Mariah Carey’s “A Christmas Melody” starring Lacey Chabert is a holiday film worth watching!
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TITLE: A Christmas Melody
FILM YEAR: 2015
DURATION: 88 Minutes
CHANNEL: Hallmark
Directed by Mariah Carey
Written by Jennifer Notas Shapiro
Producer: Karri O’Reilly
Executive Producers: Jonathan Axelrod, Stella Bulochnikov, Mariah Carey, Kevin Connor, Alan Ett, Eric Jarboe, Brad Krevoy, Jimm Towsend
Consulting Produycer: Mark Amato, Heath Ryan
Music: Laura Karpman
Edited by Heath Ryan
Cinematography by Jeff Barklage
Production Design by Sarah Young
Set Decoration: Vanessa O’Kelley
Costume Design: Mary Eagan Murphy
Starring:
Lacy Chabert as Kristin Parson
Brennan Elliott as Danny Collier
Kathy Najimy as Aunt Sarah
Kevin Chamberlin as Thomas
Fina Strazza as Emily Parson
Mariah Carey as Melissa McKean-Atkinson
Maya Farhat as Hayley
It’s ten days away from Christmas and for holiday film #45, we go to a 2015 film titled “A Christmas Melody” executive produced and directed by singer, Mariah Carey (who also stars in the film). And what best to direct a Hallmark Holiday film by featuring one of the Hallmark trinity actresses, Lacey Chabert (the other two are Alyson Sweeney and Autumn Reeser).
While Candace Cameron Bure had the Holiday Queen title as one of the longest running holiday actresses for the Hallmark Channel, she has since vacated Hallmark for Great American Family and now these three are primary, popular talent for the channel and Lacey Chabert, she is now the Hallmark Holiday Queen and she has been doing holiday films since she was a child actress.
Her first was a 2019 animated film “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”, her first holiday film was a horror film in 2006 titled “Black Christmas”, for non-horror it was the 2011 film “A Holiday Heist” and her first Hallmark Holiday film was the 2014 film “A Royal Christmas”. And she has made a Hallmark holiday film every consecutive year since then. And this year, Chabert has a reunion with former “Party of Five” cast member Scott Wolf.
But for this review, I am reviewing her 2015 holiday film “A Christmas Melody” directed by Mariah Carey.
“A Christmas Melody” stars fashion designer Kristin Parson (portrayed by Lacey Chabert), a single mother who decided to move with her daughter Emily (portrayed by Fina Strazza) back to Ohio.
For Kristin, being a fashion designer in Los Angeles was her dream but unfortunately, the business failed and she goes back home to start her new life with her Aunt Sarah (portrayed by Kathy Najimy) and daughter.
Emily doesn’t want to move and moving away from Los Angeles was tough, but being the new kid at school is even tougher.
But fortunately, welcoming her is Danny Collier (portrayed by Brennan Elliott), the music teacher. He also happens to be an old classmate of Kristin, and liked her back in school. But he was the “band geek” and wasn’t really noticed by her.
For Kristin, she prioritizes Emily’s school life as priority and wanting to be involved but confronting her at school is a former classmate/enemy,. Melisa McKean-Atkinson (portrayed by Mariah Carey) who is cold and mean towards Kristin and often flaunting her wedding ring and how great her life is.
If anything, Kristin is more about wanting to make Emily’s life positive and cheerful and things are tough, as Emily is bullied by Melissa’s daughter and friends. But Kristin, Danny, Aunt Sarah are there for her and as Danny spends more time with mother and daughter, he hopes that Kristin well take notice of him now.
For the most part, this is a very cool holiday film and interesting to watch Mariah Carey’s directorial holiday film debut for Hallmark and also starring in the film as the mean girll, or mean mother. But Lacey Chabert shines as the single mother trying to make Emily’s life a positive and happy moment in the new town.
And for the most part, a solid holiday film filled with the Christmas spirit, with Mariah Carey’s involvement, also you get Christmas music and romance!
If anything, this was very entertaining and I give Mariah Carey a thumbs up in her first holiday film directorial debut for Hallmark and also a thumbs up for Lacey Chabert. I also have to give a thumbs up to young Fina Strazza who had to perform and sing in the holiday film.
But overall, Mariah Carey’s “A Christmas Melody” starring Lacey Chabert is a holiday film worth watching!
