On December 19, 2024, Hallmark Channel released 'Trading Up Christmas', which has earned predominantly positive reviews from critics. In the film, "Michelle tries to get her sister a new place to live and all she has is a Christmas stocking to trade with." The ensemble cast includes Italia Ricci, Michael Xavier, Taylor Love, and Connie Manfredi. But what did the critics say?
Liz Kocan of Decider says, "Using a trading up scheme as the basis for a movie is a clever conceit, and Trading Up Christmas turns what is typically a fun, creative challenge into a heartwarming tale of kindness and community – but in doing so, it doesn’t get overly sappy. By having cynical Dan and Keri both expressing their doubts and realistic expectations for how the whole thing will play out, they both keep idealistic and optimistic Michelle grounded and, yes, of course they all serve as foils for one another. Michelle helps Dan’s heart grow three sizes and eventually he opens up about his feelings for her. But Michelle, always the proactive helper, finally lets someone else help her for a change, and in him, she finds a mischievous accomplice. Unlike many Hallmark movies which take place in a fictional town that’s named some variant of [Tree Species]+[Geographical Feature], like Sycamore Hills or Cedar Grove, this one takes place in the real city of Worcester, Massachusetts – the very city where this writer happened to grow up. If I had to make a very personal complaint, it’s that there is nary a B-roll shot of the giant Polar Seltzer polar bear off of I-290, nor a single reference to the traffic in Kelly Square. Putting that aside so I can be an real journalist like Dan is, the film has a satisfying romance that builds gradually and realistically as Michelle and Dan start their relationship as writer and subject, soon developing into flirty friends, and many of the supporting cast are genuinely funny and well-developed. The movie features several intertwining plots about sibling relationships, too, which help it feel like these characters are layered and would still be interesting outside of the trading plot. While it’s no surprise that this movie gets its happy ending, both in romance and real estate, it takes us on a slightly unpredictable ride to get there, which is always a plus considering how formulaic these films can often be." Adding, "Michael Xavier’s portrayal of Dan is prickly at first, but pretty soon, after he starts to throw himself into his role as Michelle’s trading buddy, his talent as a comedic actor starts to shine. The goofier he’s expected to be, the more believable and appealing a leading man he is."
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| Photo by Jamie Davies on Unsplash |
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