‘A PICKLEBALL CHRISTMAS’: A COLORFUL AND COMPETITIVE ROMANCE
Playing into a current (or is it now past?) trend that is playing the titular sport, A Pickleball Christmas is surprisingly pretty cute.
A Pickleball Christmas (2025) Lifetime TV Film Review
Tennis has been the sole purpose of life for Luke Hollis (James Lafferty). A professional tennis player who after a hard-fought win, and at the top of his game, decides to quit the sport. Retirement was always in the plans and now is the ideal time for this. In the wake of this choice, he heads to Florida where his mind is filled with taking over the country club, and tennis courts where he honed his talent, his parents’ own.
When he returns home, he discovers that the business is in some financial difficulty. Despite the best efforts of Caroline (Zibby Allen), an employee, things aren’t looking great. Luke’s homecoming is further exaggerated when he discovers that many of his beloved tennis courts have been converted to pickleball courts. With different opinions on marketing, and what works, the pair clash, before realizing they want the same things.
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‘A PICKLEBALL CHRISTMAS’: A COLORFUL AND COMPETITIVE ROMANCE. #ChristmasMovies Share on XBased on the little I saw, which I realize isn’t much, A Pickleball Christmas is actually better than its social let’s-make-fun-of-it chatter. It’s really quite fun and cute. The concept is the same we see anywhere, but the fast pace of its titular sport does add a fun energy.
I haven’t seen James in anything or nothing that springs to mind, so I had no preconceived ideals for him as Christmas leading man, but he does well and Allen is recognizable to fans of Virgin River. Other familiar faces appear which is fun. Like any other feature you may find on Christmas movies, the same can be said of A Pickleball Christmas. It’s cheerful and sweet, and while the typical annoying I-cannot-talk-to-you misunderstanding plays out, I enjoyed the energy just enough to deal with that fumble.
Stream, at publication, with Lifetime; or digitally purchase this film on places like Prime Video
Photos: Lifetime | A+E Networks
Content: This one has a TVPG rating, but beyond passionate kissing and the implication that a couple has sex, there is nothing worth mentioning.
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I want to learn Pickleball! Looks like a lot of fun!
It does look fun! :)