A Season for Family (2023 TV Movie) User Reviews

A refreshingly original Hallmark movie

[allmoviesfan · 7/10 · 25 November 2023]

Brendan Penny is a reliable Hallmark actor. His movies are always of a high standard, no matter who is starring opposite - he has a long list of very good Hallmark movies. I never miss one of his movies.

It was fun to see Jessica Siposs, who played his wife in the long-running Chesapeake Shores series, play his sister in 'A Season For Family. (Side note: when are we going to get a 'Chesapeake Shores' Christmas movie?)

I loved Park City, Utah setting and the refreshingly original plot. I don't mind the occasional 'return to your small hometown for Christmas' movie, but Hallmark appear to be making a concerted effort for a little more originality in their films, and that is a good thing.

Well-acted (especially the kids - they can sometimes be sickly sweet and unrealistically over-the-top enthusiastic in these movies, but are realistic and believable here), well-written, very few of the usual Hallmark tropes here.

A lot to enjoy.

Not exactly what I expected.\

[Jackbv123 · 8/10 · 24 November 2023]

I expected this to be one of Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel's sentimental stories rather than just a rom/com. And it was, sort of. Sometimes with a sentimental story, the romance is tacked on. It's secondary. In this movie it was integrated into the adoption story of the brothers who didn't know they were brothers. The romance almost takes over. There are still some sentimental moments, but the reveal is early in the movie to everyone but the boys. The romance develops like it would in most rom/coms and the obstacle, the secret from the boys, is always hanging there part of the romance story too.

Actually, the story is very predictable once the pieces are in place. The viewer can see how the details are going to be worked out as circumstances develop just screaming to come to that predictable conclusion. That's too bad. I'm not sure how it would have worked in a more sentimental way, but it sure seems like that would have made it better.

I've only seen Stacey Farber a few times but she is appealing as Maddy from the get-go. I actually liked her in those appearances too, but at least one, Butlers in Love, the movie itself was iffy at best. She has chemistry with Brendan Penny. Maddy is always upbeat and encouraging.

A couple of other things I didn't love. The plot thread of not telling Cody because Paul and his wife had agreed was just too rigid. It was necessary to make the story come out the way it did, but it didn't make sense. The other - just before the climactic moment there was a musical montage showing the main characters being thoughtful and it just left me flat.

The question that for me has become key to how much I love a movie - will I watch it again? Answer - I don't know. I think Stacey Farber as Maddy will bring me back.

just so so

[harryb-98514 · 6/10 · 7 December 2023]

The Brendan Perry character was obnoxiious in his refusal to allow his son to know his brother. Everyone else disagreed with him but he stubbornly refused cooperate. He said it was because his wife wanted to wait but everything changed and he was just not willing to relent. The Brendan Perry character was obnoxiious in his refusal to allow his son to know his brother. Everyone else disagreed with him but he stubbornly refused cooperate. He said it was because his wife wanted to wait but everything changed and he was just not willing to relent. Woul have been a better movie if he hadnt been so unreasonable.

Touching Story

[PeterMovie61 · 24 November 2023]

No spoiler here, just a statement that can let the viewer know that a quality family movie is here to enjoy. Although a long shot for plausibility, fine acting, good supporting actors and a steady growing story unfolds nicely. Whereas in some Christmas love stories the kids are second tier, here we have two responsible adults. This doesn't dampen the romance but brings a sense of reality to the account. Excellent acting gives the slow unveiling of emotions, rather than bluntness sometimes seen in rushed movies. Touching musical score and strong child actors come together for a heart warming Christmas tale.

Touching and sweet

[ab-84038 · 9/10 · 7 December 2023]

This one is a really great movie for the whole family. It kind of has a small mystery regarding adopted brothers and how they come to find each other. I found it very enjoyable and entertaining to see how it all played out. Really Loved Brendan Penny as the single dad. His loyalty to his deceased wife was admirable. The two kids were so sweet and made the story more believable because they liked each other so much and favored each other.

I enjoyed all of the supporting cast and highly recommend this one. I even shed a tear towards the end in regards to the boys getting their Christmas wishes.

Puts a smile on your face

[MickyG333 · 9/10 · 9 December 2023]

8.5 stars.

Maddy's (Farber) magnetism and cheerfulness caught my attention immediately. She is not an actress I've seen often. I was surprised to see that Sipos was not the lead actress, as I've seen her in shows and movies, especially 'Chesapeake Shores'. It's apparent she and Penny collaborate here, being that he's one of the main leads in Chesapeake.

'A Season for Family' is generally festive and fun, but there are some dramatic and serious moments to balance out the laughter. Paul (Penny) is a troubled father of an adopted boy. If I had to give a theme for this film it would be: A despondent father comes to terms with his fears. Paul's wife passed away a couple years back, and he's left to deal with the aftermath, but hasn't adapted well, but his son Cody is a real trooper.

