Toying With the Holidays (2021)

Synopsis: 

Workaholic designer Danielle returns to her hometown of Holly Pines for the holidays with her young son Paul with hopes to introduce him to some beloved holiday traditions, in particular the town's North Pole Express train. Once home, she discovers that the North Pole Express has been sidelined. Determined to help, Danielle reconnects with her former high school classmate Kevin, now a hobbyist and model train enthusiast himself. Together, Danielle and Kevin attempt to pull off a Christmas miracle that would get the old North Pole Express running-and quite possibly give Danielle many reasons, one of them romantic, to consider staying at Holly Pines for good... 

Starring: 

Chad Michael Murry, Cindy Busby, Kate Trotter, Callum Shoniker, Paulino Nunes, Izaak Smith, and Hanneke Talbot 

Genre: 

Romance 

Premiered: 

December 18, 2021 - Lifetime Channel 

🎄 2021 Christmas Binge Watch Movie #109 🎄 

I must talk about this first. There's a scene in a cafe were our characters are taking about getting the train back up and running, and how she can help them with their businesses. It's a wheeling and dealing scene. Any how, there's this couple sitting right behind them, and I couldn't stop laughing. Basically this one guy was making sure his extra part would stand out in not a good way. Like he's passionately talking with his hands, and you just know they're pretending to talk as extras. Then he makes this wild gesture in calling the waitress for his coffee, except it looks like he's yelling and you know there's no sound cause were trying to focus on the main characters. It's so hysterical, I rewound that scene like five times I couldn't get enough.

Alrighty now. I really enjoyed this one. Cindy Busby and Chad Michael Murray had some pretty good chemistry, enjoyed their banter. I like trains, so all the classic toy trains and finding parts for the train ride reminded me of my youth. Used to love to take the train rides at the feasts. Basically this is pretty much your paint by numbers holiday tale, single mom goes back home to help out the town Christmas whatever, falls in love, and has to make life choices. Despite its potential predictability I really enjoyed the whole vibe of it. The cast is solid. Sometimes you need a little old fashioned tale to finish out the holiday. 

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ 

Where to Watch: Lifetime, Prime Video