Hallmark’s This Time Each Year has all the markings of a great second chance romance, but it fumbles with questionable narrative choices that don’t work in the short runtime. Still, as far as Christmas goes, it’s one worth watching.
Starring Hallmark favorites Alison Sweeney and Niall Matter, the chemistry is all there, but between selling the house, the potential divorce, and the past mentions of alcoholism, it feels like we should’ve stuck to one thing and emphasized it more. The film’s second half, which focuses on Kevin and Lauren reconnecting, is much more engaging as it becomes more vulnerable and character-driven.
Sometimes, playing pretend in this regard works, but I’m glad the film drops that arc as quickly as it starts it because it wasn’t working for them as a couple. You don’t go through separation from something as serious as they do to start fake dating in front of moms. That might work for characters in their 20s, but the best part of Hallmark’s This Time Next Year is the sincerity the actors are allowed to play with. The magic is in the quiet moments we get while they’re alone in the house together, rekindling the spark that’s still there between them.
Further, and again, while the narrative juggles a bit too much at times, scenarios feel like they’re fabricated for the sake of drama in a film where everything is already jam-packed. While the charm of the holidays in a film like this emphasizes the importance of reconnecting and being transparent with one another, viewers also didn’t need to see Lauren going out on “a date” on top of everything. (It’s not a date, but the implication felt unnecessary.) And again, while I’m all for methods like this, it feels off when we’re dealing with second chance romances.
By the time we get to the happy ending, it’s hard not to feel frustrated by the characters and their choices. Miscommunications work when they’re organic, yet here, it feels like one bad thing after another when we could’ve focused on a more compelling arc to understand Lauren and Kevin better as characters. The last ten minutes—when the characters realize that perfection isn’t something that can be attained and there’s beauty in all their imperfections—might just be the best part of the film.
There’s nothing wrong with embracing our messiness, and Hallmark’s This Time Each Year makes that gorgeously clear by the end while it uses the Japanese art of Kintsugi to drive the film’s theme home. If we’d just gotten a bit more of their past, then the movie would’ve been sincerely excellent. Yet, it’s no doubt a tear-jerker, especially in the end, where Kevin and Lauren’s relationship takes center stage to highlight that they’re going to be okay. Everything’s going to be okay, and each of the characters learning to embrace their mess is indeed a lovely message to feature in a Christmas movie. As someone who especially adores second chance romances, I might be a bit harsher in my critiques, but there’s still plenty to appreciate with what we get.
This Time Each Year is now available on the Hallmark Movie Channel or through Frndly TV.
First Featured Image Credit: ©2024 Hallmark Media/Photographer: Courtesy Lighthouse Productions