A Christmas Eve Miracle (2015)

Title: A Christmas Eve Miracle
Year of Release: 2015
Available On: Hulu on 07/2018
Rating: .5 out of 5 Jingle Bells

That dove picture makes me wonder whether I’m going to like this one. I like a little bite with my cheesy movies, you know? Some jalapeno with my cheddar. Frankly, this movie was unwatchable very quickly. So bad, in fact, that I couldn’t finish it. Here’s a synopsis from the internet:

Sharon and Dustin Holden (Olivia D’abo and Anthony Starke) were High School sweethearts. They went to the same college and graduate school together and earned everything they ever dreamed of: great kids, great jobs, and the loyal golden retriever, “Jerry” (Jon Voight). But before long, Sharons’s career consumes her world. In an effort to rekindle the joyous family life they once shared, Sharon insists on taking a Christmas vacation to their old stomping grounds, Farthering Pines. When they arrive, they’re greeted by Jack Carter (C. Thomas Howell), Robert Jones (Jonathan Silverman) and their families. Despite the festivities, Sharon just can’t seem to pull herself away from her work. Frustrated in juggling both her family and work life, Sharon wonders aloud how life would be if she and Dustin did not have children. The next day she wakes up to find that her wish has come true and her children are nowhere to be seen! At first she enjoys this new version of her life, but upon seeing how happy the Jones and Carter families are, she recognizes this isn’t the life she wants. Can Sharon find a way to get her family back? Will she realize the true meaning of Christmas? Will the Holden family reunite before the clock strikes midnight? —Crystal Sky Pictures

So plot-wise, we have the good old Be Careful What You Wish For / Appreciate What You Have combo. The problem is that the acting is horrific and the dialogue might be worse. Either way, it’s difficult to get into, difficult to believe, and painful to watch. Olivia d’Abo as Sharon is particularly awful. Her face shows no emotion, her eyes seem vacant, it’s truly terrible to watch. The kids are the best actors in this movie – well, them and Kris Kringle (William ‘Bus’ Riley). It gets half a jingle bell simply because the production is good, but let’s be honest, that’s only because it was filmed recently.

Skip this one, it’s horrible.