A Homecoming for the Holidays (2019 Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)
Cast: Laura Osnes, Stephen Huszar, P. Lynn Johnson
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Synopsis (via Hallmark)
Country singer Charlotte (Laura Osnes) is home for the holidays and brother Ryan’s fellow ex-soldier Matt (Stephen Huszar) is in town. Writing her new album, Charlotte works with Matt to build a house for a friend in town.
Thoughts
Eric is being sent off for service in the army, he is leaving behind his family and more importantly, his sister named, Charlotte Quinn. She is an aspiring singer and busts out her guitar to sing for the servicemen and women shipping out. While she is singing she drops her guitar pick, which is picked up by a handsome (In a pornstar kind of way.) soldier named Matt. She continues to sing while we get a montage of families hugging and saying goodbye.
Not even 5 minutes into the movie and we are getting a montage of Charlotte becoming a successful and famous country music star. Charlotte is being pressured to record her next album and date a fellow country music star named Taylor. Taylor is decidedly less attractive than Matt, but I wouldn’t kick him out of bed.
Charlotte makes it back home for Christmas. She walks into the house and literally says… “Merry Christmas House.” (I LOLed.) The family is excited for Eric’s return home for the holiday. Killing time before he arrives the family picks up a Christmas Tree and Matt is there. He is working on Operation Homefront, which helps veterans during the holiday season. He is also a fan of Charlotte’s music. (Which he heard when he was deployed with Eric.) Matt has a business degree and worked in marketing before the army and his parents passed away in college. Charlotte pays off her parent’s mortgage. We find out all this info very casually while decorating a Christmas tree. Then we get a montage of them decorating MORE.
Matt is one of the family now. He helps with baking and lots of other Christmas stuff. (Mostly related to helping veterans at Christmas.) Matt gets the approval of Eric to continue to bond with his sister. Then they go to a Christmas tree lighting where a young girl performs instead of Charlotte. (I mean the young girl’s father died in active duty, so I guess she deserves the opportunity.) Oh, wait, nevermind. Charlotte goes on stage and steals her spotlight. Taylor also shows up and jumps on stage. He tells Charlotte that he is only good with her by his side and the manager agrees to team up would be good press.
Taylor goes around town and bragging about booking a holiday special with Charlotte. They will have to write a song. The press arrives and wants to do an interview with Charlotte and not Taylor. Taylor is pretty much a jerk and doesn’t get along with his family. He inadvertently makes Matt talk about his dead parents and it is awkward.
To get away from the mess that is Taylor, Charlotte goes on a walk with Matt. They walk arm in arm and quote Dolly Parton’s lyrics to one another. The mood is interrupted by an overeager reporter who pushily asks for an interview. Matt comes to her defense and things almost get ugly until she smooths things over herself. (She don’t need no man to defend her!)
Jesse Wong is struggling with PTSD and finds a dog to help him.
After talking to Charlotte’s mom, Taylor calls his family and wants to make things right. He books a flight home and decides to not do the holiday special after all. Before he leaves her hugs Charlotte as the damn reporter takes pictures with her phone.
With Taylor out of the way, Charlotte kisses Matt so he knows where she stands. Matt has taken a job out of town and she is surprised. She tells him about the photo and clears up her relationship with Taylor. Matt wants to make it work but he doesn’t want to jump into something with a famous Country singer. He can’t handle her fame. (Later, Eric sets Matt straight.)
It is the night of the holiday special and Charlotte recruits the young girl from the Christmas tree lighting to sing with her. This time on LIVE TV. Before the show, Matt finds Charlotte and tells her that he is nervous. He is nervous because he is going to make out with Charlotte before she goes to sing her Christmas original song. “Let Christmas Hang Around.” The song is not good. It rhymes “Fire” with “Cider.”
Charlotte gives the young girl a scholarship fund to go to Juilliard and is finally giving back to her community. She asks Matt to help her start an annual fund and then they kiss.
Side Note
Minority Report: Charlotte’s manager, Gretchen and Jesse Wong
Writer, Zac Hug, is one of my fav LGBTQ+ people working for Hallmark. Hoping he will be tasked with writing a Christmas movie featuring a gay couple.
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Overall rating
🎄🎄(2 Christmas Trees)
🍷🍷🍷 (3 glasses of wine required)
*Photo Credit: © 2019 Crown Media United States, LLC
