Hanukkah on the Rocks

Excellent writing with several chuckle-worthy moments. Overall a fresh movie with only minimal use of standard Hallmark tropes. Throughout the movie we are treated to a believable story, and several fun and original moments. Acting is very good and the lead couple is believable. Another aspect which I greatly appreciated is that there were no groan-worthy moments with unrealistic story elements. Kudos to the producers, writers and actors. And, I would stop writing here except that IMDB requires a ridiculous long minimum word/character count so I guess I will just keep typing until...wait for it.. now.

Hallmark's 2024 Hanukkah on the Rock's was one of the better releases this season. The leading actress, Stacey Farber who plays Tory was very good and hopefully we'll see her in more leading roles in Hallmark movies, but the real star of this movies was Marc Summers as Sam Rosen. My wife and I were pleasantly surprised to see him in this movie because we were fans of his old Food Network show Unwrapped for many years. He's was superb in this movie. We enjoyed the story a lot despite several tropes, because it was really heartwarming and festive and a nice change of pace watching mature adults enjoying Hanukkah inspired cocktails in a grown up's bar versus "hot cocoa stands" and "building snowmen". The only reason I'm giving this 8 stars versus 10 is because the brief "misunderstanding" trope towards the very end really felt like a square peg in a round hole and was totally contrived and unnecessary in this movie.

This is a rare Hallmark movie where even the dialog associated with the obligatory plot points is executed in a way that doesn't sound cliche. The imaginative games at the bar are a lot of fun with more interesting and quirky supporting characters than usual. The leads are engaging and have good chemistry. The "bubby" and the grandfather are both exceptionally well played. The different dilemmas unfold in the usual Hallmark way but enough fun stuff is chocked into the middle that it all seems more natural somehow. I think the Hallmark genre of movies needs to be rated on their own scale with enjoyment being the main criterion. As such. I enjoyed Hanukkah on the Rocks thoroughly and rate it a 9/10.

As a 90s baby, I was a big fan of both Degrassi: The Next Generation and The Secret Life of the American Teenager. When I found out that Stacey Farber and Daren Kagasoff were the leads for this Hannukah film, I knew I had to watch it. When I saw Marc Summers playing sweet grandpa Sam, I started smiling ear to ear. After my viewing, I am happy to report that I loved it! This little movie was full of charm, tradition, community, family, romance...all the things that my Hallmark faves are known for. As a Christian who celebrates Christmas and the birth of Christ, I thoroughly enjoyed this Hannukah film. At its core, it had themes that everyone can relate to and enjoy, whether they are religious or not. I hope Hallmark Channel will continue to cast Stacey Farber and Daren Kagasoff in future projects because they are great actors with a sweet chemistry. Viewers will find themselves rooting for them every time.

I'm not Jewish, I'm not a drinker and have never been to a bar, but i absolutely love this movie and will save it (I've already watched several times)! Stacey Farber is perfect in this role. I think this is third movie I've seen her starring in and she's been believable in each. I look forward to seeing her in more. I wasn't familiar with Daren Kagasoff but he played the grandson just right (I love his "calming" voice)! Marc Summers couldn't be more fitting for this role - loved him! Actually all the actors were great - seeming like a family! I loved the atmosphere and friendliness of the bar and would love being there even without a drink! 🤗