Image via: https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/my-christmas-family-tree
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
What the what Hallmark!?! I’m not sure what to make of this movie. I was all set to make it a 4 or 5 rating until the last 10 minutes. Now I’m debating downgrading it to a 3. Ugh! Here’s a quick re-cap and my full two cents to explain my frustrations.
Quick Re-Cap
Vanessa’s mother died when she was 9 and she was fostered until she turned 18. Not having any family, she does a genetic test and discovers a paternal match. She meets her father who invites her to join the family over the holidays. Vanessa joins them and starts to feel like a member of the family until she receives a call saying the genetic testing company had a mix-up. Can she keep the family she’s begun to love?
My Two Cents
First things first. ANDREW WALKER! I haven’t always been an Andrew Walker fan. However, over the past few years he’s been steadily growing on me. I would compare him to aged wine, but I’m a Wisconsin girl, so he’s more like an aged cheddar…sharper and tastier over time. 😂
I also need to give a shout out to Aimee Teegarden. She was wonderful! She does sweet and cute really well in this movie. I also enjoyed her in A New Year’s Resolution earlier this year.
As much as I enjoyed Andrew and Aimee, I had a hard time with the reality of this movie. I understand not all Hallmark movies are real or believable, but this one had a major flaw that I really struggled with. Vanessa and/or Richard should have recognized an issue earlier.
Richard said Vanessa’s mom should have been Trish, but Vanessa’s mom’s name is Patty. Richard met Vanessa’s mom in Providence, but Vanessa never knew her mom to be in Providence.
I suppose when you have DNA telling you that you’re related, sometimes you’re blinded to the possibility it couldn’t be real. But it still felt like Vanessa and Richard should have second guessed things a lot earlier.
Okay, moving past that big flaw. I still really enjoyed the movie!
I loved the first phone call with Richard and Vanessa! It was so awkward and sweet. I would imagine most first phone calls would go this way. I also liked how the half siblings felt about Vanessa and we saw those relationships grow naturally.
I wrote all of this before the last 10 minutes of the movie. Then the last 10 minutes happened and I had no idea what to think. Way to throw a curve ball Hallmark!! I’m still not sure what to think. I’m going to try not to think about it too much and just say at least it has a Hallmark happily ever after.
This movie won’t hit my personal Countdown to Christmas must watch list. Mostly because of the ending. It didn’t feel complete. Who’s daughter is Vanessa? Does it really matter since she loves Kris and the family no matter what? I don’t know, but it bothered me too much to put this in the must watch category. Even Jeff was sitting here asking WTF??
Have you seen it? What did you think? What was that ending? What do you think was the actual truth? Leave a comment!
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