly, it is far to be the expeted film. Three - it reminds Operation Philadelphia in fine way. And it is just charming, giving the chance to Oliver Hudson and Tom Skeritt to do their the best. So, just special.

An H.G. Wells Christmas

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 2 August 2019]

Journey Back To Christmas has Candace Cameron Bure as a 1945 recent war widow who gets caught in a garage and knocked out in December 1945 and then wakes up in 2016 some 10 days before Christmas in her small town.

Policeman Oliver Hudson instead of arresting this strangely dressed woman takes her home instead although proof of who she is can't be established.

Tom Skerritt plays an old man and town benefactor who comes to Candace's aid. She knew him in an interesting way back in the day.

This is a nicely packaged Yuletide film. A bit of a combination of Berkeley Square and The Time Machine.

Good viewing at Christmas time or any time.

Warm and Appealing

[InitforREEL · 9/10 · 4 September 2017]

The allure of this movie undeniably magnetic. Time travel has long been an intriguing topic for anyone with an imagination. Candace Cameron Bure's portrayal of an intelligent, sensitive, kind WWII Nurse, who, with the help of a miraculous comet, is sent to the future, only to find that her seemingly mundane acts of kindness during her lifetime in the 1940s, were not so ordinary, as they led others to heartfelt, inspiring gifts.

Liked the time travel aspect here

[juneebuggy · 6/10 · 13 January 2018]

I've watched a fair few of these Hallmark Christmas movies, this was better than most despite the abrupt ending. I'm a sucker for the time travel stories though and that helped here. I particularly enjoyed the1940's parts and how they all connected in the future.

Candace Cameron Bure does a good job, she's perfect for these types of movies; sweet, innocent, kind. Tom Skerrit was a nice surprise here too, as was the comet part of the story -different.

Back To Christmas follows Bure as a World War II nurse whose husband is missing in action presumed dead. She grieves and continues her work at the VA hospital. On the night of the so-called Christmas Comet she bumps her head and suddenly finds herself transported to 2016 where after a 5150 sanity check she's taken in by a policeman and his family. As she unravels what happened to her and gets a makeover she helps his family find the true meaning of Christmas.

Warm and Fuzzy

[kall6695 · 9/10 · 13 October 2019]

This is a movie classic. A young nurse who lost her husband in WWII travels forward through time at Christmas. This is a great movie about traditions that have been lost and found again. Heartwarming with excellent cast. Add this to your Must See list of Holiday movies.

7 is as high as i go

[elrondaragorn-1 · 7/10 · 29 January 2020]

I said this regarding a competitor's (UPtv) movie "a christmas movie Christmas" that mocked the redundant remigined Santa, parttime matchmaker /magic at christmas/romance at christmas, etc, themes that commonly flood the harlequin channel, excuse me, hallmark channel line up :-). Seldom do they ever even mention, even in passing, the true meaning of Christmas. To score seven (the perfect score on my scale) It has to be a lot better than the worn out cliché movies they turn out at a rate of a dozen a week in December. This movie, for the Hallmark channel scored, the same as its competitor's brilliant twist on the cliche romance at Christmas theme referenced above. It has time travel it, has elements of it's a wonderful life, it has a positive message, and yes real Christmas carols, not the Seccular "let's celebrate winter" tropes. I've seen a lot of reviews of modern Christmas movies where the slightest hint of a religious theme is criticized Bitterly by other reviewers. For those who take the religious aspect of Christmas seriously a movie like this is more a step in the right direction. Good job Hallmark. Please give more equal time to those who recognize the religious reason as the reason for the season, then i might not be so hard on the "dessert" christmas entertainment.

Decent enough

[studioAT · 4/10 · 1 December 2020]

It's nice to see Hallmark deviating from their standard 'rom-com' format by adding a bit of time travel into the mix here.

I thought this was ok, it had some lovely moments, but never really moved into being anything better than that for me.

I didn't understand why the woman was so anti Hannah, or what her teenage son's purpose really was. I'd have like more of Hannah discovering 2016 rather than the time spent on them.

