Karen Kingsbury's Maggie's Christmas Miracle (2017 TV Movie) User Reviews

Lovely Christmas Movie!

[Ash-lee · 7/10 · 14 December 2017]

It should be noted that this is a Hallmark Movies and Mysteries Movie. Hallmark advertises these as more serious and not as lighthearted as the classic Hallmark Channel movies. The cast was better than some of the Hallmark movies I've watched in the past - Hallmark has a habit of reusing many of their actors and actresses and while this is sometimes endearing (Candace Cameron Bure, Catherine Bell), sometimes it's like nails on a chalkboard (Erin Krakow, Alicia Witt) where they shoehorn one of their favorites into movies that they don't fit, just because they've worked with them in the past - in spite of what fans vocally prefer. I didn't find that to be the case here. I was only familiar with Luke MacFarlane's past movies and he fit this role nicely. The other lead who played Maggie seemed to be a nice mix of overbearing cynic meets slowly awakening optimist.

I've never read the book, but this was such a sweet movie. The thread of healing and hope that tied it all together made for an uplifting theme. This movie had more religious aspects than the typical Hallmark stories, which I appreciated. It was refreshing that a Christmas movie actually acknowledge the reason for the season. And even if this plot point wasn't exactly front and center, I loved that it was woven throughout and tied together. I'm optimistic Hallmark will continue to expand on this type of movie for the future Christmas seasons.

I should have seen that coming...

[MIssM19 · 7/10 · 20 February 2019]

This movie was so sweet. I love Jill Wagner but this was not her best role. And Luke MacFarlane was amazing. The chemistry was good. But I did feel that there wasn't enough moments between the leads - even though there were a few - and maybe that's why it feels a bit off.

Look, I should have seen that "plot twist" coming but I didn't. So, I was pleasantly surprised. And kid, him questioning everything, from science to religion was on point.

This doesn't even count as a review, i'm writing it a year and two months after its release, but you should give this a chance. It's worth watching once.

Good Movie

[kall6695 · 8/10 · 23 December 2017]

For Hallmark movies, this one was especially poignant and not simply sappy. Really liked the ending, though I could tell that was coming. Well acted. It's a keeper.

More meaningful and less fluffy than the usual Hallmark Christmas movie

[phd_travel · 7/10 · 6 February 2018]

There is a more realistic less superficial tone to this Hallmark Christmas movie. Bad things happened to this woman around Christmas so she has bad associations with it. Her father and husband left around Christmas. She hires a tutor for her son and the son takes to the tutor.

Jill Wagner and Luke Macfarlane don't overact. So the romance is more believable.

There is a miracle that is pretty obvious from the start the reuniting of childhood pals.

Heartwarming Hallmark Movie

[bkornegayh · 6/10 · 22 December 2017]

This is a sweet Hallmark movie. (Aren't they all?!) I enjoyed all the main characters. The storyline was different, however, the ending was predictable. I was pleasantly surprised by the mention of God in this movie. God is the reason for the Christmas season, but I know Hallmark has chosen to largely move away from religious fare. I'm glad there's at least one 2017 Hallmark movie that still mentions God.

Luke MacFarlane and Jill Wagner - two of my Favs

[jewhitmer25 · 9/10 · 8 August 2021]

Luke MacFarlane as Casey and Jill Wagner as Maggie had incredible chemistry they are such marvelous actors and it was a joy to see them paired in a movie.

Lauren Guci as Jordan did a wonderful job. I hope HM continues to use this talented young man.

Laura Soltis as Terri, Maggie's Mom did an excellent job.

The wanna be boyfriend ,Tanner Ryan was wonderfully played by Lane Edwards. How pushy and clueless can Tanner be, well, let me count the ways.

1. Tanner approaches Maggie and complements her on her perfume, which he bought her, and then he brags about what a generous person he is and says "I should clone me" and Maggie says "One is enough".

2. Maggie is annoyed at Tanner because of the way he drags out cases to increase his fee, he says "Think about the billable hours.' She says "They are not billable hours, they are people".

3. Then he suggests to Maggie that it was time for him to meet her son, and she brushes the suggestion off but never actually gives him a flat out no.

4. When Jordan is injured, Tanner apparently offered to drive Maggie to the diner, clearly she thought he was just dropping her off. But no, he comes striding into the diner saying "You must be Jordan", you can tell from Maggie's face she was surprised and not very happy that he was there.. 5 Then Tanner asks Luke if he knew a good place they could have dinner, Luke graciously tells him about an Italian Restaurant down the street. For Pete's sake, they are standing in a diner, did no one notice how insulting it was to ask a restaurant owner to recommend a restaurant.

