Ghosts of Christmas Always (2022 TV Movie)
10/10
A surprisingly funny and very satisfying update of A Christmas Carol
4 November 2022
I loved this movie.

First of all, I love time traveling in movies and the trope of making characters see things in their lives (and in their alternate lives) with the benefit of hindsight and a heightened self awareness. But this took the Dickens journey into the past, present and future to a whole new level. I loved how they revised and reworked all the Scrooge "rules" (and turned Scrooging into a verb). This was definitely one of the most creative, unique and interesting Hallmark movies that I can recall ever seeing.

Kim Matula as Kat, and Ian Harding as Peter were wonderful. Ian Harding seemed familiar but I don't recall ever watching Kim Matula in anything before. She was lovely. I really enjoyed both of them and I hope to see more of them in future Hallmark movies. I wanted their characters to be together, as did the characters, but I didn't know how that would work, and neither did the characters. And, frankly, if you're looking for logic, and a rational explanation for the ending (or the "magic" throughout), you've come to the wrong movie.

But if you're looking for a movie with wit and warmth and true love, this is it. Although I don't recall a Hallmark rom-com that included the jarring sound of someone getting killed by a car before (but I agree with including that scene; it leaves a powerful impression on the viewer).

The movie was brilliantly written by Keith Hemstreet (who did the screenplay for another great new Christmas movie called Noel Next Door) & Zac Hug (who has written 11 Hallmark movies in the last 4 years).

Although I didn't like the theme line "all is as it should be" (some things really should be different), I love how Kat referred to people "in cahoots" with each other as "cahooting" with each other.

When Peter realizes he is going to go on a Dickensian trip through time he is, refreshingly, excited and not scared: ("This is the best Christmas present ever").

There are too many other great lines to mention. A few that I really liked:

Peter: "You never know something's happening for the last time until it's over"

Peter: "Destiny is a false construct"

Peter: "You were that woman who totally ghosted me"

Kat: "I'm not magical, I just get to use magic" Peter: "I think you're pretty magical"

"Christmas is a time for people who are lost to remember who they really are."

I cried, I laughed, I cringed, I swooned. Hallmark Christmas movies just don't get much better than this. I will definitely watch this again before the season is over.
19 out of 21 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Recently Viewed