[yasr_overall_rating]
After their parents separate, two estranged sisters who haven’t been on speaking terms reunite in hopes that having a family Christmas all together for the first time in years will bring their Mom and Dad close again.
Every year on TV, we are always inundated with Holiday movies, whether they’re about Thanksgiving or Christmas, or both, there is never a shortage of them. And that’s not always a good thing because for every “A Christmas Story”, there’s always a “Christmas with the Kranks.” Because we’re always swamped with Holiday movies, chances are, that we’ll miss some really good ones. Well, I was very pleasantly surprised when I got the chance to review “Coming home for Christmas.” Sisters Kate and Melanie haven’t spoken to each other in years since Kate walked out of Melanie’s wedding. Their parents, Wendy (Amy Jo Johnson) and Al, have let the pain of their daughters’ absence drive a wedge between them and their tensions have led to a separation.
Kate is determined to reunite the entire family for Christmas, and has the perfect spot: their old family home. The only problem is, somebody else is living there now. Of course, a Christmas movie wouldn’t be complete without a family fight and there’s a few in here. Kate and Melanie, played by real-life Canadian country music sisters, Carly & Britt McKillip, are delightful, while their father Al, is played by another country singer, George Canyon. The film takes place in Oregon, beautifully photographed by Danny Nowak. Right before Melanie’s wedding, her sister Kate sees the groom-to-be flirting heavily with one of the bridesmaids. She informs Melanie about it but she won’t listen so Kate leaves and they don’t speak for five years.
Because of the recession, the girls’ parents, Wendy and Al, have to sell their home and move into a smaller place. With the family all separated and Christmas fast approaching, Kate, now a successful book editor, begins to miss her family reunions and when she finds out that her parents are planning to separate, she takes matters into her own hands to bring her family back together again. Kate goes by her old house and happens to meet Mike, the new owner and former Marine and before you can say fireworks, the two are hitting it off. Her plan is to use the house at Christmas and decorate it like they used to, in order to bring her family closer and her parents back into each other’s arms.
Naturally, things don’t go according to plan. It’s no surprise in a movie like this, especially because it’s Christmas themed, that you know that everything is going to work out in the end. Carly and Britt McKillip play well off each other and the sibling rivalry they sometimes share, is also believable. Overall, the cast works well together and the final result is a touching and heart-felt film that should delight all Scrooges out there. Highly Recommended.
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