The Christmas Charade (2024 Hallmark Channel)
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Cast:Rachel Skarsten, Corey Sevier
Director: Corey Sevier
Writer(s): Kate Pragnell
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DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearlySynopsis (via Hallmark)
Whitney (Skarsten), a cautious librarian raised by home security experts, finds herself in a real-life adventure when a blind date mix-up leads her into an undercover FBI operation. Forced to pose as the girlfriend of Special Agent Josh (Sevier), she helps him track down an art thief targeting the Saint Nicholas Ruby at a Christmas Eve charity ball. As the stakes rise, Whitney must embrace her inner action hero to save the day—and her family—just in time for Christmas
Let me know what you thought of the movie in the comments below or @lifetimeuncorked
Recap/Wine Thoughts
The movie starts with a sting operation. A blonde woman delivers a box with Santa inside. It is a TV show that Librarian Whitney watches intensely while eating cereal in her PJs, like a child. Her co-worker Rachel sets Whitney up on a date with a dentist named Mark because her TV-watching lifestyle hinders her real-life adventures (I feel judged.)
Agent Josh Dawson works for a detective agency and has been undercover for six months with no results. He has been trying to track down a jewel thief. He wants to stop a heist of a necklace called the Heart of Christmas. This necklace is worth over 10 million dollars. It is to be displayed at the Christmas ball on Christmas Eve. Agent John Dawson wants another chance to get it right. His boss agrees, but only if he has a partner. Keira Tanner goes undercover as Dawson’s girlfriend.
Agent Dawson is on her way to a date with the dentist at the same restaurant. She is supposed to meet Agent Tanner there. However, a series of mishaps put Josh and Whitney together. He tries to get the story straight. However, he realizes too late that she is not who he is supposed to be meeting! He introduces the mark to Whitney, his girlfriend. He follows Whitney to the bathroom, and she is weirded out. He explains everything, and Whitney isn’t sure she is up to the challenge.
Whitney goes off-script. She tells the couple, Patty & Maxwell, that she is a ballroom dancer in between jobs. She takes an offer to help plan the Christmas Ball. John takes Whitney to his boss, and they decide that Whitney has to go undercover. (With some reluctant training from Agent Josh.)
Cue a funnier training montage than most I’ve seen on Hallmark. There is a pocket texting bit that is fun. We also learned Whitney knows martial arts and has a real dance background. John mentions that he has no family, but doesn’t want to elaborate any further.
Whitney and Josh go into the field and case the museum to better understand what to expect. The museum gallery manager shows them around and tells a story about a fake painting tricking him. Whitney had an idea. She suggested creating a fake necklace and placing a tracker in it to find the Jewel. Agent Josh is surprised he didn’t think of the idea first and goes along with it.
In a few hours, they have a replica, and the plan is in motion. Agent Josh gets into his SWAT gear to swap out the jewels, and Whitney decorates his apartment. Agent Josh isn’t a fan of Christmas because he grew up in foster care.
At the museum, they crawl through the vents and use Candy Cane ropes to lower and make the swap. They fail the mission.
Whitney has to play Christmas Charades with her family. She brings Agent Josh as her date because her parents find out about her new boyfriend. Josh has never met a girlfriend’s family before and is very nervous. The family’s silly nature wins him over, and he has a good time!
It is the night of the ball/Christmas Eve, and Whitney and Josh are dressed for the black-tie event. Whitney is excited to be a part of something important.
At the party, they are about to switch off the necklaces. Patty introduces Josh and Whitney in a surprise tango number. They nail the dance number, and Whitney’s parents show up as a surprise.
The power cuts out at the party, and the necklace goes missing. Whitney and Josh rush after the suspect, but he turns out to be a decoy. On the roof of the building, Whitney and Josh see the Museum Director getting away with the jewels. Whitney’s parents are also taken as hostages.
Or wait, the parents are also former FBI agents. They overcame their captors, swapped out the necklaces, and saved the day. Whitney feels lied to by her parents and has been taking the safe route for them. She storms off. Josh chases after her. He tries to calm her down. He helps her realize how lucky she is to have parents like hers.
The museum director is interrogated, and a painting is missing from the gallery. Whitney realizes the painting is missing and confronts Patty about the stolen Art. Patty sends her henchmen to get Whitney as the FBI bursts in to save her.
On Christmas Day, Whitney’s parents show up with gifts and apologies. All is forgiven. Josh shows up, too, and Whitney gives him a Christmas present. It is a snow globe. He gives her the Christmas necklace replica. It is a gift as a reminder of all she has done for the FBI. Whitney invites Josh to spend Christmas with her family. They kiss in some fake CGI snow and become real boyfriend and girlfriend.
Note/Stray Thoughts
This movie did a great job of staying engaged in the more exciting parts of the story. It skipped over the tedium of event planning or other minutia.
Overall rating
Pour it up
Christmas Feels
🎄🎄🎄 (3 Christmas Trees)
Enjoyment Level: 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 (5 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: © 2024 Hallmark
This was a great movie. Some twists definitely did not expect. Someone didn’t die (a premise that gets annoying), action adventure Love it has it all.