The Most Wonderful Time of the Year - A Movie Review

It’s two days until Christmas and you don’t have the lights up yet?

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year aired in 2008. This holiday is different for single mom, Jen, and her son. Her uncle arrives, but he is not alone. Bringing a handsome but struggling musician home for the holidays, he makes the holiday better for everyone.

You always get your average Christmas movie with the usual ingredients. The Most Wonderful Time of the Year is just that. Sugarcoating most of its storyline, the film has an important message. Spend Christmas the way you want.

Henry Winkler was the main reason why I wanted to watch this film. He is a sincere and talented actor. After watching this we all need an Uncle Ralph. Winkler’s friendly enthusiasm never disappoints. Wanting everyone to be happy, Uncle Ralph goes out of his way to make it the best Christmas.

I wasn’t sure how to feel about Jenny (Brooke Burns) following the umpteenth time she didn’t know how to do something Christmas-related. I know that work has always been a big part of her life but she has experienced Christmas before, right?

Meeting at the airport, Morgan (Warren Christie) experiences a much different Christmas than he anticipated. He is a very kind person. Musically talented, too. He gets everyone including Brian (Connor Christopher Levins) into the holiday spirit. The relationship between the family was believable. I enjoyed their interactions.

The romance between Jenny and Morgan was a bit forced. They don’t know each other. And they fall in love in a short time span. Burns and Christie still make the story fun to watch. They built up their chemistry.

There are several different characters in the film. Credits include Woody Jeffreys, Michael Robers, Rukiya Bernard, and Teach Grant.

I didn’t buy the chemistry between Jenny and Richard which may have been the point. Writers should have built up Richard’s character instead of making him out to be your generic rich businessman. Most likely because of direction, he didn’t express any affection towards Jenny.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year is a sweet film. For some, Christmas may not be so wonderful. That’s the best message Michael M. Scott influences to audiences. The story and dialogue are a bit sugarcoated at times.

The film has great touches of humor. That was my favorite part. We all need a laugh, especially around the holidays. The humor is relatable. I liked the neighbor who kept reprimanding Jenny for not having her Christmas lights up. We can all relate to that.

There were a couple of instances that weren’t necessary. One scene that took me out of the film was Morgan fighting with the toy shop owner for the bike. It was so unnecessary and very out of character for Morgan. He is a problem-solver with words. Violence is not a good message for children.

That doesn’t mean that the film doesn’t have charm. Thanks to Winkler, he adds several comedic moments to the story. My favorite scene is when Jenny is having a serious discussion with her boyfriend, Richard. Trying to distract Richard’s parents, Uncle Ralph offers humorous (albeit awkward) stories.

Unlike other Hallmark films, this film is genuine, has a good message, and has great acting. It hits the holiday spirit with the festive soundtrack and decorative backgrounds.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year is your average Christmas film with the usual holiday and romance cliches. I still enjoyed it for what it was. Find it for the holiday season. Henry Winkler makes it worth the watch.