6. When Tanner takes them home, he again brags about what a catch he is, and tells Maggie he wants to spend a lot more time with her, and she opens the door, cutting off the kissing her goodnight potential, and he doesn't take the hint.

7. He insists on taking her to the office Christmas party, she wanted to meet him there.

8. At the party he brags about being made a partner. He presents her with two first class tickets to Italy, leaving the next day, for the two of them to have a romantic trip. Without waiting for her response he strides arrogantly up to the podium to be made partner. Maggie hands the envelope with the tickets to an assistant and asks her to give it to Tanner and she leaves. By the look on his face he finally caught on that she was not interested.

Again, Lane Edwards did a great job in this part, he made me truly dislike the arrogant Tanner, Which is what he was supposed to do.

I liked everything about this movie story, script, actors.

My advice - watch this movie.

beautiful

[Kirpianuscus · 25 November 2018]

For the good parts. And for the not inspired parts. For performances. And for the lovely romanticism. And for details. A Christmas film with good ingredients - single mother and her wise mother, her clever boy, Charming Prince, a meeting after many years and not so awful dialogues. Far to be perfect, it is not so sweet and far to be boring. So, a beautiful film.

The beginning telegraphs the ending

[Christmas-Reviewer · 7/10 · 6 July 2019]

Review Date 7/6/2019

I have Reviewed OVER 500 "Christmas Films and Television Specials". Please BEWARE Of films and specials with just one review! For instance When "It's a POSITIVE" chances are that the reviewer was involved with the production. "If its Negative" then they may have a grudge against the film for whatever reason. I am fare about these films. I am on a mission to watch every Christmas Movie ever made. Since 2014 I average 100 a year.

This is a very enjoyable film. Single mom Maggie is trying to maintain the balance of being devoted to son Jordan while having a career. Jordan needs help at school and meets Casey, a tutor. They quickly bond, and Casey becomes more like a father figure.

This film however did not need the opening scene. It telegraphed everything this whole film was going to be. This was a major flaw. In general this an above average Hallmark movie that the romantics will just gobble up! This includes me

one of my favorites

[novagirl11 · 8/10 · 25 July 2019]

This is definitely one of my favorite Hallmark Christmas movies (even if it is a little more religious than most). First of all, I really like Jill Wagner and Luke Macfarlane in other things and I thought they made a great couple in this. I didn't quite find it as predictable as some other movies, but maybe I should have (it might be because I was distracted at the beginning and forgot). Anyways, I really enjoyed it. I also loved the scenery, decorations, music and costumes.

Stick to selling cars

[zyxnix · 6/10 · 11 January 2018]

Jill Wagner should stick to pushing Lincolns. She is a very attractive woman with amazing shoes, but this is just not her role. A Christmas sweetheart should be sweet. Wagner looks like a mean girl who beat other girls up a t soccer practice. Macfarlane is OK, but a little weird at times. Someone died so that is a plus.

Ugh, these female characters

[kz917-1 · 3/10 · 1 January 2018]

I can NEVER love again as my father left on Christmas and my husband left on Christmas. No real trees in the house, no matter what her son wants.

Ugh. Who writes these female characters!?

Cute movie with irritating characters.

The reality of a child questioning God and Christmas.

[joekirbyjr · 8/10 · 30 October 2018]

A seemingly odd Christmas movie in that there is not a lot of Hallmark's typical Christmas branding in this story. However, true to most Hallmark movies, the storyline becomes pretty predictable early in the movie. Some may object to the story including several mentions of "God" throughout the movie but I personally think it adds that bit of realism needed in this story. From the opening scenes to the closing scenes, you have to keep in mind that this a Christmas story that has a pleasant Hallmark ending!

Not quite a miracle

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 24 March 2020]

But not a disaster either. Something about the very long, if slightly convoluted, title really intrigued me and this review is coming from somebody that does like a fair share of Hallmark's festive work (which has a big mix of surprisingly good, very bad and somewhere in between), though don't still consider them masterpieces by any stretch. And who loves Christmas, a love that will never stop, and has done from a young age.

Part of me did wish that 'Karen Kingsbury's Maggie's Christmas Miracle' was better, considering its somewhat intriguing title. Is that disparaging it though? No, despite how it sounds. Actually think it is quite decent. It is not quite a miracle, it needed to be very good or more to be that but just misses out on that, but it is a long way from a disaster. For me, it is actually among the better films seen as part of my Christmas film quest started at the end of last year, certainly one of the better Hallmark offerings and refreshing after hating 'Baby's First Christmas' so much.

