A Heavenly Christmas (2016 Hallmark Channel)

Synopsis
Eve Morgan (Kristin Davis), a workaholic finds herself tethered to her guardian angel (Shirley MacLaine), as she learns to become a Christmas angel in Heaven. Despite being the worst recruit in the history of Christmas, Eve is assigned the difficult task of helping a struggling singer Max (Eric McCormick) use his musical gifts to heal old family wounds. As Max begins to overcome his issues, Eve begins to embrace the meaning of Christmas, heal wounds of her own, and perhaps find love along the way.

Thoughts
Hallmark Hall of Fame is like the Super Bowl of Christmas TV Movies. It’s where Hallmark puts its biggest stars and most developed (but still cheesy) material.

The movie tries to set up Eve as an unlikeable, Christmas-hating, workaholic. Too bad Kristin Davis is so pretty and cute, even when she is stealing cabs and debating the awfulness of Christmas music, I like her.

“Falalala la ho ho ho,” Eve says while rolling her eyes at Max. They meet cute while hailing the same cab and then are forced to share a ride. Having lived in Chicago for 10 plus years, I can count on my hand the times I’ve hailed a cab. Have they never heard of Uber?

Anyway, while on the phone with work (Did I mention, Eve has a job and puts it before everything else in her life?) Eve slips on ice AND DIES!!!!! DIES. (I have also slipped on ice in Chicago, multiple times, I even fell down my front steps on the ice, I didn’t die.)

So, Eve wakes up and finds out (from Shirley MacLaine) that she is an angel. They fade in and out of places on earth to see how Eve’s loved ones are getting along without her. (Like A Christmas Carol, without Tiny Tim.) Shirley also lays out the angel rules: No sleeping, you can eat whatever you like and not gain weight, and she must change someone’s life for the better without getting involved personally!!!! (Do NOT fall in love, Kristin Davis!)

Eve decides to help, Max, the singer whose cab she stole. (He missed a big audition because of her.) Turns out Max was a contestant on a reality TV show (Americas Got Music) with his sister, Becky. They won the show and got a record contract, but then Becky also slips on ice and dies, leaving behind a daughter, Lauren, that Max takes care of. (Chicago is icy, be careful everyone!!)

Eve, Max and Lauren bond and seem like a happy family, even going to a CPS sponsored nativity play. (Sure, that happens in 2016.) Until Shirley MacLaine comes back and tells Eve that after her week on earth they won’t remember her, but will be left with the good she caused. So, Eve does everything to make sure Max and Lauren will be happy without her. Will she succeed? I don’t want to ruin it for you! I will say the movie ends with Shirley saying “How’s THAT for a Heavenly Christmas!” What more could you ask for! Ending with the title equates a successful Hallmark Christmas Movie.

Side Note
The clip from Americas Got Music was HILARIOUS. EricMcCormick singing a Mumford and Sons knockoff was so greatly awful.
I spent too much of the movie thinking Shirley MacLaine was Debbie Reynolds, shame on me! I know better.
Dance party at the diner was super awkward. (Was it Jeri’s Diner on Montrose? Kind of looked like it.)

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Overall rating
🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 (5 Christmas Trees)
🍷(1 glass of wine required)