‘ALL I NEED FOR CHRISTMAS’: STORY ANCHORS NEW ROMANCE AND FAMILY WITH MUSIC
Featuring a newer (but by now familiar) leading lady for the network, All I Need for Christmas is sweet.
All I Need for Christmas (2024) Hallmark TV Film Review
Feeling antiquated and unable to thrive in this culture, Maggie McKenzie (Mallory Jansen) struggles to make a go of her career. Instead of making a name for herself, she plays small gigs singing Christmas songs. Her latest gig, which could have led to something bigger, is cancelled because the headline wants a bigger name. Her agent encourages her to write a new song when she returns home for the Christmas season, and though she feels lost, she tries.
Being home again, she settles into the routine of helping her parents on their Christmas tree farm where she meets Archer (Dan Jeannotte). A well-to-do businessman, Archer once stayed in this town and feeling burdened by the terms of his father’s will and the distance his father’s parenting causes between him and his sister (Emily Tennant), Archer tries to recapture some of the magic of their childhood.
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‘ALL I NEED FOR CHRISTMAS’: STORY ANCHORS NEW ROMANCE AND FAMILY WITH MUSIC. #MalloryJansen stars in this #MiraclesofChristmas movie. #ChristmasMovies #ChristmasMovie Share on X
Without being obviously so, All I Need for Christmas is one of those films that leans into the “art” of something rather than taking an easier route. The quirks of this materialize because of Maggie’s belief that too much tech takes away the beauty of vocals and hides the talent. That’s a unique story thread (as is Maggie’s flip phone!) as is the brother and sister bond. It’s a storyline I don’t think a lot of these movies tackle, so seeing it here is refreshing and opens doors to a new emotional connection. Plus, I actually found, in this story, that relationship way more compelling than any romance.
Mallory and Dan play their respective roles well, and it’s nice to see her use some of her musical prowess. She’s also a favorite from 2024’s Paging Mr. Darcy and Dan too starred in one of Hallmark’s Austen re-tellings though his was a different movie. This one is another solid role for both actors. Plus, it’s good fun to see Emily Tennant in something again, although the final act “drama” is a little silly.
Music anchors this familial drama which also sparks a new romance, so basically, this is sure to be something any Hallmark aficionado will enjoy.
Stream, at publication, All I Need for Christmas on Hallmark+
Photos: Hallmark Media | Feature Image: ©2024 Hallmark Media/Photographer: Luka Cyprian
Content: there isn’t anything to note in this film. There’s a kiss or two, but nothing that anyone should find offensive. The film is TV-G.
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