Decent overall, but it's not a Hallmark film I'd rush to see again.

Not your typical Hallmark Movie

[channeltool · 10/10 · 3 November 2018]

This is not a boy and girl fall in love, girl gets upset with boy and leaves and then boy and girl fall in love again movie. I found the story line engaging and I didn't want the story to end. Love Candace Cameron in Hallmark movies and I hope I see her in many more to come.

Can't go wrong with Candace and Christmas

[utgard14 · 7/10 · 4 June 2017]

Another delightful Candace Cameron Bure Hallmark Christmas movie. This one is about a nurse from the 1940s who finds herself magically transported in time to 2016. She helps people, they help her...lots of smiles all around because this is Hallmark and I wouldn't have it any other way. A pleasant, charming little movie with one of the best performances Candace has given yet. It doesn't hurt that the impossible to dislike Brooke Nevin is also here in a supporting role. And hey, there's Tom Skerritt!

I have some minor quibbles, mostly about how they gloss over the "woman out of time" aspects. She just seems to take 70 years of cultural and technological changes in stride. But that wasn't the story they wanted to tell and I think I can understand why. Also, this isn't going to be a romcom for Candace and Oliver Hudson, in case you were going into it assuming that. It's not a romcom at all, for one thing, it's a light drama. For another, despite being the female and male lead they are involved with other people. That may be a Hallmark first. Anyway, it's a very enjoyable movie that tells a simple heartwarming story. Also, I appreciate Hallmark attempting to recapture the '40s aesthetics. Were they totally successful? No but they filmed this with a small budget. I've seen many major theatrical releases that did worse.

Thought it would be cute, but.....

[lob-07795 · 2/10 · 8 November 2018]

Thought it was going to be cute, but it got stupid very quickly; mostly by the performance of Candice. Guessing not her fault; mostly the script, and direction. She travels in time to the future some sixty years from 1948. Even after realizing "she's not in Kansas anymore", she does not act like someone dealing with the trauma of realizing she's traveled 60 years in the future. Candice is just dripping with sugary sweetness; just doesn't fit the idea of the movie.

Beautiful love story

[djkash · 10/10 · 15 December 2016]

I really love this movie. I love most Hallmark Christmas movies and the plots are very simple-- couple falls in love, couple has misunderstanding during the last half hour which threatens to break them up, but then in the last 5 minutes the misunderstanding is resolved and everyone lives happily ever after.

This has a complexity and a very realistic time travel element that is beautifully done and not completely unbelievable. The costumes are wonderful and the plot is meaningful and believable. The nostalgia makes me realize how much simplicity adds to Christmas and how small actions make a huge difference. Amazing story. Hope they bring this one back every year for a long long time

Standard Fare

[sdquinn2-1 · 7/10 · 27 November 2016]

Tonight I was reading a book while my wife watched this movie on Hallmark. I finally put down the book and finished watching this movie. This movie is pretty standard fare for a Hallmark Channel Christmas movie. Here is the plot. Candace Bure plays a nurse in a small town in 1945. One snowy night she gets her car stuck in the snow and takes shelter in a nearby shed. Then, somehow, during the night she is transported to the year 2016. The first thing they do, after she is discovered, is to take her for medical help. Here is where the movie makes the first big mistake. She is examined by an African American doctor. Back in 1945, Caucasian women were not examined by African Americans. Ms. Bure just sat there like this was a normal everyday activity. In reality, she would have said something right off. The scenes back in 1945 were pretty unrealistic as well. She was shown driving all over town, when there was gas rationing and people only got 4 gallons for a full week. Plus, the automobile she was driving did not have either an A or a B sticker on the windshield. You would have to have been alive during World War II to understand what those stickers were. Aside from several large mistakes like the above, this movie was pretty good for what it was aiming for. I would recommend you give it a viewing.

Essential Christmas movie

[HotToastyRag · 10/10 · 3 December 2017]

I've decided not to describe the plot of Journey Back to Christmas. It's absolutely magical if you watch it without knowing anything about it. If it were up to me, I'd recommend Journey Back to Christmas with absolutely no details, and you'd watch and love it. But you probably want a little more information, or at least a couple of reasons, before sitting down to watch it.

