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Good basic story even if it borrows themes rather blatantly from other movies, but at least not all the same movie. Good acting. Good dialogue. Some good scenes that pop like the one with the three women with facial crème masks. And awesome chemistry between Torrey DeVito and Dylan Bruce.

DeVito's, Nicole is very appealing. Her grief makes her sympathetic and scenes before and later show her to be generous, loving and amiable.

This could have been an excellent movie, but more than once, I went "huh"? I missed where the Christmas tree in the field came from. Maybe it was mentioned, but it hit me out of nowhere. Nicole goes from so deep in grief that she barely leaves her house except for work then to being flirty with Joe way too quickly. There's another change of mood that is way too quick near the end. There are others.

Some of the movie's attempts to pull heartstrings over Nicole's grief were too obvious. They still managed to work, but they should have been less blatant.

It's still a good movie, but it could have been very good. It felt like scenes were left out for time. You don't waste a name like Patrick Duffy, but I think the story would have flowed better by removing his dating life completely (even it felt truncated) and filling in some gaps with Nicole and Joe.

I like that the story was about getting through grief rather than the usual "I don't like Christmas and also my big corporation wants to buy your small business" story. A lot of people are sad at Christmas and it's good to see that addressed. It's always good to see Patrick Duffy on my screen, and I also liked that one of the main character's friends was obnoxious, rather than all the friends being super nice robots. There's always one!

6/10 - I usually enjoy all of these actors so my usually low expectations were heightened, but unfortunately the story doesn't really come together to make anything worthy of a rewatch (except for maybe a scene or two)

How refreshing to see a Hallmark movie that does not have a writer, chef, event planner, or lawyer. Perhaps the screenwriters should consider several other professions such as in this movie instead of recycling the same scripts over and over in most of their movies. I enjoyed this one, because it was different.

...Torrey DeVitto is perfect for Hallmark Christmas movies. Sweet, fun and drop dead gorgeous.

This was probably not as good as her previous effort, Write Before Christmas, but she is not to blame: she is excellent in this too.

The chemistry between leads, while not terrible, is not that strong. The plot was totally predictable, but it's a Hallmark movie, so that's not unusual. Strong performances by supporting cast, and some genuinely fun moments.

If you like Hallmark Christmas movies, you'll probably like this one too.

7.6 stars.

This one is high on the cry-o-meter. This was totally heartfelt, sad and a little depressing for those of us who have lost a loved one recently (which is the case for me this year). Interestingly this is the first movie of Hallmark so far in the 60 or so that I've seen the past 3 weeks that has someone actually dying in the movie. An actual living breathing person who is an active member of this movie dies in the first 10-15 minutes.

I enjoyed the whole movie start to finish. The lead male was quirky and kind, and had just the right amount of chivalry, and macho mixed in. The lead female is one of my favorites (top 5) and she was taken by his weird humor, but it was just what she needed to help her move past the grief of losing her fiancé in a car accident the year prior (they one who died at the start).

I give this a good rating because I liked all the actors, they were fun, and cool, and the sort of friends I would love to hang out with all year. When she tells him she wants to always be friends was a very moving moment for me. I felt like that's the way life should be, through adversity and loss we should always keep our friends close.

Great ending too, with a touch of the humor element still tagging along. I'd love to see more of these actors in Hallmark movies. As I continue my binge (I still have 70+ to go) I expect to see them both a few times each.

Why does hallmark films have to rush the good plots but then drag the Raman de plots for 2 hours. I enjoyed the you've got mail storyline and I wish that was more a focus and it's funny how she gets a response a second after she texts and the response is lengthy like come on hallmark. The whole time I thought this could actually be a good movie if it wasn't for hallmark ruining it with the whole let's drag the romance parts. I also could not stand her main girlfriend rip the microphone out of her hand. It had a good idea but it falls flat. Also again hallmark just ends the movie after they get together like why not them get together and then the last 5 min show them the next Xmas or something.

