On Strike for Christmas (2010 TV Movie) User Reviews

Mom strikes for Christmas

[kulbreez97 · 5/10 · 5 December 2010]

It was difficult to get past the fact that Julia Duffy was too young - or Daphne Z too old - for this role. With only an 11 year age difference they were not a believable mother/daughter casting....

Other than that it was typical low-budget holiday fare.

All the actors did a fine job. This must have been Christmas in a warm area - because no one ever seemed cold and all the trees were full of leaves!

Oh - and the character from Texas (redhead) should have gotten better direction... the scenes she was in did seem a bit annoying.

One last comment - the timeline was also a bit contrived....

I guess a 5 rating was my holiday gift to this movie!

Average TV-Movie

[Christmas-Reviewer · 5/10 · 17 August 2017]

BEWARE OF FALSE REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW TO THEIR NAME. NOW WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE MOVIE. IF ITS A NEGATIVE REVIEW THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST THE FILM . NOW I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 200 HOLIDAY FILMS. I HAVE NO AGENDA.

In this movie Meet Joy Robertson (Daphne Zuniga, TV's Melrose Place), a supermom who does it all -- even though her husband Stephen (David Sutcliffe, TV's Private Practice) and the rest of her family don't seem to appreciate just how hard she works, especially when it comes to Christmas. As the season rapidly approaches, the decorating, shopping, wrapping, baking and planning keep piling up - - and Joy's busy family just expects her to make it all magically happen without any help. Not this year! Joy goes on strike for the holidays, quickly inspiring a town-wide movement.

This film had potential but fails. The actors playing the teen boys look like they are 30. There is also a woman in this who has a way over the top southern accent.

I am however a huge fan of David Sutcliffe and he is charming here. The film however ends with a stupid sing along that just doesn't work. It should have ended "ONE YEAR LATER" showing the family working together to make "Christmas Enjoyable FOr Everyone".

Watchable but forgettable as well!

More than a Christmas romcom

[Jackbv123 · 6/10 · 30 December 2017]

Joy is overwhelmed trying to make Christmas perfect for her family even while they fail in one commitment after another. She goes on strike saying that she just wants her family to acknowledge how much effort it takes for her and pitch in. But as the strike progresses and takes on a life of it's own, she learns about herself, her family, her community and what makes Christmas special for families.

The acting is sufficient to carry the story through chaos and comedy and even some instructive moments.

Gets better as it goes along

[HallmarkMovieBuff · 6 December 2010]

Joy Robinson goes "on strike for Christmas" because she's doing all the preparation work herself with no help from her apparently unappreciative husband and sons.

The movie starts out well enough, but by the time the men take over in the kitchen, it starts playing like a bad sitcom. The plot picks up and starts turning the corner into a decent watch in the scene wherein Joy (Daphne Zuniga) and her mom (Julia Duffy) have a serious mother-daughter talk about what Joy really wants to come out of her strike. The proceedings pick up from there, and the movie would deserve a higher rating overall were it not for the slapstick scenes in the early going.

"On Strike..." differs from most Christmas movies in that the children here are not a couple of cute tykes, but seniors in high school preparing to leave home soon to pursue their educations, and in one case, a football scholarship at Bowdoin, while in the other case, music and girls at Oberlin.

The real value in this film is its message. Yes, Christmas is for kids, but Mom deserves more appreciation for all the hard work she puts in for the good of the family.

Waste of time

[redibirds3 · 2/10 · 23 December 2010]

I wouldn't vote 1 (awful) because it had SOME redeeming qualities. Those being that I DO enjoy the actors who were in it (Zuniga, Duffy and especially David Sutcliffe) but the story was so improbable as to verge on the unbelievable. I actually stopped watching 30 mins before the end.

Whoever cast it is not very good at their job. NO WAY would we buy Duffy being Zuniga's MOTHER! Her older sister, sure,,, but MOTHER? Come on! Audiences aren't that stupid.

And I agree with the other poster who said that the family is this story was ridiculous. Two of the most self-absorbed and spoiled teenagers with barely ANY manners. It's no wonder she felt the need to strike to begin with.

It was a good concept gone bad. Whoever was responsible for the production and execution of it is at fault.

It's still a feel-good Christmas movie

[amritsingh1900 · 7/10 · 7 December 2014]

I love Christmas movies, especially the ones made for TV. Most of them are cheesy and unrealistic, but thats what I love! They take you completely away from reality! They have to, most of them have Santa in them right? :)

The casting for this movie, yes, very questionable. Daphne looked much older than the gentleman playing her husband, but the worst casting of all time, in any movie I've ever seen, is the older basketball playing son. He does look like he's 30+, and his hairstyle, for a man who looks 30, makes me laugh every time I watch this movie. But its one of the reasons I keep watching it, lol! Every year I look for this movie, because that actor makes me cackle! :)

It's still a warm Christmasy movie, family, friends, gorgeous Christmas decor, beautiful home, everyone always looking so stylish and fancy (I wear my pajamas when i decorate my tree, hm, i wear my pajamas for a lot of things i think..) and the moral of the story is nice.