Sometimes a movie just works. This one is pieced together in a way that gives us a lot of emotions all over the spectrum. Rarely is a story so versatile. I laughed a couple of times at some uncharacteristically humorous moments. I don't believe they were necessarily meant to be funny, but they were presented in just a way that was brilliant. There are some tearful moments too, and the two young boys were amazing. The grandparents fit right in place, and the plot lends itself to making every actor so likable. Wonderful production. 8.5 rounds up to 9 stars! I had to award this the coveted 9 star status, it's THAT good.

Extras stars for a complex plot that works

[VetteRanger · 9/10 · 22 December 2023]

I don't know if this one rises to the level of a Hallmark Christmas movie we like so much that we'll watch it again in coming years, but I was impressed with the job the writers did on making a Gorian knot out of the problems the male and female leads faced. They made it believable all the way and with only one of the common "romance tropes".

We do have a bit of a coincidence. Two single people have adopted sons who happen to be brothers. The woman lives in San Fran and is in the hotel business. Her father owns a ski resort in Park City, Utah, and she and her son find out the brother lives there. By coincidence they meet the brother's widowed adoptive father.

The son from San Fran knows he's adopted and the son in Utah does not. The leads both like each other and their afinity grows, but there is the problem of the two boys becoming immediate fast friend without knowing they are brothers and without the one knowing he's adopted.

That puts pressure on the man to disclose his son's adoption and the woman to reject her father's offer of a job to stay in Utah as his resort's General Manager. She and the man can't get together unless he admits the adoption, and that's a problem for him, and it's understandable it might be.

So the truth about the adoption upsets the romance and the job and the boys knowing they are brothers ... all the while the man may lose his ski shop ... when the woman could save it by becoming the GM and accepting a business proposal her father put on hold.

The tendrils of the story reach in every direction and they don't make you roll your eyes at the samey plot tropes which so infest most of these romances.

Recommended.

A warm-hearted story about the reunion of two adopted brothers at Christmas time.

[cgvsluis · 5/10 · 11 December 2023]

Maddy's adopted son Wesley did a school family tree project and when they reached out to his social worker they found out he had a brother who was adopted into a family in the Utah ski resort town where Maddy's father owns and runs a hotel. When Maddy and Wesley head there for Christmas with the grandparents they meet widower Paul and his son Cody.

In the biggest coincidence on the planet Cody is Wesley's brother only Cody doesn't know he's adopted and Paul doesn't want to tell him because he and his wife agreed to wait until he was older and could handle it emotionally.

This was a great story about adoption and finding adopted families. As a romantic, I can't rave about the romance. But I can rave about a feel good family drama about adoption. If that is your jam for a holiday film...you will love this one.

Loved it

[doctorjagger · 10/10 · 12 March 2024]

Loved this movie. The story couldn't be more heartwarming. Embodies the spirit of Christmas. The chemistry between the adult actors was great. But the chemistry between the kids was great too. There was a lot of emotion and dilemma in this. I liked that the one kid doesn't know he's adopted. Adds a level of tension. The way the two brothers build a friendship is very natural and organic. The way the one kid is doing a family tree project perfectly sets up that half of the story. This one never gets too sappy and really has the Christmas spirit. Anyone who doesn't think that must not have the Christmas spirit. This is a great Christmas movie. Not a professional woman who has to save the bakery in her childhood town and get back together with her high school sweetheart. An honest to goodness sweet, happy Christmas movie.

Probably one of the worse premises in a Hallmark movie

[kjc-32205 · 1/10 · 18 December 2023]

Being adopted is one of the kindest shows of selfishness a person can show, but denying that adopted child the truth and even worse family is selfish, insensitive and abominable. Trying to tie deception to a flimsy excuse of a promise to wait for some magic number 10 indicates incompetence and immaturity as a parent. Zero empathy or loyalty to his child but blind loyalty to a person who is deceased? What?!! I'm just so disappointed that Hallmark thought that this behavior would make for a charming character that we are supposed to relate to. Not at all. What if his wife was actually alive and, say, his sister knew and hid that from him because she promised to protect the secret until he turned 50. How stupid is that? Come on. Do better...

Good Story but . . .

[juliepaisley · 3/10 · 22 December 2023]

The Brendan Perry is one of my favorite Hallmark actors. The storyline is a very nice Christmas story with a light romance. The chemistry between the adults works well. That said, the two little boy actors are not what I would normally expect from Hallmark. It might have worked better if the children in the story were girls. Or maybe it's the boys who seem a little soft for the parts. The scenery is perfectly Winter and the story is very believable. I can't help but think the movie would have been one of Hallmark's best this year if the boys would have been a bit more "boyish." Or maybe I'm wrong.