I was in Virgina Beach this past summer. A storm my last night kept me in my hotel room, where I found myself flipping through the channels. I discovered a Christmas movie marathon on Hallmark and was smitten with the star of one flick. Unable to watch a Christmas movie in the summer, I set a reminder to check it out now, six months later.
“A Dream of Christmas” was released in 2016 and it’s precisely the story anyone who has ever watched this type of movie will expect. A (distractingly) beautiful woman, a December backdrop, and a bit of magic are all that are needed. It won’t become an all-time favorite, but it’s worth checking out for a feelgood flick.
Penny (Nikki Deloach) lives a quiet, mundane life. She’s married to Stuart (Andrew Walker), has a feisty sister (Lisa Durupt) and has already punched out a couple of kids. A frustrated Penny wishes she had never been married and presto! Her wish is mysteriously granted.
Christmas Belle
I couldn’t get over actress Nikki Deloach. Smitten would be an understatement. She’s a true beauty and thankfully the focal point of the entire film. As Penny, Deloach demonstrates she has the chops to be humorous, and emotional when needed. Her filmography indicates she is under the control of Hallmark Channel, and I may need to watch more of her movies at some point. The other actors are whatever.
“A Dream of Christmas” was written by Mike Bell and Gary Yates, the ladder of which also directed. The score keeps the movie festive and lets us know it shouldn’t be taken too seriously. Penny’s wish was a bit of a stretch but the humorous magic that ensues makes us accept it.
Hallmark vs Netflix
Having watched Netflix holiday movies for several years, there were a few noticeable differences. While cheesy, the Halmark story was more grounded in seriousness that I haven’t watched in a while. It isn’t good or bad, just different.
My complaint was having to watch it on the Hallmark Channel, where the 80-minute movie was drawn out to two hours with a barrage of annoying and excessive commercial breaks. I loved Deloach enough that I would rewatch this, but the seemingly punitive commercials (even with a DVR) make it so that I won’t.
“A Dream of Christmas” will hold a place as a Va Beach memory. It’s a fun movie but needs to be viewed sans commercial interruption.
“A Dream of Christmas” can be watched via Hallmark.
