Rewatching this movie in 2023 and it still stands the test of time and attention span.
The premise is simple, and most reviews have recapped it well.
Julie, the main character and mom to Gavin (about 8) is a hardworking and heavily burdened person, thanks to the recent passing of her husband (implication is he had an illness).
The movie shows the development of her relationship with an older (not elderly) neighbor, Irene, who is a widow and Grandmother to a young man who is a doctor in the military.
Both women share the common ground of grief, but Irene has a perpetually positive outlook.
As someone who has grown up with the luxury of a very positive mom, I could see so much of her in Irene. There is almost no room for sadness, and while that can seem wonderful, it's not realistic. Julie, the Mom, is trying to juggle a potentially struggling business (now 100% her own, since her husband is gone), the complexities of a grieving little son, and her own grief. Thrown into the mix is the kindness of a man who is also Julie's new client, someone who potentially could be her love interest.
I loved the reality of the script, especially because Julie showed a true reaction to someone (Irene) who suddenly has made themselves a part of her life. A lot of people would find this extremely comforting, but just as many, like Julie, may find it to be overwhelming. It gets more difficult when managing a little one who has an altogether different opinion of Irene: he sees her as safe person, someone that can offer him friendship and even allow him to open up about his grief.
This would throw almost any mother into a tailspin, since her son appears to be finding solace with someone who is not her.
I loved that the movie delves into the uncomfortableness of a confrontation between Julie and Irene, and I can relate to how Julie felt (not a mom, but I can relate). Fortunately, this also helps me reflect on my own misunderstandings. I am now seeing (almost 50!) that people who put forth a positive spin on all things are often struggling to accept their own pain, and we need to recognize their vulnerability.
It didn't take much for Julie to somewhat kill Irene's spirit with that confrontation, and it taught Julie a lesson about being able to see past the surface of seemingly well-adjusted people. Never presume what others are feeling.
It also struck me that we can miss the pain that others feel when we are too quick to try and assess/analyze their situation, vs. Just listening. When I see myself being too "polly positive", it's important to step back and appreciate what the other person may be trying to tell me.
I loved the story, the setting, and I find Erica Durance to be just lovely to see as a Hallmark lead. Lynn Whitfield is highly accomplished, and this role gave her new ground to cover (Interview from her with Southern Living is excellent, she reflects on how she found a connection between this role and her late aunt, who was a similar person).
Patrick Sabongui (sp) is awesome in his part and in general.
My only hesitation was the role of Irene as a magician. I found it hard to suspend reality enough to believe that she was not just their neighbor, but also a head volunteer at the children's camp, at the food bank, and the star of the magic show too. It just seemed like it was a little overdone, but that is a tiny flaw, to me.
This movie is not meant, in my opinion, to be Christmassy. It could earnestly work at any time of year, so enjoy it anytime if you are interested in a thinking movie, but not so much a frivolous yuletide movie.
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