L'amour revient toujours à Noël

This is and interesting and fun little story although it seems like it may have been written in a hurry or unfinished. It's a Christmas buffet of (sometimes eye-rolling) connections and coincidences where the Characters are mysteriously brought together for Christmas at a cozy little Inn. The acting by Chabert and Huszar, along with a strong cast, still manage to make the movie enjoyable to watch

Not everyone likes sugary-sweet Hallmark movies that have every end tied up in a bow. Dramas have their time and place, and if you're on the lookout for a serious movie that leaves you more somber than uplifted, check your tv guide for Time for Us to Come Home for Christmas. You'll see Hallmark's darling, Lacey Chabert, but it's quite a drama.

Five people are sent mysterious, anonymous invitations to spend Christmas at a bed & breakfast inn. They each accept, for various reasons. They each carry their own sadness in their hearts, which are revealed throughout the film. Family tensions, loss of loved ones, and loneliness permeate, so that even though there is a bit of romance and some budding friendships, you still feel sad. I'm not criticizing the movie; but if you're expecting Lacey's cheerful smile and giggle throughout the ninety minutes, you'll be extremely disappointed. It's actually a very good drama, but it's not one that will be enjoyed by everyone at Christmastime. For those who do enjoy it, it'll probably be one of your favorites.

A mystery that isn't so easily discovered or explained until the happy ending that takes place at the Snowfall Inn. Five (5) guests all get a free Christmas vacation under somewhat false pretenses at a cozy place called the Snowfall Inn, A young lawyer named Sarah Thomas (Lacey Chabert) who takes it upon herself to wrap up some still opened cases that were the responsibility of her late mom, is one of the five (5) invited guests and she just can't help herself to try and figure out who is their mysterious benefactor who paid for their rooms.

A special treat for Mrs. Shullivan and I was one of the five (5) invited guests is the fantastic R&B singer and actor Leon. He has such a distinct and memorable voice that the movie is well worth watching just to hear him sing even one Christmas song.

It wouldn't be a Hallmark Christmas film if there was not a romance blossoming and so the producers wanted a guarantee so of course they signed the Queen of hallmark Christmas movies and that would be Lacey Chabert who has appeared in dozens of these similar movies over the past decade or so. Her love interest in this latest romance is the smooth talking and handsome actor Stephen Huszar who plays the Snowfall Inn's owner named Ben.

The five (5) guests backgrounds are gradually explained as to how they each received their free invitation to the Snowfall Inn and Ben agrees to assist the pretty young lawyer Sarah in deciphering who their Secret Santa is/was.

It's a nice little story with some heartwarming scenes and the mellow voice of R&B singer Leon is a huge bonus. I give it a 7 out of 10 IMDB rating.

Hallmark have varied massively when it comes to their Christmas films, but have been pleasantly surprised by some of those from 2020, considering that any films were even made during these circumstances that year by them was something of a miracle. Other than Hallmark completest sake and that they have done some good and more Christmas films and films in general, my main reason for watching this was the always worth watching Lacey Chabert (one of the most popular Hallmark actresses for good reason).

'Time for Us to Come Home for Christmas' impressed me on the whole. It is not quite one of the very best 2020 Hallmark films, Christmas and overall, it is in the better end. 'Time for Us to Come Home for Christmas' is flawed in terms of story (then again that is not uncommon for Hallmark, but this time it's relatively different reasons than most), but the performances and atmosphere in particular more than made up for any misgivings. It is certainly in my mind a good representation of what Chabert's appeal is.

It isn't perfect by all means. The ending agreed is much too rushed and reliant on too neat coincidence and while being usually a non-fan of open-ended endings, this is agreed a case of it being a better way to end if included.

Did think too that it is a bit of a slow starter and some of the dialogue has degrees of awkwardness.

However, a lot works very well. Chabert is her usual perky, charming self and Stephen Huszar is a subtly easy going leading man. Their chemistry is understated but natural and genuine, which is more than good enough for me when watching a Hallmark film (as long as there is some form of chemistry that makes me happy). Lini Evans is solid support and it was interesting seeing Peter Kelamis in a non-voice acting role.

Furthermore, the film pleases visually, lovely festive locations attractively and never drably or garishly shot. The music isn't as intrusive as it tends to be with Hallmark while the direction gets the job done well. The script doesn't get too cheesy or sentimental and does have a more natural flow when it becomes more settled. The story is not too heavy while taking itself seriously and is both warm-hearted and has a light touch when necessary, the gentle charm and sincere sweetness more than ideal. The mystery element while not innovative is intriguing and investable, the twist did surprise.

Overall, solidly executed effort. 7/10.

I enjoyed this Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Original Christmas movie. It had a pleasant and gentle rhythm to it, I felt. I enjoyed the mystery in this one; i.e., trying to figure out who brought these strangers together to the Inn, and how thru this process of trying to figure this out, they connected and bonded with each other. The atmosphere at the Inn was quite cosy and festive, which added to the warm and gentle feel of the movie. I agree with other reviewers on here, the ending seemed rushed; unfortunately, it was a bit of a letdown. As another reviewer said, "here is an idea, leave the mystery unresolved". For this one, I agree. It would have worked better to leave it to the imagination. Leaving this aside, what made the movie work, of course, was the acting. Overall, it was very good. Lacey Chabert (playing Sarah), a Hallmark regular, was fantastic in this role. She usually has impressive performances in this genre of film (which of course is why Hallmark keeps renewing her contract). Stephen Huszar (playing Ben) had both a strong and tender presence on screen, I thought, which worked well with Chabert's performance. Indeed, the chemistry between the two was subtle, yet, I felt it worked well in this one. The supporting cast, overall, had a great performance. What stood out to me was the role of Jasper, played by Leon. He had a very convincing performance; too bad we did not get to hear him sing more. The scenery, props, and sets were well-polished and festive (as I noted above about the Inn). Where can I get that Christmas chess set? I want one. No complaints about the music or music editing; the latter has been an issue for some, e.g., Lifetime Christmas movies this season. All in all, this is a lovely Christmas movie (though, a disappointing ending). It is a nice new edition to Hallmark's 2020 Christmas movie lineup.