User reviews

This is simply a, practically scene by scene, copy of "The Family Man" from 2000. And in that version, it was a MAN that ended up seeing what his life would be like with a family instead of a powerful career. Hallmark has done this with other films and it's pretty standard to swap the genders with the movie they copy.

This Hallmark holiday romance downplays the romance and concentrates on the choices we make in life. Lacey Chabert does a good job of portraying Hanna Dunbar, a successful television newswoman who is single. A Christmas miracle allows her to see what her life would be like if she made other choices.

Or is it all a dream? Regardless, Hanna has an opportunity to compare two possible life tracks, and she is changed by that experience. What I like most about the story is that when she is placed in her alternate life, the shock of the experience is not glossed over for comedic effect; she actually does seem concerned and distraught. Hanna is a bright woman with agency who comes to understand that her choices have consequences, and that we sometimes make those choices because they seem to naturally follow from the life path we are on.

It's probably the best Hallmark film that Lacey Chabert has done. It was obviously cheesy, but it did lack that typical Hallmark feel at parts. I will agree, the chemistry between the leads is lacking, but there's nothing misogynistic about this movie. He was hesitant, but agreed that he would support her and move to the city if that's what she really wanted. She made her own choice to pursue family over a career. It's not a generalization.

I typically love a cheesy Christmas film and the first time I watched it I loved it... I'm a Lacey fan... having watched this again this for about the 4th time I have some issues with its message... it basically tells women they can't be happy unless they have a family and they can't have both a career and a family! I loved the lead man until he basically guilted her in to turning her job down to make sure she stays a stay at home bored mother!!

A fairly entertaining, mindless movie. But I'm sorry - her husband and kids were horrible. The husband berated her constantly, had no patience or understanding for the fact that she was clearly going through something, and the kids whined and complained the whole time. They got mad at their mom because she didn't pick the fruit out of the cereal for them... really?? So I didn't buy the ending at all - she would never choose to go back there. She would run FAST back to her great single life and growing career!

Lacey Chabert, Hallmark's second darling of Christmas, stars in the fun, well-acted film Family for Christmas. The beginning will probably make the romantics in the audience reach for their hankies: Lacey and her boyfriend Tyron Leitso are parting ways at the airport because she has a six-month internship in San Francisco. They vow to wait for each other, but then a title card displays the dreaded words "ten years later" and Lacey's a famous news anchor with no romantic attachments. So sad!

Then again, the movie's just started, so dry those tears and get ready for some holiday magic. She starts thinking of her old flame, wondering what would have happened if they'd held on a little tighter all those years ago. The next morning, she wakes up married to him, in a suburban house with two children and a dog! Lacey is so funny in this film, letting audiences know she's out of her element without being annoying or unlikable. She tries to cope with her new life as a housewife, and along the way she starts to fall in love with Tyron all over again. He's a particularly likable love interest, a perfect blend of a romantic lead and a dad and husband. Together, Lacey and Tyron have a comfortable yet exciting chemistry together.

Family for Christmas is one of the better films to come out of the Hallmark channel, because not only is the story accessible rather than silly, but the acting is very good. The characters aren't one-dimensional, so the audience can really get invested in the movie, rather than just concentrate on their popcorn. While the ending is bittersweet, the overall film is very enjoyable. Add it to your yearly line-up of Christmas movies; I did!

The worst Hallmark movie I have ever seen. So women are not meant to have careers or have a passion, they need to be in the kitchen as a stay at home mom to be happy.

How about show a supportive husband when she comes home with a job offer rather than tell her she is a horrible mom for considering it.

Yes it was cheesy and the exact same story as Family Man but I enjoyed it. One of the better Hallmark films I've seen.

A novel twist on the Dickens' A Christmas Carol. I wasn't expecting much, but found it a quite delightful, soppy Xmas movie.

Family For Christmas (2015) -

Personally, I wouldn't mind waking up next to Tyron Leitso out of the blue one day. He wouldn't typically be my type, but he had something about him and he did seem like a nice guy in the role of Ben. I'm not sure I would have wanted the bratty little b!tches he and Hanna (Lacey Chabert) had spawned though.

