A World Record Christmas

Hallmark Christmas movies are a yearly indulgence for me. For a few weeks each year I throw out all expectations of good storytelling/writing/directing and choose to drown myself in schmaltzy romantic drivel.

This year, Hallmark managed to sneak in a few actual good movies in amongst the anticipated hyper-sappy drivel. This is one of the best! I've watched it twice now, and will watch it again if I catch it on this season. The story is simple and uplifting, but the characters (and the actors' portrayals) are gorgeously done!

Aias Dalton is an incredibly talented young actor. Period. The fact that he is autistic makes him neither more nor less talented, but I am entirely impressed with him for managing to practice his craft in what I know for a fact is a hectic environment. Well done, dude!

The family and friends were presented in such a way as to teach the ignorant that autistic people are just people who need some considerations. Best friend Amy was a gem. How great would it be if we all were so considerate and caring of each others' needs and differences?

I am here for sappy, stupid romantic Christmas movies but I loved that this movie didn't fit that bill. Marissa and Eric had their moments (and honestly Marissa's deception was the one real sour note for me) but that wasn't the crux of the story.

The real standout character for me was the stepdad, Eric. Talk about your perfect man! My heart bled for him every time he so sweetly accepted that the boy he loved and raised wasn't comfortable calling him dad.

This movie is so worth watching. Bring your Kleenex.

In this film, Charlie (played nicely by Aias Dalman) is an austitic young teen with emotional and social issues that his mother, Marissa, stepfather, Eric, and friend, Amy, are forced to deal with. But, they are issues that are common to any young teen, whether autistic or not. So, what the writers and director have created is a story with lessons about how parents and friends can help a floundering youth deal with problems that are pretty universal to any child who is growing up. This is how parents and friends should talk and act whenever they encounter a troubled youth. And that is what is remarkable about this film - autism may be the catalyst that causes Charlie's family and friends to treat him the way that they do, but it is how we should treat ANY young teen who suffers from the anxieties that Charlie does. It's a great life lesson for us all.

Nikki Deloach plays Marissa wonderfully, but it's Lucas Bryant who is really outstanding here as the stepfather.

The supporting cast is also very good, particularly Daphne Hoskins as Amy, April Telek as Marissa's friend, and Miranda Edwards as her boss. So, the acting here is very real and natural all around.

I really think this is worth your time. Interesting and heartwarming with some really special characters played by an excellent cast.

I have said it before and I will say it again. Nikki Deloach may be the best of Hallmark's actors, at least for the more serious roles. And she has done so many of the more serious Christmas movies. This is another good performance, not only by her but by the entire cast.

This movie is full of emotions. Happy. Sad. Heartbroken. Joyous. Jealous. Serious. Disappointed. And I'm sure I left some out. It is easy to say a movie has all these, but in this movie you feel them all along with the story.

There are some other good reviews here. At least one talks about family dealing with various issues, so I won't expand on that except to agree that this is excellent in showing parents deal with a child's struggles even the difficult ones.

I like the way the story skirts the obvious and gives an outcome that is at least a little bit surprising.

7.5 stars.

If you've seen the trailer, this film is self-explanatory, so I will go into some of the fringe and less noticeable qualities. The acting is superb, one of the best of Hallmark. Every person is exemplary, especially the stepfather. Mom does a great job as a caring and concerned mother of a teenage boy with some disadvantages due to the autism spectrum, however, he seems to be a highly functioning kid overall. We don't fully understand the condition, but from what I understand, it's like any other mental, or psychological anomaly, they all seem to be centered in the prefrontal cortex and amygdala. I suspect as soon as we find a way to truly regulate this part of the brain, most mental health professionals will be unemployed. Good movie btw. Uplifting, inspiring, motivational.

This isn't the typical Hallmark Christmas movie. Sure if you break it down it is the same formula, but it's more about the love of a family uniting over a child with autism than a boy meets girl from a different world fall in love in a week thing.

I honestly didn't think I would like this one. I really do like Nikki DeLoach a lot and she plays the mom in these movies very well. I am not very familiar with Lucas Bryant but he was perfectly cast in this.

There were a lot of story lines- the couples relationship, their individual relationships with the son, him trying to break a world record, the mom and work, the biological father, the son and his crush/best friend etc but it's more realistic I think with a lot going on.

It is well written, acted, directed. It was a surprising Yes for me this season.