So if you're not hard pressed to work for the two hours that it airs, sit, relax, dial your brain down, and look for the older son's hairstyle! ha ha ha! :)

Possibly the worst casting I've ever seen.

[newsus · 3/10 · 12 October 2014]

This is possibly the worst casting I've ever seen. Not because the acting was bad, just that the actors didn't appear to look the age they were supposed to look, which made the relationships between the characters in the story very confusing.

I have to admit I did not watch the whole movie, but I saw enough to know what I had a problem with.

I happened to start watching the movie while the three men of the house were baking cookies. Honestly, it was a little difficult to tell which one was the father and which ones were the sons.

But then when I saw Julia Duffy playing Daphne Zuniga's mother, I kind of just gave up at believing this would be a decent movie.

Counter to what other reviewers have said, I didn't really notice a big jerkiness on the men's side, but this could be because I only watched a few scenes. What bugged me is that Joy didn't just want the men of her family to pitch in and do their part, she actually wanted them to do their part ONLY in the way that she dictated it should be done. I don't blame them for being annoyed when she criticized the *process* they used making cookies, even when the end result they delivered was exactly what she wanted. I've seen this theme too often.

Here's an Idea...

[alyzu · 3/10 · 28 October 2019]

Stop treating your grown kids like toddlers (cleaning up after them, doing everything for them), and stop trying to make everything perfect. I Like the cast, and the concept had potential, but the end result is just bad.

This film sets feminism back 30 years

[abbiclark-82542 · 1/10 · 19 December 2021]

This film begins with a lot of promise and examines an issue many will be familiar with at Christmastime, or even year round. The mother, Joy, does much unpaid and unappreciated work around the house, despite being the busiest member of the household and running a successful business. Her husband and grown sons cannot seem to function or run their own events.

She goes on strike, as she should, queen behaviour. She eventually caves on this guided by the advice of her mother, who advises that compromise is the key to happiness at Christmas, which doesn't send a great message. The only way this film could have been saved is if it had ended in divorce.

This film also has shocking casting. You have to have a very large imagination to believe that these 35 year old men are actually teenagers.

Kept a Smile on my Face

[lindajean4044 · 10/10 · 25 March 2016]

I gave this a 10 because it did what movies are supposed to do: make us feel good. Ignore the negative criticisms made by some reviewers and just enjoy. Even though the grandmother was obviously too young looking, it did not keep me from enjoying the movie. By the way, David Sutcliffe was about 41 when this was made, so he certainly was old enough to be the father of teen boys. I put this movie in the category of the Hallmark movies.

This is a wholesome movie and I had a big smile on my face the entire time. I love the more dramatic series such as Daredevil, but once in a while it is nice to take a break from murder and mayhem and watch a simple, clean movie. Teens would probably find this boring, but not this old lady and many others like me out there!

Cancelling the festivities

[Prismark10 · 3/10 · 19 November 2017]

I can see why Daphne Zuniga, touted as the next big thing 30 years ago never made it big in the movies. She was never a good enough actress although she has always steadily worked.

Unfortunately this is really her level, a bland Christmas movie with no underlying meaning apart from appreciate the mother of the household. Although the script never makes clear what is bugging Joy Robertson (Zuniga.)

Is it because she feels taken for granted as the Christmas party season approaches or that her kids will soon fly the nest and she thinks she will lose her purpose?

She goes on strike by not intending to do anything for the festivities, other mothers join her and a television news show takes note of the developing human interest story.

A rather superficial and shallow movie with some actors looking too old to be playing teenagers.

Some funny moments - appreciate the homemaker

[phd_travel · 27 September 2011]

This is a light and quite amusing family comedy. The first two thirds of this movie is quite fun and entertaining. Haven't really seen a movie where the men try to cook and mess up and it's quite laugh out loud funny.

Daphne Zuniga looks quite young for her age and is pleasing to watch - always wondered why she didn't get more roles. David Sutcliffe looks a bit young to be a father of teens. The later part kind of gets corny but it's a good movie for families with just sons and no daughters to watch (or daughters who don't help their moms). Watch it and appreciate mom a bit more.

Wow...not that great

[wingedheartart · 4/10 · 9 December 2010]

Okay, I'm all for sappy, silly, mushy, good, not so good, any kind of Christmas/Holiday movies. Really...I love watching Fa La La La Lifetime movies and pretty much all holiday movies.

This one? Not so great. I usually don't care if they are that good or not, but man....Daphne Zuniga's sort of sweet baby talk voice throughout this thing when she had raised the two most selfish, self absorbed boys, and the most unappreciative husband was completely annoying.

Someone else should have been the mom...possibly Julia Duffy, who did look WAY too young to play Daphne's mom. Bad casting I agree.