This Hallmark delight stars Candace Cameron Bure and Tom Skerritt; even though I've seen the movie three times in two years, I always call it "the Tom Skerritt Christmas movie" because I can't seem to remember the title. He adds a lovable, charming, classy element to the film, and he's just as incredibly handsome as he was in The Turning Point. Without him, it would still be an enjoyable movie, but with him, it's an essential film during the holidays. Candace is also extremely likable, and she completely lives up to her reputation as Hallmark's Christmas darling.

Fans of WWII homefront films or heartwarming movies will love this movie, and if you're looking for a modern classic to add to your yearly line-up, this is the one you've been looking for. It's the best new Christmas movie I've seen since 2011's 12 Dates of Christmas, and now I can't imagine a Christmas without it.

A few holes if you watch it too many times!

[kquinn-05383 · 7/10 · 16 October 2020]

In the opening scene there's a dramatic shot of Tom Skerritt receiving a manilla envelope and taking something out. The viewer feels this will become relevant but it never does. The second time I saw the movie I thought "Oh, those are the pictures from Hanna's camera!" But it wasn't. He gets them developed after Hanna comes to the future. Another reviewer said the picture quality would be OK because Hanna brought the camera in her purse with her. She did not. Young Toby had the camera and apparently kept it for 71 years. Why did Toby take her camera when he was discharged? Why didn't he give it to someone at the hospital? And when Hanna went back to 1945 why didn't she ask where her camera was? Now, it was fun to glimpse the old party line, but it didn't make sense that Hanna didn't say that, yes, it was an emergency. Of course then she wouldn't have been out in the storm. To make it more realistic perhaps the second time she tried the phone the phone line could've been knocked out from the storm and THAT'S why she went out in it. I like when things make sense. Also, in the end it's said that when she brought Ruffin back to his owners she conveyed that she worked at the hospital, and that's how Ruffin's owners met Toby. But we pretty much see the whole Ruffin delivery scene, and she never mentions that she works at the hospital. The police say Hanna's address doesn't check out. But she knows where her house is and goes there. I'm pretty sure they'd have property owner records back to 1945 that would verify her story. And, she looks a little too comfortable in 2016 skinny jeans when she's from an era where women really never even wore pants. Still, the clever time travel parts bring me back over and over again.

Totally different Hallmark Movie

[bmiller59 · 10/10 · 6 January 2020]

I'm not crazy about Candace and was hesitant to watch this, but I'm glad I did. It was far better than I expected. I don't give out many 10's. If the movie is good I give 8's or maybe 9's. A Hallmark movie has to resonate with me and tell a great story that is not part of the "formula" for me to give it a 10. This one did. Watch it, hopefully you will not be disappointed.

better than most Hallmark movies

[novagirl11 · 7/10 · 7 January 2018]

Candace is back with another Christmas movie! typical emotional heartwarming Hallmark movie, with a bit more magic than usual but quite the abrupt ending as always! gotta wrap it up and move on to the next one!

Unbelievable and so very simplistic, and not in a good way

[tashinaknight · 4/10 · 18 January 2017]

This first part is not a spoiler: I love Hallmark movies, but this one was not only not really romantic but was also very unbelievable. The main character is very low intelligence. Super sweet, but completely too naive to be believed. And there are just too many plot holes.

