“The Christmas Note” is a safe holiday film that establishes that no matter how dark things can be, there is always hope and also the importance of helping people in their time of need.
TITLE: The Christmas Note
FILM YEAR: 2015
DURATION: 85 Minutes
BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition
COMPANY: Hallmark
RATED: TV-PG
Based on the Book by Donna VanLiere
Directed by Terry Ingram
Story by Wesley Bishop
Teleplay by : Wesley Bishop, Jessica Scott, Erik Patterson
Executive Producer: Craig Anderson, Beth Grossbard, Shawn Williamson
Producer: Jamie Goehring
Associate Producer: Kevin Leslie, Trevor McWhinney
Supervising Producer: Jonathan Shore
Music by Lawrence Shragge
Cinematography by Ron Stannett
Edited by Tony Dean Smith
Casting by Colleen Bolton, Maureen Webb
Production Design by Paul Joyal
Set Decoration: Amanda Christmas
Costume Design by Barbara Gregusova
Starring:
Jamie-Lynn Sigler as Gretchen
Leah Gibson as Melissa
Lynda Boyd as Vivian
Dylan Kingwell as Ethan
Barclay Hope as Phil
Nicola Cavendish as Betty
Lochlyn Munro as Robert
Greg Vaughan as Kyle
Gretchen returns to her hometown with son Ethan and meets her new neighbor Melissa under unusual circumstances. Melissa s mother has passed away, and the two form a reluctant friendship when Melissa discovers she has a sibling she never knew about. Through their detective work, Gretchen and Melissa grow closer and uncover a huge surprise that will change everything.
It’s now my first day of my holiday film marathon and today, I will check out the Hallmark Channel’s 2015 telefilm “The Christmas Note”.
The film was part of Hallmark’s “Hallmark Movies & Mysteries”.
Based on the book by Donna VanLiere (who wrote “The Christmas Secret”, “Christmas Town”, “The Christmas Shoes”) and Directed by Terry Ingram *”Odyssey 5″, “R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour”), as well as written by Wesley Bishop (“Dead by Sunset”, “Christmas Town”), the film would star Jamie Sigler (“The Sopranos”, “Entourage”, “I Do”), Leah Gibson (“The Twilight Saga: Eclips”, “Lost Solace”, “Batwoman”, “Jessica Jones”), Linda Boyd (“Virgin River”, “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift”, “Republic of Doyle”), Dylan Kingwell (“A Series of Unfortunate Events”, “The Good Doctor”, “The 100”) and Greg Vaughan (“Days of Our Lives”, “Charmed”, “General Hospital”, “The Young and the Restless”).
The film revolves around mother Gretchen (portrayed by Jamie-Lynn Sigler) who has moved back home in Wilsonville to live near her mother Vivian (portrayed by Lynda Boyd).
With her husband Kyle in the military and far on duty, Gretchen and her son Ethan (portrayed by Dylan Kingwell) try to get adjusted in their new home and trying to hold things together without Kyle being home and not sure when he will ever come back home.
Upon moving to their new home, Ethan goes to greet their neighbor Melissa (portrayed by Leah Gibson), who doesn’t seem like the super caring neighbor, but more of a woman who doesn’t like to be disturbed.
One day, a property owner tries to get in contact with Melissa to let her know that her mother has passed away and that she will need to clean out her mother’s belongings. Since she is not at home, she delivers the message to Gretchen and Gretchen has to deliver the bad news to her neighbor.
As Gretchen tells Melissa the bad news, she offers to help Melissa if she needs it. And Melissa takes it.
And while at her mother’s home, Melissa finds a letter from her mother and learns that before she was born, that her mother gave up a child to adoption.
This leads to Melissa trying to find her sibling and Gretchen spends time with Melissa to help her during this tough time.
But as Gretchen tries to be strong for her son and also strong for Melissa, internally she is stressing that she needs to find a job, but moreso, that she wishes to know if her husband will be back home for Christmas.
For the most part, this is good Christmas story. In a way, it was bit predictable but at the same time, it’s a story filled with hope and it’s good to see both actresses Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Lynda Boyd playing more of a family-based role where they can showcase their emotional acting.
If anything, “The Christmas Note” is a safe holiday film that establishes that no matter how dark things can be, there is always hope and also the importance of helping people in their time of need.
Overall, a good holiday telefilm to kick off my first day of my Holiday Film Marathon for 2022!
