The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
| 13 December 2008 (USA)
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year Trailers

Five-time Emmy nominee and Golden Globe winner Henry Winkler stars in The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, the story of what happens when you open your heart to the power of Christmas. Disenchanted single mom Jennifer Cullen (Brooke Burns) is a Scroogette when it comes to anything Christmas. In fact, even her six-year-old son, Brian, is having trouble believing in Santa Claus. But when her Uncle Ralph (Henry Winkler) visits and brings a fellow passenger from his flight named Morgan Derby (Warren Christie), Jennifer s dubious heart awakens to the possibility that perhaps Christmas really does hold miracles. It s uplifting and laugh-packed and a story that will inspire the whole family to believe.

Reviews
StunnaKrypto Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.
Robert Joyner The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one
Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.
Frances Chung Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable
studioAT A delayed flight, a woman who's lost sight of what Christmas is all about, and a kindly Uncle all combine for this wonderful Christmas Hallmark film, that pulls you in and provides a lovely 80+ minutes of entertainment.I thoroughly enjoyed this film, and thought the cast (including Henry Winkler no less) did a great job. The story line is sweet and funny, and actually has some important messages thrown in along the way.There are lots of films that claim to be 'Christmas classics' that really aren't, but this is a worthy contender.
SimonJack "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" is one of the better modern Christmas stories put on film. My eight stars may be pushing it a bit because at times the acting seems wooden or hesitant by the two young leads. At other times, especially early on, Brooke Burns as Jennifer Cullen seems to over act, or over react. Maybe it's that so many films focus on the busy-ness of people around the Christmas season that this seems to be wearing thin in the modern run of films. The engagement between Jennifer and Richard, played by Woody Jeffreys, isn't believable. The guy is so intense as a businessman that he doesn't show any affection toward her at all. He doesn't smile one time in this film. Yet she insists several times that "Richard is a good man," etc. It's a real stretch for viewers to think or believe that she could be in love with that guy. The screenplay comes up short in these areas; and the directing should have put some life into Richard. While it may seem a little hokey that Uncle Ralph (played by Henry Winkler) would invite a stranded airline passenger, Morgan Derby (played by Warren Christie) to spend Christmas with his family, it hearkens to a similar situation in the highly popular movie of 1987, "Planes, Trains and Automobiles." Morgan seems a little awkward at first, then uncertain of himself, then a little forward toward Jennifer. Still, this is a good story - and a refreshingly fun film. It owes most of its appeal to Winkler. He is a retired police officer from Brooklyn who is making his annual flight across country to spend the Christmas holidays with his niece and nephew. He meets Morgan in the airport, and Morgan pulls a little caper with Ralph's help to get them checked in at the head of the line, and moved up to first class. On the plane flight out, he tells Morgan that Jennifer is more like a daughter than a niece. And his nephew, Brian, is played beautifully by young Connor Levins. It seems to be a formula for all films in which a single parent child appears, that the child intuits who the right mate should be for his or her mom or dad. Well, it's that way here with Brian taking to Mogan right away and not caring for Richard. But of course, we viewers can see the same thing just in how the characters are presented. The film has some nice touches of humor throughout, especially with a busybody neighbor. Uncle Ralph takes every opportunity to push Morgan toward Jennifer, and to ease her out of her engagement to Richard. Jennifer knows what he's doing, and part of the humor, and warmth, is their interaction. The relationship between Ralph and Jennifer shows a very believable and lovable chemistry between an uncle and a niece. That's one of the strengths of this move. I agree with the reviewer who noted the fight scene with Morgan and the store owner. Playing that for humor detracts from the value of this as a family film. Hallmark tried to make it seem innocuous, but that's sending a message to a child that white lies are OK. Overall, though, this is a Christmas film for adults that one might add to his or her holiday film collection.
hermansutter5 My family loves this movie. The acting is smooth and charming, the dialog lively, the plot familiar but still fun, and Henry Winkler gives one of the breeziest performances since Bing Crosby played a priest. Winkler is a good natured retired police officer who visits his uptight niece who happens to be a single mom with a sweet young son and she is engaged to a stuck up business suit. In the cute meet Winkler brings home from the airport a stranger who turns out to be chef, a handyman and a very cute "tall glass of egg nog with a scarf." There is a must have Christmas gift, a running joke about lights and a wreath, and a bit of turkey cooking humor as well as plenty of romance. Ah Christmas. Ah, Bartleby.You will love this movie. Great script for about 45 minutes, then charming and fun the rest of the way. Do yourself a favor and pour yourself some egg nog and sit down with a few ginger snaps and the ones you love. Enjoy.
dk1517-463-296753 A guy's perspective here. Even though I hate almost all chick flicks and Christmas love stories, I absolutely love this movie! My wife was watching it last December and I was immediately hooked. I bought the DVD for her as a Christmas gift and I now find myself watching it over and over again.Jen, a single mom and successful business woman, is stressed out over the Christmas rush, and it doesn't help that her super rich but boring boyfriend, Richard, and his parents are expecting her to prepare an extravagant turkey dinner for all of them. Meanwhile, her uncle Ralph, while flying out to see Jen and her son Brian, meets a stranger, Morgan, and convinces Jen to let him spend the night in her home along with Ralph and Brian.Morgan turns out to be the Jack of all trades--getting Ralph into first class, helping Jen with the Christmas lights, irritating her pesky neighbor, relating wonderfully with Brian, showing Jen how to cook the turkey and at the same time how to enjoy Christmas. He even challenges the grumpy store owner to a duel in the alley in order to get the perfect gift for Brian. Through Ralph's clever manipulating, Morgan ends up staying another night--just long enough to force Jen into having to decide between Morgan and Richard.My only criticism is that they probably overdo the Santa Claus thing with Brian. Not sure why a kid can't enjoy Christmas to its fullest even after knowing Santa isn't real, but other than that, this is a wonderful, delightful Christmas movie.Plenty of humor and definitely a romantic theme, but not so much that guys can't enjoy it. This is more about how to enjoy the holiday season, and it doesn't hurt having Henry Winkler, plus the fact that Brooke Burns is so good looking.