The Christmas Promise (2021 Hallmark)
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Cast: Patrick Duffy, Torrey DeVitto, Ryan Bruce
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Synopsis (via Hallmark)
Nicole learns to deal with grief, with the help of her grandfather and a carpenter she hires to renovate the home that was once meant for her and her fiancé. Starring Torrey DeVitto, Dylan Bruce and Patrick Duffy.
Recap/Wine Thoughts
Nicole and her husband, Henry, own a toy store, and both love Christmas. They are also renovating a house and planning on starting their family. They kiss under the mistletoe, and I’m like, is this the end of the movie?
Susan throws an ugly Christmas sweater party, and Nicole and Henry wear matching sweaters, of course. Henry is notably the DD for the night and offers to go get ice when the party runs out. (I’ve seen enough Lifetime movies to know he ain’t coming back.) The Hallmark Characters continue to party in Christmas merriment until Nicole gets a call saying Henry died in a car accident?!?!?!
One year later, Nicole decides to sell the fixer-upper home and toy store and move on with her life. Thankfully Nic has a beautiful support system. Tom is helping her sell her properties, Susan focuses on fun and setting her friend up with doctors, and her Pops (Patrick Duffy) advises his grandaughter to write letters to Henry. Nicole takes a box of letters Pops wrote to her grandmother’s home.
Nicole can’t spend time alone in her apartment and seek solace from her friend, Alan. Nicole shares the letters with him, and he encourages her to write her own to Nathan.
Alan doesn’t hold a candle to Joe Roberts, the out-of-town carpenter recommended to help Nicole with the home renovations. He is hot and gives Nicole a reasonable estimate, so she hires him on the spot and wants to be as minimally involved as possible.
Susan throws an ugly sweater party again, which seems in poor taste. Nicole goes and flirts with Joe, a former Army brat, which seems in even poorer taste! (I mean, I’m glad she is moving on, but at the party that killed her HUSBAND?!) Don’t worry though, Nicole writes text messages to Henry, which is her version of love letters. The only problem is HENRY TEXTS BACK!?!??!
Well, someone with Henry’s number texts back. (It is either Joe or Alan, right?) Nicole rushes to tell Alan, who thinks it is perfectly normal and nice of someone to text back. He also shares about his loss and gives the advice to help Nicole move on. He actually texts a lot.
In the toy store, Joe is quick to put on a costume to entertain Nicole. She thinks he is hilarious and good for her. Nicole becomes more involved in the home renovation and spends time with Joe decorating and sharing childhood Christmas memories.
A Christmas tree lighting happens while Nicole wanders around texting the stranger. Then she attends a White Elephant and receives a custom-made “Joy” sign. (Made by Joe, of course.) Joe gives Nicole a ride home and sings terribly.
Nicole continues to move on from the love of her life and is inspired by Pops dating a neighbor named Helen. The texting stranger wants to meet up, and Nicole decides to meet up with the texter and runs into Joe on the way out. He gives her a goodnight kiss, and she shuts it down. Then she kisses him again before leaving to meet the texter. (Who blows her off.)
Joe suddenly takes a job out of town. Nicole stops him while he is packing up and asks him to show her the house. She walks through the house and loves the work Joe has done.
Nicole decides to start her own business AND figure out that it was Joe texting her all along. He claims he didn’t know that he was texting her, which seems like a lie. Nicole writes Joe off until she thinks about how much he helped her through her grief.
Joe and Nicole meet at a beautiful Christmas tree, and Joe asks her to start over. She says that she can’t trust him.
Nicole talks to her BFF, Alan, who is always there for her. He tells her not to give up on Joe. Then they open a present that Joe left for Nicole. It is a replica of the house.
Nicole rushes to find Joe and finds him at the house. He decorated for Christmas. Nicole tells Joe that she is not going to sell the house. She wants to focus on the here and now with Joe. They kiss under the mistletoe.
Side Note
Minority Report: Susan, Tom, Angela, Kitty,
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Christmas Trees represent the Christmas vibes. *** I’ve updated the rating system. Wine is overall enjoyment (NOT a value judgment) on a 1-5 scale.
I will use the following tags for those who want to know if they should watch or skip: Pour it Up (Would Recommend) or Put A Cork In It (Would Not Recommend).
Overall rating
Christmas Feels
🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 (5 Christmas Tree)
Enjoyment Level: 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 (5 glasses of wine.)
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*Photo Credit: © 2021 Hallmark Crown Media
Live tweet along with @LifetimeUncork using the hashtag #TheChristmasPromise
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First, I can’t believe that Susan votes every year for herself as winner of best ugly sweater. Later invites Nicole to another ugly sweater party for good times! What’s wrong with this chic. With a friend like this, who needs enemies. I’m so glad you mentioned these things because I thought it was just me. This was about the worst Hallmark movie I’ve ever seen. The characters were pretty callous. I won’t be watching this one again!
This movie is awesome I loved it there is nothing wrong with the movie I would have done the same thing at my parties nothing wrong with what Susan did
I loved the movie I don’t think Susan did anything wrong everybody had fun and knew she was going to win its a great movie I didn’t see where the characters was callous at all what Susan did I would have done the same thing
A couple things that make me cringe when reading is inaccuracies. Henry is her fiancé not her husband. Also, in the review you state that she is told to write to Nathan, when you should have said Henry.
Henry is her fiancé not her husband
and later in your review you stated she is encouraged to write to Nathan, when clearly you mean Henry.