Dr. Lauren Brunell (Bure) has her whole life planned out. As a third year surgery resident, she is counting on being accepted into a prestigious hospital fellowship to follow in the footsteps of her supportive father, Henry (Pine). But when those plans quickly fall apart, and Lauren is put on the wait list, she must take the only other opening available: a head doctor position in the small, remote town of Garland, Alaska. Convincing herself it is only temporary, Lauren moves to Garland where she is immediately charmed by Andy (O’Donnell), a handsome local who soon starts to show her the importance of living in the moment and enjoying her unexpected adventure. As Lauren excels as Garland’s trusted doctor, she warms up to the friendly town. But Andy’s father, Frank (Doyle-Murray), is hiding something from her in his top-secret shipping warehouse. Just as Lauren decides to get to the bottom of her suspicions, she receives news that will force her to make a life-changing decision, while knowing for certain that the Christmas season will never be the same.
My review:
First of all, I am a massive Candace Cameron Bure fan. I loved her in Full House, and it was so exciting to see her get married and declare her faith so openly. She has never wavered from that, and I fully support her. Not only that, but she if a fantastic actress. She is the “real deal.”
From the opening of the film, I was enraptured with this film. Candace was just the perfectly believable doctor. I sensed every emotion, disappointment and new experience right along with her. I knew nothing about Alaska, but it was quite entertaining to see her character adjust to such a diverse way of living. The proverbial city girl trying to fit into a small town in the middle of nowhere.
Amazingly, her character truly begins to connect with everyone in the town. And they get used to her being there. Her character’s plans of going back to big-city Boston begin to sound negative to her rather than positive. Maybe she should stay?
Part of her character’s issues and confusion are due to the character of Andy (played by David O’Donnell). He is charming to be sure, and his father has a striking resemblance to Santa Claus. Candace’s character and his seem to make the perfect couple, and I found myself never questioning the chemistry and fun between them.
While the story is a typical “Hallmark” story, the acting is outstanding, and there are a few twists and turns along the way. It is an excellent reminder about of what is important in this world. In fact, my only complaint is the very last few minutes. For me, reality was really strained. I would have preferred an ending that left more to the imagination. I’m sure many would disagree. But if that’s my only complaint, that’s not too bad.
For more information, please check out the following sites:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4180032/
http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/christmas-under-wraps/about
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6 Comments
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I just watched this film in 2020. Did you notice that, as a doctor, Candace’s character never prescribes any actual medicine for Mr. Holliday? It’s very interesting: she only prescribes rest, healthy food, and “supplements,” even though he may have had a cardiac event of some sort, and has high blood pressure at least. Telling him to take “supplements” occurs twice. I’ve never had a doctor suggest supplements as treatment, and I couldn’t help wondering if this choice to emphasize natural remedies and avoid drugs reflects something about the religious philosophy of the network. What do you think?
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Author
Hallmark does not (and cannot) subscribe to any religious philosophy. I would caution anyone to take Hallmark’s movies as recommendations about how to live your life “naturally.” I have no idea why this is included, but I also know that going through Hallmark movies with a fine tooth comb is something not recommended. They are meant to be pure entertainment and an escape from reality.
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Thank you kindly for your reply. But I’m a little confused by it. Why do you say that Hallmark cannot be influenced or guided by religious values? They are a private company (with a religious background) that is free to do so. We see it, for example, in how they use language; it’s well known that they do not allow any “bad words” in their movies or TV series. I just saw a talk show this morning on the channel, and in one segment they were discussing the importance of prayer and recognizing God’s creation.
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Cannot was possibly not the best term to use. Are not is better. Here is some info that shows they have religious roots in their background but it is not an official stance but any means. Many Christian’s are affiliated with Hallmark and they tend to be family-friendly but they have no official Christian affiliation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallmark_Channel
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I need to check his book out. It sounds like an awesome read.
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This sounds like a nice family film, I’d watch it. Thank you for sharing this review.