There is so much that 'Karen Kingsbury's Maggie's Christmas Miracle' does very well. Have no qualms to say about the scenery, regardless of questions over authenticity this aspect has nearly always been lovely in the Hallmark Christmas films, and the photography is neither too drab or garish. The soundtrack is not blaring or constant. The direction keeps the pace running smoothly mostly and doesn't make the film get too heavy or too fluffy. The script has more surprising depth than most Hallmark Christmas films and is not as corny or as awkward as with other offerings.

Likewise with the story. Which is unexceptional certainly, but it charms, moves and warms the heart and to me it didn't matter that it was not as light-hearted as other Hallmark films and had more of a mature tone. That was refreshing actually and despite fears the religious element doesn't get overdone or preachy. The ending is predictable, being easily telegraphed very early on, yet moving. Luke MacFarlane is so down to earth and endearing in his role and while not as good Jill Wagner is generally heartfelt and is a good match chemistry-wise with him. The cast are good.

Wagner's performance is not always even though, there are instances where she overdoes the uptightness. Even for a character meant to be uptight. Not everything felt unnecessary, the rival boyfriend character was a clumsy attempt at conflict and nothing really is done with that angle. More padding than anything else.

More tightness in the pace would have been more welcome, some of the film drags and doesn't go very far momentum and story direction-wise.

In summary, not bad at all. 7/10

...

[rhedman78 · 1/10 · 17 November 2020]

After fitting all the Christmas decorations in this movie, there was no longer room for a plot.

Enjoyable, but missing something

[herrcarter-92161 · 6/10 · 13 May 2023]

I kind of liked this movie, and wanted to like it, but somehow, it seemed like something was missing. I'm guessing the book it was based on was better, but that, with the limited time available in a movie, they weren't able to develop some aspects of the story as well as they should have.

I thought the two leads played their parts fairly well, he the charming, likable good guy and she the jaded, overprotective mom who finds herself letting her guard down for him. The two of them were certainly physically attractive enough. Did they have chemistry? A little maybe, but I felt the romance between them was a bit underdeveloped and forced. I believed the relationship between Casey and Maggie's son Jordan more than I believed the relationship between Casey and Maggie.

The whole subplot about her quasi lawyer boyfriend kind of fell flat too. I never saw him as serious competition for Casey. Heck, Maggie never even kissed him at the end of their date! And then he just faded into the woodwork, rather than providing any dramatic tension to potentially spoil Casey and Maggie's budding relationship. He just seemed like excess baggage to the plot. Also, it was kind of unbelievable the way that he just neatly resolved the other big sublot about Maggie's friend Lauren's impending divorce by dropping the case and encouraging the husband to give their marriage another try, just so he would impress Maggie.

As for the big reveal at the end, where we find out that Casey is, in fact, the same 13 year old kid she had a crush on at Lake Tahoe -- well, you could see that one coming from a mile away.

The other thing I wish they had shown more and better was his sadness at losing his wife to cancer. I never had the feeling that he cared that much about her, and he seemed all too willing to jump into a relationship with Maggie. It just seemed wrong, somehow.

This movie is a reasonably enjoyable way to spend 90 minutes of your life, but there were too many things missing for me in the story to give it a truly enthusiastic thumbs up.

good cast, good production, overall enjoyable

[ta-60644 · 6/10 · 20 November 2023]

Jill Wagner was great and Luke Macfarlane was also impressive. The production values were top notch and the story was cute enough. We always know how these movies will end so it is all about the journey. This one is overall enjoyable.

I only have a couple of gripes. First, if someone doesn't like Christmas then don't have an absurd amount of Christmas decorations in their home.

Second, pick an age for the kid and have him act that age. Sometimes the kid here acted like a 4 year old and others like a 10 year old.

Third, nobody would look at a math quiz without a single answer attempted but, with a nice drawing of a kid and two parents and think "that kid needs a math tutor"; especially when he only has one parent.

Luke Macfarlane is my husband, he just doesn't know if yet.

[adamjohns-42575 · 8/10 · 1 December 2020]

My first Luke Macfarlane Christmas film of the season and it's a good one. He is just so gorgeous and lovely in everything he does. I love his interaction here with the child character, Jordan, who is a very cool, but geeky kid.

I like the idea of the miracle and the story is just another nice romance.

I think the stories work better when there is a kid to get excited about the season. Christmas is always more enjoyable when there are kids around and you can experience it through their eyes. I hate that I'm a grown up now and even my youngest nephew is 15 and has little interest in the Christmas spirit that these films exude.

