Romance

A Family Christmas Gift

Romance

When Amber spends the holidays with her Aunt Dora and helps plan a fund-raising Christmas Concert, it brings Amber closer to her aunt and a new love into her life.

Year

2019

Duration

1h 24m

IMDb

5.9

Trailer

Cast

KF

Kevin Fair

Director

Holly Robinson Peete

Amber

Dion Johnstone

Allen

Patti LaBelle

Dora

Nicole Oliver

Leah Andrews

Melody Nosipho Niemann

Katie Marshall

Kerensa Cooper

Josie Andrews

Kurt Evans

Bill Andrews

Alvin Sanders

Reverend Williams

Ramon Terrell

Kenny

Patricia Cullen

Bonnie

John Murphy

Garrett

Teagan Vincze

Maggie Jones

NG

Nelson Giles

Jimmy

AB

Amber Benson

Writer

Alex Wright

Writer

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Comments

10 comments

Claayton07May 29, 2023

source: A Family Christmas Gift

La Rose😘😘😘🤣🤣🤣58436327680May 23, 2023

Amber (Holly Robinson Peete) is a New York publishing executive who gets passed over for promotion. To get over it she returns to her hometown in Colorado to spend Christmas at her Aunt Dora's (Patti Labelle) inn. She is a is a legendary soul singer who retired to run the inn. Before long Amber uses her skills to take part in a much needed school fundraiser as the music program is being cut. Amber gets close to single parent Alan who she initially mistook as an airport pick up driver. Only later being told that Aunt Dora had sent him. Both fall for each other but Amber gets another chance of getting that promotion back in New York. Too formulaic but at least this has Patti Labelle singing. I felt that even the director gave up on this one as it abruptly finishes.

Abigail OcanseyMay 23, 2023

Hallmark Christmas films do have a tendency more often than not to be very predictable, cliched, very cheesy, too schmaltzy and over-scored, the worst of them also contrived and unrealistic. There have been many times where they have also been very cute, warm hearted, heartfelt, charming and appealingly acted. Really did want for 'A Family Christmas Gift' to be all of those latter adjectives, as Hallmark have shown quite a number of times that they can make watchable films. 'A Family Christmas Gift' is definitely watchable and not one of those presents that is immediately disposable after being opened, there is quite a lot that is good. At the same time, while charming and inoffensive enough it didn't strike me as a great film or a gift with a fair share of serious drawbacks. Hallmark have done a lot better than 'A Family Christmas Gift' but also a lot worse, 'A Family Christmas Gift' is one of the in between slightly above mixed feelings efforts. Beginning with the drawbacks, will agree that there is not much of a story and what there is does lag and very little different to other films with the save the show idea (a familiar trope). Also didn't think that it didn't always flow well and felt awkward. Tension is lacking quite badly, especially in the final third, while the ending is very easily foreseeable early on and too tidy. Some of the dialogue is on the cheesy and contrived side, especially in the early parts of the film. The early parts of the film are not easy to watch, where it is pretty uneventful and where the characters don't really appeal. Luckily, 'A Family Christmas Gift' does get better. The production values still manage to be great. It's not too drab or garish in photography, the editing didn't seem rushed or disorganised and the scenery has a real charm to it. Often have found the music a problem in Hallmark Christmas films, but 'A Family Christmas Gift' is one of the few times where it not only has not been a problem but actually one of the best things about it. Very catchy and beautiful. Did think that parts of the script entertained and had affecting good intentions and the characters did become more likeable later once they developed more and when the performances became more settled. While the story is very flawed, there are enough times where it is heart-warming and suitably light-hearted. Did appreciate that it didn't try to take itself too seriously. The acting is not bad, with an amiable Holly Robinson Peete and Patti LaBelle stealing the film in a zesty turn that to me avoided hamminess. She sounds incredible here too. Overall, far from great but watchable. 5/10.

user9131439904935May 23, 2023

Watched this because of patti labelled but I love the story. Good job hallmark

glenn_okitMay 23, 2023

7/10 - I love some Holly Robinson Peete and Patti Labelle, so enjoying this one was no surprise!

قطوسه ♥️May 23, 2023

Last year, Patti LaBelle appeared in the last half hour of the Hallmark Christmas movie, "Christmas Everlasting," and really hammed it up in her couple of scenes. She didn't sing. Well, this year Hallmark gave her more to do as Aunt Dora in this movie - the worst that Hallmark has to offer. The script appears to have been written by a child and the acting all around is stilted and unconvincing. Totally amateurish in every respect - with LaBelle allowed to sing in the end to, I guess, provide a big pay off for sitting through this turkey - or should I say, ham. LaBelles's singing voice is still impressive and strong, but the acting (by her and everyone else involved) is just one big ham - with all the trimmings. A shame really - maybe all these actors (Robinson and LaBelle included) just needed a better script to work with.

becoolsavageMay 23, 2023

I LOVE this movie. I think it's one of the best that Hallmark has this year. I've seen it several times already and will see it again. I think the acting was very good and Patty Labelle is just outstanding. If you wanna really fun movie, this is it. I think the negative reviews on this site are absolutely horrible and not warranted at all.

🇲🇦ولد الشرق🇲🇦May 23, 2023

I wanted to give up on this movie after the confrontation in the auditorium and probably should have. In the first half of the movie, I did not like Alan, and with Amber my dislike was even more severe. There was so much emphasis on a professional approach to fundraising including some coercing of sponsors. It was probably realistic, but I didn't like the tone. If this is a Christmas romance, where's the screen time for the leads? Maybe this contributes to the fact there was no chemistry between the leads. Besides the overly used save-our-music-program plot line, the story didn't flow well at times and that showed in dialogue. I'd like to think that these two factors are what made the acting rough also. There was almost no tension outside the fate of the music program. There wasn't much of a story. The movie builds to the pageant where LaBelle sings O Holy Night and it is a good performance. But otherwise there is nothing special and much of the story is almost exactly like all the other Christmas romance movies. The ending is so derivative I found it painful and couldn't wait for the movie to be over. I wonder if Patti LaBelle's reminiscing for the interview was autobiographical at least in part. If so, that would make it more interesting.

Ngwana modimo🌙🐄May 23, 2023

You really enjoyed it ,chemistry and story line really good .

judiasambaMar 2, 2023

source: A Family Christmas Gift