Holiday Road (2023 Hallmark)
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Cast: Sara Canning, Warren Christie, Princess Davis
Director: Martin Wood
Writer: Gina Matthews, Grant Scharbo
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DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearlySynopsis (via Hallmark)
When bad weather leaves each of them stranded at the airport for the holidays, a tech entrepreneur (Christie), a travel writer (Canning), a devoted mother (Enid-Raye Adams) and her son (Kiefer O’Reilly), a stubborn senior (Trevor Lerner), an enigmatic woman with a hint of mystery (Brittany Willacy), a couple traveling from Hong Kong (Sharon Crandall, Ryan Mah) and a social media influencer (Princess Davis) all agree to rent a shared van to embark on a road trip to Denver. When their unexpected journey brings them into uncharted territory, they navigate a series of misadventures together and form a deeper bond that just might change the trajectories of each of their lives. Inspired by true events. Starring Sara Canning and Warren Christie.
Recap/Wine Thoughts
A holiday traveler and TikTok-er films a live at the airport, and her flight gets canceled to Denver, and she annoys everyone around her.
Fellow travelers get in her shot, and Maya is annoyed. They include a bully named Ember, a grumpy Santa-looking fellow named Dusty, a mother-and-son duo, Tricia and Ben, and the lost Chinese couple Ling and Baba.
While waiting for a coffee, Dana is loudly annoyed with the man in front of her. His name is Clay, and he struggles to get the Barista to understand him. Dana is rude, rude, rude.
The flight is canceled, and the band of Misfit Denver is bound travelers rush to get a rental car after deciding to drive together. They are surprised to see Clay has rented the last 15-passenger van. Dana asks him if they can with him, and Clay says everyone else can, but Dana can’t since she was so rude to him.
Clay packs up everyone’s bags after moving his mysterious bag full of money. They guilt him into taking Dana and hit the road!
Maya documents the whole thing on her TikTok and gets to know her fellow van mates. They answer questions and share secrets. Everyone brings their own perspective. Clay designed a dating app, Tricia is anxious, Dusty likes maps, Dana takes secret pills, and Maya is going viral on social media. The Ling’s bring their own Karokee machine and go all out. (haha!) Ember sings solo afterward, a “soulful” rendition of Amazing Grace.
At a rest stop, Clay catches Dana going through some bags while everyone else gets food. He learns that she is out of her medication and becomes concerned. Later, when Dana is interviewed by Maya, she says, “Live every day like it is your last.” (So she probably has a terminal disease.)
They get lost and have to backtrack. Some of the travelers are upset until they see a beautiful sunrise. They resort to the maps since they’ve agreed not to use tech and take a side road. They hit a bumpy patch and pop a tire. Causing a detour in a Christmas town called Greenfield.
The car won’t get repaired until after Christmas, and the travelers are all upset.
Specifically, the Hong Kong couple argued about their son going to school in the States. The conversation is subtitled, as is most of their dialogue.
Clay and Dana trim a tree and talk about the past holidays. (oh, and coffee orders.) They seem to be hitting it off.
The town is hosting an event called the Elf Games, and Maya uses it to her social media advantage. They create a team and compete in all the challenges. Wrapping contests, relay races, and wall climbs. Dana starts to feel sick during her portion and is concerned about her fellow travelers.
Dana finally opens up about a congenital heart disease she suffered from as a child. Her heart could fail at any moment if over-exertion. (She is like me!) Clay apologizes.
Maya goes viral for an outburst. She cries, and Ben tells her that she shouldn’t base her happiness on what others think of her. They stop and way fortune cookies that Lei hands out. Everyone seems happy, and Maya doesn’t film the moment; she just lives in it.
They finally make it to Denver! A day late, but they drop everyone off one at a time. Ling and Baba are first. Their son wasn’t expecting them, and Ling lied to Baba so he would make the journey. The father and son make amends and come to an understanding. (The son here was REALLY acting, damn. Crying real tears.)
Dana and Ben are next to be dropped off since Ember just left without saying goodbye. It isn’t their house; the house has all the inflatables and belongs to Ben’s biological mother.
Maya is next, and she records the whole thing on her phone, back to being on social media but having trouble recording the perfect goodbye message. She records it later and gets all the love.
Dusty is dropped off to be with his daughter AT THE CEMETARY!!!!
Clay drops Dana off to ski with her family. I’m sure it won’t be the last time they see one another. Clay takes a helicopter to the top of the mountain and tells her he wants to take the jump with her, FOR LOVE! They make out on the top of a CGI mountain.
The Van Clan all show up at Maya’s house because the holidays are the time to be with people you love. The end!
Note/Stray Thoughts
The fact that the rental car place would just give Clay a 15-passenger van and not the group is ridiculous. Would that really happen?
I thought this was a better Road Trip movie compared to others I’ve seen.
The inevitable xenophobic comments on this post can chill.
Overall rating
Pour it up
Put a Cork in It
Christmas Feels
🎄🎄 (2 Christmas Trees)
Enjoyment Level: 🍷🍷🍷 (3 glasses of wine.)
What did you think of the movie? Let me know in the comments or on social media @LifetimeUncorked
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*Photo Credit: © 2023 Hallmark
Who sang the song at end of the movie
Yes, please tell us the name of the song.