OK spoilers now: We are supposed to believe that she goes to the future, is completely uninterested in all future technology and then goes back to the past with seemingly no attempt to even figure out how she might profit at all from having been able to ask the kid with the iPad what were the "hottest stocks of the late 40's" or anything like that. I mean, yeah, I'm all about the romance, but put me in the future for a couple days and then send me back, and I am at least going to figure out how to make my life a little easier. Whenever they mentioned new technology, she just looked confused and then ignored it. She didn't even ask to hold the iPad. She knew she had gone to the future, but still couldn't believe her house was changed from how it was 70 years earlier. Everything was too cute and tidy. She just happens to get a key to a storage closet with all the Christmas decorations for the gazebo. No one ever bothered to look in the closet before (all it takes is a locksmith). Even though she loves taking photos, she doesn't notice that she left her camera behind, and then magically 71 years later, the camera has undeveloped film that turns out to have perfect photos on it. No aging to the film at all and all the photos are completely professional. Also, there really is no romance to the film. The male character does seem to have the hots for the time traveler, so I thought they were going to be the two to fall in love and then maybe "Journey Back to Christmas." But halfway through, it turned out that the his love interest was a woman who he obviously thought of as a little sister and had no feelings for at all, as evidenced by him not having a clue why she'd be jealous of the time traveler. And the Candice character didn't really seem to be very passionate about her husband. She was glad he was still alive, but wasn't overwhelmed with joy or anything as one might expect if one found out the love of one's life was alive after knowing he was dead. Anyway, the actors do a decent job (if Candice was supposed to play someone not very smart - and the older guy she knew when he was a child was a really good actor) but the screenplay was so dismal, I will definitely not be watching this one again.

A Candace Cameron Bure Christmas Star

[jlthornb51 · 10/10 · 23 October 2019]

Candace Cameron Bure gives what is nothing less than the performance of a lifetime in this deeply moving television presentation. A supporting cast of very talented actors certainly add to the power of this piece and director Mel Damski does a superb job but in the end it is indeed Bure who supplies the depth, meaning, and magic. It is a simply lovely, sensitive, thoughtful, and very memorable bit of acting that brings life to what might otherwise be a mundane movie. While the spirit of Christmas is captured beautifully it is Candace Cameron Bure who centers the proceedings and brings a warmth and humanity that would otherwise have been missing. A truly touching holiday feast that is more than worth viewing whenever it might be served due to one tremendous young actress.

Rating Spot On.

[Gubby-Allen · 7/10 · 25 December 2017]

Surprisingly brilliant Christmas film.

Admittedly, it could have been set at another time, but it tied Christmas in well and never flagged at all.

You do not expect much with a Daytime Christmas TV film and seeing the high rating and the description of the plot, I was intrigued but the rating is exactly right, a bit more than 7/10.

It avoided too many cliches, there were very few of the "why would they do that" moments and the plot generally followed a route as believable and realistic as the story would allow.

The lead actress was terrific and made the film and the character was never irritating a she easily could have been.

The Christmas Comet

[Prismark10 · 3/10 · 10 December 2017]

With a title 'Journey Back to Christmas' you expect the movie to have that Back to the Future vibe. Especially since the changes from the 1940s to the present day is vast thanks to the Information Technology age.

Candace Cameron Bure plays small town nurse Hanna in 1945. On a snowy night when a Christmas comet appears she is somehow moved forward to time in 2016.

Unfamiliar with her surroundings she gets help from a police officer but the townsfolk find her story rather incredible until one old man meets her, he was nursed by Hanna as a small child.

Although Hallmark has deviated a little from its Christmas formula films, it is noticeable that it is still a little bit too much of a cookie cutter movie.

Hanna gets examined by a black doctor when if she was really from the 1940s she would likely be screaming the house down. Hanna also lacks the wonder in the changes to her surrounding with people talking and networking on their smartphones. Heck they could had even told her that she was in a present day USA that had a black president.

Maybe a better writer would had produced a better movie. Instead with Bure as producer this is a twee film with a subtle Christian message but no substance.

OUTSTANDING

[jewelch · 9/10 · 10 November 2021]

This is a beautiful story and I love the 1940 mix with today. The Christmas Comet seems to be the star of the story...when it comes to town, it takes a WWII nurse, who brings along the true meaning of Christmas when she shows up in 2016. Oliver Hudson, Tom Skerritt are great, but Candace Cameron Bure is a master as her 1940's character. This is certainly one of the best feel good movies of the season. Bringing such an original story for Christmas was refreshing. Yes I highly recommend it James Welch Henderson, Arkansas 11/10/2021.