The Christmas Promise (2021) -

Awesome Cat!

It would probably take me a while to get over Henry (Giles Panton) too, because he did seem like the most loving fiancé and gorgeous to boot, but Joe (Dylan Bruce) would definitely be the right way for me to go about moving on. Sadly he didn't get even topless, but he was very charming, rugged, handsome, witty and lovely, but then Nicole (Torrey DeVitto) was nice too and deserved someone who would be there for her.

It was a good story too and although it was incredibly obvious right from the start what was going to happen, as it always is, the journey was different which I liked. It was similar to 'Christmas At The Chateau' (2019), but it was far easier to see the connection between the two leads in 'The Christmas Promise' and it was just so much better in general, because I liked the leads, the romance that blossomed and how easy it was. It was believable, which has been hard to find in some of these films of late.

There was a spark between Nicole and her friend Alan (Matthew James Dowden) too and I wouldn't have even minded if they had twisted it that way in the end.

There were lots of nice characters like him, which made it pleasant to watch.

However, Susan (Karen Holness) was not charming or fun in any way, she was just a rude and obnoxious selfish b!tch! I hated her character and couldn't understand why a part of the story was calling her out on her crap. Her behaviour didn't add anything to the film and actually Alan could have easily been Nicole's wingman instead, without Susan at all. It was a real stretch to believe that someone had married her. She really was an irritation in what was otherwise a great little film.

Even Patrick Duffy was a cute old pops in this one. He hadn't always delivered for me, but he was charming as Nicole's Grandad, not playing a large part, but enough to show her how life can work out sometimes.

The fallout that they had was a bit daft. That type of thing in these films has really been getting on my nerves. Why not have no emotional issues, but put them in physical danger instead to cause the drama. Like Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr in 'An Affair To Remember' (1957) or have them trapped in the house under a beam and that's how they realise that life is too short not to try, instead of confused feelings or misreading a hug to a friend. Come on writers think outside the box please?

But honestly I'm just being picky and overall the film was sweet and well made, strongly delivered and gave me warm and fuzzy feelings.

8/10.

'The Christmas Promise' is another 2021 Hallmark Christmas film to have a more serious theme for its story, after 'Christmas in My Heart'. The themes of grief and loss is familiar territory for Hallmark, but they are such relevant, universal and relatable themes/emotions due to everybody encountering them at least once in their lives that it doesn't matter how many times they're seen in film and television. Did like the idea and was already prepared to appreciate its good intentions regardless of the overall execution.

On the whole, the themes and the idea in 'The Christmas Promise' are executed quite well. Not flawlessly, with some story progression/pacing issues and aspects could have been fleshed out more. There was a lot to like about 'The Christmas Promise' though, it did move me, it's well performed and its good intentions and well meaning were very much obvious and appreciated hugely. As far as the 2021 Christmas films from Hallmark go, it's overall neither one of the best or worst (though out of the ones that had been aired already and this it is one of the better faring ones).

Am going to start with the good. It is a good looking film, with the scenery being beautiful. The music has presence and isn't drab, but it also doesn't feel intrusive or overwrought (which would have been very easy to do with such a serious story). The script has sincerity and doesn't get too melodramatic, though it is not always perfect.

While the story isn't perfect either, it deals with the themes of grief and loss thoughtfully and poignantly and manages to be moving without being maudlin. While also managing to be cheerful and upbeat, the gentle tone working very well. The cast are near uniformly great, with a poignant turn from Torrey DeVitto, a sympathetic one from Dylan Bruce and the always worth watching Patrick Duffy bringing understated feistiness to his role.

Did however find some of the story rushed in how it progresses, with things happening too quickly and sometimes introduced abruptly in the final third particularly. While DeVitto and Bruce have really lovely chemistry together, the relationship itself develops too fast and almost too whirlwind like.

While really liking Duffy in the role, his story could have been fleshed out a lot more or been cut because it did feel like padding. Personally did find Karen Holness too hammy and her character obnoxious, they do not gel within a film with such a gentle tone.

