Brooke D’Orsay plays Cassie, a professional theatre director who temporarily returns to Dickens, Ohio. His job was to direct the annual Christmas production, and he was under pressure. This is partly because her mother told everyone in town. That Cassie had made it to Broadway when Cassie was close to Off-Broadway.
It is also the 100th anniversary of the play. Which was part of a more significant celebration that turned all of central Dickens into Victorian London. To stress it even more, the legendary local actor in the role of Scrooge (who was “Sir Patrick Stewart of Central Ohio”) suffered from strep throat. And the main cast had to be reworked. But who can play Scrooge in this more significant piece than ever?
What about Jake Dorsey (Christopher Polaha), the most famous man to leave Dickens, Ohio.
Now he’s a hot action star with his franchise (aptly called the Throttle Run series). But he wants to take his career in a new direction. He wanted to star in a dramatic adaptation of his mother’s favourite book. But no one in Hollywood would take Jake seriously as an actor. The plan: play Scrooge and show everyone with this show that Jake Dorsey can do more than just hit.
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But will Jake learn to transfer his charisma from soundstage to stage? Will Cassie find her passion as a director? Will Jake get along with the family he left behind? Most importantly, can a delightful Hallmark film about good dramatic acting show good dramatic acting?
In the 8th minute of “A Dickens of a holiday”. I found out that I am in good hands. This is the first time Jake Dorsey has worked so hard on the set of Throttle Run 3. It’s an accurate and ambitious joke, and I burst out laughing right away. Since then, I’ve joined – and have never been disappointed.
I keep thinking about the Hallmark holiday film machine. At a glance, Dickens Day! It is a Hallmark film that ticks all the boxes. There are two celebrities from Hallmark holiday movies starring in silly titles.
And a general premise that we’ve seen time and time again. These are all components of this machine, which produces more than 40 new films every year. But what I found was terrific in “A Dickens of the Holiday!” To change the metaphor – how this film colours the lines but gives so much depth to those colours.
Like Cassie and Jake, D’Orsay and Polaha deliver a kind of fiery romance:
Which I have never seen in these films. Their mutual respect grows throughout the film as each becomes more aware of their talents. In fact, in a particularly brilliant production, the film uses Cassie’s directing techniques. That is to bring her closer to Jake physically and, above all, emotionally.
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Even more impressive is that this is a getaway film about two people. Who leave their small town to pursue their big-city dreams. And the film doesn’t insist that their lives are incomplete because of that choice. Instead, Cassie and Jake seek something they’ve found within themselves.
The belief in their ability to get more out of their talent than they ever imagined. Because of that, as I mentioned earlier. The film’s emotional arc lies between Jake and his brother, taking on a Hallmark formula. That ultimately impacts many of the other characters’ relationships.
All the shows are fantastic too. The way Cassie and Jake parted ways was great; D’Orsay and Polaja have natural chemistry here between Sam and Diane, and so do I. And the practice scene between the two is next level. Cassie gave Jake excellent instructions, and Jake – or rather Polaha – gave them. I think the excellent play in this Hallmark movie is good because the acting in this Hallmark movie is excellent.
I’m thrilled with this insanely awesome Hallmark film with all of this in mind. That has so much inexplicable and prominent product positioning for Ace Hardware.
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There’s even an exchange where Jake says working at Ace Hardware was the best job he’s ever had at Dickens. Ace Hardware, you can be proud of where your money has gone. A Dickens of a Holiday Is the Hallmark film average and the Hallmark film average skyrocketed this year?