This is the second of my Virginia Beach funny story flicks. More so than the other, it proves that Hallmark is far darker than Netflix when it comes to these holiday offerings.
“The Christmas Promise” was released in 2021. It was written by Kathy Kloves and directed by Fred Gerber. It stars Torrey DeVitto and Patrick Duffy. And damn, if it isn’t depressing.
Nicole Graham (DeVitto) runs a toy shop with her husband, Henry. Nicole is cute, loves Christmas, and has a cat named Jack Frost. An immense exposition dump minutes into the movie divulges the details, and I was on board.
The couple attend a Christmas party, and Henry (Giles Panton) makes a quick run to the store. Coming from the Netflix camp, I was expecting Nicole to switch places with a doppelganger or discover she’s royalty from some quaint obscure country. But no. She gets a phone call that Henry has died in a car accident. Jesus Christ!
Holiday Heartache
“The Christmas Promise” deals with Nicole, one year later at Christmas, still coping with Henry’s death. She is depressed, wants to sell the toy store and leave the house that the couple lived in. She hires a hunky handyman (Dylan Bruce) to fix the house up and begins texting an unknown person who helps her deal with her grief.
Torrey DeVitto is the star of the story and does a masterful job. Nicole is a complex character who juggles life and loss with a Christmas backdrop that doesn’t seem to leave her alone. Torrey DeVitto can act, and fits the part of adorable Christmas movie lead, donned in tight jeans, puffer jacket, and cute hat as she meanders about the snow. Netflix should lock her up for a dozen, more lighthearted pictures.
The rest of the cast is filler, with the exception of Patrick Duffy who plays Nicole’s father? Grandfather? I was confused. She calls him Popps but also references the loss of her grandmother. Duffy is 35 years older than DeVitto so father would make more sense, but oh well, he plays a bit part and is pleasant as always.
Short and Slow
At 84 minutes, “The Christmas Promise” is slow. I’m not a fan of the darker tones, at least, not for Christmas movies. But even the budding romance between Nicole and the handyman is boring to watch. It’s realistic in the way the characters act, it just isn’t fun.
“The Christmas Promise” is an average movie. If you’re sick of the sweet and want something salty, it can be rented for less than a dollar.
Download the JustWatch App for the best place to find “The Christmas Promise”