I can't wait to watch the next Luke film.

I've grown to love it

[Jackbv123 · 9/10 · 12 December 2017]

The story is a little bit different but with a familiar feel. It starts with a flashback of a teen boy and girl having a teen's romantic Christmas. But it's spoiled when Maggie's Dad abandons their family Christmas Eve. Maggie is nursing a lot of heartbreak as the story jumps forward to the now attorney Maggie who has a teenage son. She too had her husband leave her a week before Christmas. It happens that Maggie's son, Jordan needs a tutor and they find one in Casey. The movie doesn't progress the story much beyond that until the end, other than a lame attempt at a rival boyfriend for grown up Maggie.

Luke Macfarlane is lovable as a very friendly and down to earth Casey. Jill Wagner is the uptight and controlling Maggie. Macfarlane and Wagner are good together.

I love the ending even if the viewer may see it coming. Maybe not.

This movie has grown on me as I watch it again and again.

Confused...

[MovieQween-33622 · 4/10 · 12 August 2019]

What exactly was Maggie's miracle? That her son learned math? So boring and unnecessary tears from Jill Wagner.

Wonderful Movie

[fuhrmeisterk · 10/10 · 25 October 2020]

I love this movie. Jill Wagner is fantastic, as is Luke McFarlane. I can watch this movie over and over again. The storyline is great as is the ambiance and setting. The set decorations are festive and beautiful.

Hallmark with a religious theme

[skendall-2 · 5/10 · 12 December 2017]

Enjoy hallmark movies usually. They are light hearted and entertaining. This movie however leans more toward a religious theme with a child's letters to God and questions about Gods behaviours. Not my cup of tea. A bit disappointed. The religious theme made the movie more serious and not as light hearted as most hallmark movies. Hope the religious theme is not a reoccurring element in future Hallmark movies. That will ruin the Hallmark movie brand in my opinion especially for Hallmark movies and mysteries.

Great

[staffangustafsson · 10/10 · 31 July 2021]

Great romantic movie. Wagner is allways good and. Luke MacFarlane is the best male actor. Perfect ending.

Everything I'd hoped it would be

[MickyG333 · 8/10 · 13 December 2022]

7.9 stars.

The leads are great together. This is the first time I've seen her as a lead in Hallmark movies, so I'm looking forward to more. I've seen him once or twice. I like the chemistry, although she looks and acts a bit older than he, maybe 5-10 years. I'll not look at their ages right now as I write this, but I'm guessing she is that much older. They are both really great actors, and bring much presence to the screen. It was difficult to figure which one of them is more entertaining.

The reveal at the end made little sense. It was illogical to think it was possible, however anything is possible I guess. Either way it's a shocker.

I'm rating so many Hallmark movies, this is like 84, or 85 at this point, I'm not sure, and so it's taking too much time to write these reviews. I do have a life (albeit not much of one). I'll say everything is great about the story. The son is really neat as a little guy, a genius, or just a really smart and inquisitive child. I like his acting style. Her mother is actually quite a heart breaker for her age, no joke. I bet she was a real knock out in her 20's, like a real big time model, or could have been. The lead female's boyfriend is not bad either, easy to dislike him, but he's actually not a bad guy.

I really loved the ending of this, and so very high praise for this installment of the Hallmark Christmas genre. This is almost on my annual list, but maybe I'll watch it 3 out of 5 years.

An Award Worthy Hallmark Christmas Classic

[videonutz · 10/10 · 6 December 2022]

Finally, A Christmas Movie that Not Only Acknowledges the True Meaning for the Season, But Also Pays Tribute to it, in a Manner that Will Truly Touch You Heart. This is Not Your Typical Light and Fluffy, or Silly and Cartoonish Holiday Film. It is Actually a Serious and Realistic Story of a Family Looking for Happiness, on a Holiday with an Unfortunate History of Sadness and Sorrow.

The Movie features Jill Wagner, as a Single Mother that has Lost Her love and Passion for Christmas, Luke McFarlane as a Widowed Educator and Tutor, and a Loving Teenage Son that is Seeking the Assistance of an Unusual Cupid to Find Happiness for His Sad, and Confused Mother.

The Chemistry between Wagner and McFarlane Is Absolutely Amazing as They Work Their Way through the Entire 2,Hour Movie to a Conclusion that Will Surprise You, and Bring a Tear to Your Eye.

Don't Miss this Hallmark Christmas FAMILY Film that Your Entire Family Will Want to Watch Over and Over. A Merry Christmas Classic!!!