In summary, pretty good film with good intentions and heart but also a few bumps. 6.5/10.

I like it's not the same-o Hallmark Christmas movie set up. Trying for a little more drama, less fluff. But felt so lack luster, no real feelings. The actors were ok, just zero connection to them. Sorry doesn't make my yearly watch list.

6/10 - love that Hallmark included an honest look at grief in their slate of movies this year, but something about how it ended (no spoilers) really didn't sit well with me.

It has the gift to remind few classic romance films. And a reasonable job of Patrick Duffy. And not bad acting. And friendship fair portrait. And a kind baker and few good drops of seductive humor.

But, maybe, the accent on grief and its cure remains the basic virtue of film.

Sure, unrealistic in some scenes, regreting the meteoric presence of Henry - and the impression to be a sort of too easy pretext - , it is a nice story about the help from the other after a profound difficult event. And this makes it some different by the Hallmark Christmas universe.

But, working more than well, it is a decent pledge for trust and joy the second chance.

While a great idea, the writer destroys a lot of what's good with her complete tone deafness about losing a spouse/love, even resorting to the bad cliche and completely offensive platitude "it'll get better in time" line. The poor actress who has to play the self absorbed selfish party-throwing friend who seems to have completely forgotten in favor of her latest party outfit that he died getting ice for her at her flighty, ego inflating party. But the concept of the blind phone text exchanges that help the lead to heal is really good and the conflict solid, the texts sensitively done. So sad it was ruined wiyh Susan and her selfishness, which not funny and so unnecessary.

I loved this movie. The actors had such great chemistry, the storyline was sweet and very touching, and overall I thoroughly enjoyed it! Definitely one I'll be watching again.

Any time I watch a Hallmark Christmas movie I create the mindset that yes, this is a Christmas movie so everything is CRAMMED into a 2-3 week timeframe. But it makes so much more sense IRL when you figure this script, this timeline, this whole continuum should really happen over 8-10 months, total. None of the plots make much sense till you allow this separate but parallel universe to exist. YES, it was good. YES, there is redemption. But the sense of too-much-plot jammed into too-little-time is resolved by this substitute mindset. I can sit back and allow the unfolding of all, while recognizing if it were a "real" movie instead of Hallmark, it would take these extra months to elapse. I am comfortable with that!

Keep hoping for new approaches to Holiday Themes with new storylines and this does accomplish that. Sometimes some Hallmark stories copy films or works that have been out there before. Many times I do not expect great writing but more of escapism.

I have found though.something that is causing channel changes on my part, less interest in paying attention to the stories. It might seem trivial but is repeated so many times it is now almost repulsive. Do tell...why do so many leading men look as though they don't take care of themselves? The almost constant few days' old beards that usually lack professional touches is like..."why would I go out with this person". No...it is not manly. If Hallmark thinks it is and is sexy then they are off the mark. Either grow the beard, get a professional groomer or nix it altogether. The women usually could do with more emotion and less suburban hair.

I know looks are not everything but this is now trope for Hallmark and is old, stereotyping and boring.

Horrible acting by Karen holness is astounding. A scenery chewing ham actress who over acts, over smiles and over giggles in every scene. She all but ruins the movie........

Nicole Graham (Torrey DeVitto) is still struggling after her fiancé's death. She has to fix up their new house in order to sell it. She hires carpenter Joe Roberts (Dylan Bruce). She finds solace with her widower grandfather Pops (Patrick Duffy) and reads his old letters to her late grandmother.

The most compelling pairing is DeVitto and Duffy. It may be due to the two veteran actors. The rest is less compelling by comparison. Bruce doesn't have the same charisma and there is no heat there. He's not leading man material. This story is about her grief but this is still a Hallmark Christmas movie. She isn't really allowed to break all the way down. It's a light movie and they can't get that dark. I would prefer to go a bit Christian and have something a little more serious with this premise.