I had actually seen this one before, but I couldn't remember it, which either means that it had very little impact, I was too busy completing a jigsaw puzzle at the time or I've seen too many of these films and they've all blended together. Or perhaps it was a combination of all three?

I did like the concept of showing Hanna how things might have gone if she hadn't left for the city when she did. I'm sure we would all love to see how things might have gone in our lives due to one different step, our "What If" journeys.

It's always nice to have a bit of magic in a seasonal film, but I did think that it took perhaps a bit too long to get in to and for her to settle in to the alternate reality.

Lacey has always been nice enough in her roles and never been so far gone as an executive hard ass character that she couldn't be saved.

I also liked that the ending didn't go as I thought that it might.

It was a nice festive film that was obviously good enough that I could watch it twice, as if it was brand new both times.

It won't be hitting the top of my list, because it had nothing outstanding about it, but I wouldn't be upset if I somehow managed to record it again next year having forgotten it all over again.

5.5/10.

Lacey Chabert is a pretty reliable Hallmark Christmas star, and 'Family for Christmas' was a nice departure from the usual Hallmark Christmas fare. No small town returns for Christmas here, instead you get a pretty good story about a busy TV reporter who doesn't have time for Christmas waking up in an alternate universe where she is married to the guy she left to take a TV internship in San Francisco and a mother to two young girls, all thanks to the intervention of a wise (is there any other kind?) Santa Claus. Chabert is a good actress and portrays her character's fish out of water role very well as she tries to figure out what her life in the suburbs looks like. A nice story of the road not travelled for Christmas.

I think people have been overly harsh to this film, missing the message completely.

I thought this was a different sort of Hallmark film, and all the better for it.

It helps that it boasts Lacey Chabert in the lead, who can make even the sappiest of material palatable.

With some nice messages and moments this kept us entertained.

Lighten up people!

The movie begins with Hannah Dunbar (Lacey Chabert) faced with a decision between her career or her sweetheart Ben Matthews (Tyron Leitso). The movie fast forwards 10 years and she is an award winning news reporter. Out of the blue she gets a friend request through social media from Ben. With a chance encounter with Santa he asks her to wish for something that she wants, and then she wakes up she is married to Ben, with two children, a dog and living in the suburbs. It is a delightful movie that has Hannah trying to figure out which life is most important.

Victor J

Each of us find ourselves unexpectedly facing an alternate life different than our current life and that's what this Hallmark Channel Original Christmas Movie is about.

After talking to a Salvation Army Santa (or is he?), a successful TV news anchorwoman (played by the wonderful Lacey Chabert) finds herself in an alternate life where she is married to her former lover and have daughters of their own.

The film's story did had some minor flaws, but the acting from all the actors and everything else about the film is excellent.

It was a smart move for Hallmark to release this film during their annual Christmas in July movie marathon this year. We all need a break from Summer madness from time to time.

5.4 stars.

Barely enough to watch. Chabert is great in this, and while she can carry a movie all by herself, it's not advisable to do so. The male lead (Leitso) had as much personality as a rock. Chabert was funny at times, and the daughters were cute and funny too. The male reporter she was dating was actually more interesting than the male lead (not saying much).

It was a surreal sort of movie throughout, and while it's kinda the point, it's too much so. Problem is that it never became tangible or real, as if the whole story is a nightmare. Neither universe is preferable in my opinion. The female friend/neighbor was interesting, and animated. Santa Claus was lackluster and creepy.

Emphasizing again - Chabert literally carries 95% of this movie. Good thing she is talented.

I wouldn't watch this again. It's one of the least favorites.

Have you ever wondered, "What if.....?" This movie addresses the possibility of making choices in life. Hanna is a successful news reporter with a bright career ahead. What would have happened if she had made other choices at the beginning of her career? This is one of my favorite Christmas movies, with a bittersweet ending.