But, as a REAL mom who catered, makes about 7 different art items and sells them, has hosted teacher parties, private parties and more all at this, the pretty much busiest party time of the year, would NOT have talked so sweet and baby to my selfish family, had her family been mine. Man.....whoever wrote this should have pointed out the meaning of Christmas to those selfish boys and to the husband.

My husband sprung a HUGE housewarming for his coworkers at OUR house with a one wk. notice and he was all about shopping for the items for me to use for making the massive foods etc. and helping me. He asked me last minute, so he fully helped me get ready. This chick's family? Man oh man.

And they all kept hushing her with "I'm sorry...and smirking." What was THAT about?

Whoever wrote this should have at least made the mom a bit stronger or less door mat shaped. Strong enough to poor cake batter over the son's selfish heads and telling the husband to get the dept. head at his work, to hire a catering company to handle the dang party.

Okay, enough griping. Such stupid boys and dad.

I KNOW there are guys out there who can cook, clean and shop....I see them at the grocery store. So, let's hear it for YOU guys...not these guys.

And, no offense Daphne....talk in a real voice next time.

Thanks. Merry Merry to ya.

Not well translated to screen

[dottyemail · 3/10 · 7 December 2021]

Urgh I can only expect that this was badly translated from the book. Because it really seems like it was lazily written from a one dimensional male perspective.

Now I normally like schmaltzy xmas films, but I didn't even want to see the end of this one. And I have watched the end of some rubbish films.

Still a classic!

[Racingphan2 · 9/10 · 2 November 2020]

Ten years later this movie still holds up as a Christmas classic. Daphne Zuniga is just perfect as a mom who's had enough of being taken for granted, only to realize how great she has it. David Sutcliffe is great as the husband, and it's always awesome to see Julia Duffy in anything. It also features one of my favorites, Lisa Durupt.

family

[Kirpianuscus · 17 June 2021]

More than a Christmas film, it is a very nice family film. Surprising in some measure because the roots of strike are so present in near reality life than the mix of irony and conflicts, hilarious situations and the attittude of ladies are more than realistic or familiar but just fair. It can be perceived as feminist manifesto with Hallmark end and the work of Julia Duffy is just precious. Short, family and the connections defining it so well.

Hilarious! One of the funniest movies I have seen in a while

[divaofsongs · 10/10 · 6 December 2014]

I am not going to give a long or detailed review but I just wanted to say that this movie was very funny, light-hearted, and family friendly. I laughed so hard that I had to pause the DVR several times because I could not stop laughing. The baking scene with the boys and their dad was so funny! This movie is a reminder to spouses and children all over the world, that the home's matriarch/patriarch does so much to make the Holiday's perfect for everyone else, so it would be nice if everyone else could just pitch in and take some of the burden off of their shoulders.

I cannot understand why this movie got such a low rating, I thought it was great!

Disatisfying Moralistic Chick Flick

[wackerg · 8 December 2010]

Syrupy chick flick lacking the guts it needs to be convincing. Casting Julia Duffy as Joy Robinson's mother was foolish, given that she is either too young to play that part, or that Zuniga is too old to play her part. In addition, was the slightly quavery voice Duffy used really supposed to convince us that she was older? Puhleeze! Either way, it didn't work for me. Nevertheless, the Joy Robinson character needs to grow a set! I was never, at any time, convinced that Joy had reached her end point in tolerance for her feckless, thoughtless and egocentric men-children. She reminds me of the off-brand trash bags: wimpy, wimpy, wimpy!!

i liked it

[sandcrab277 · 9/10 · 31 December 2021]

I was happy to see that the 2 guys that played zuniga's sons were clean shaven for this film, not so much for david sutcliffe who looked and dressed like a slob and acted like a total putz ... thanks for the.

Not memorable

[CranberriAppl · 27 December 2010]

OK, I get what the movie was trying to do, but in the real world, Joy would have been told to calm down and mellow out. Honestly, before she went on strike, she just seemed a tad too neurotic, so I couldn't even cheer when she did it. Not that I think something like this is that serious, but again, I know what the movie was going for. I get that her hubby and sons were too dependent on her, and that's fine, but she had a few issues as well. I liked Daphne's Hallmark Thanksgiving movie, but this one wasn't as good. David Sutcliffe was funny as always and so were the sons.

Oh, and I don't consider myself to be a feminist, but it was not lost on me how Daphne's character was the only woman in her house, and the other wives only mentioned their husbands and male children. Typical We-Have- Issues-With-Men Lifetime.

It has the potential to be a classic, but it lacks a bit more madness

[garfielfreak · 8/10 · 5 December 2023]

There is potential in this movie.

The story is good, about how she tries to get her family to do their part. It doesnt show the really mad parts about the mad holiday rush.

The way the family relies on the wife to keep it all in order looks like they take it for granted & wont do it themselves. They really needed the christmas strike.

Looking at the husbands shopping scenes then it seems a bit tame. If they threw bits of black friday madness into it then...

Came across on danish tv & i loved it, but it could have done with some more polish work. Then it would have been perfect.

But it is indeed a underrated movie.