Christmas is usually a time when families gather, generally with joy and sometimes with underlying tensions they must set aside to get through the day. Most families gather at home, while some go on vacation. The Keller family, protagonists of Hallmark's new Christmas movie, opts for the latter, but what seems like just another family reunion hides a sadness no one sees coming.
"The Kellers' Christmas Vacation" stars Jonathan Bennett, Brandon Routh, and Eden Sher as the Keller brothers: Dylan, Cal, and Emory, respectively. They live in different cities, so although they keep in touch, they rarely see each other, except for what they call "forced family vacations." This year, Mom Anne and Dad Ben have planned a family Christmas get-together: a relaxing cruise down the Danube with Vienna as the final destination. This means the boys have to put their lives on hold for a week. Cal is a college football coach, but his biggest worry right now is confessing his true feelings to a woman... even though she's in a relationship.
Director: Maclain Nelson
Writer: Tracy Andreen
Stars: Jonathan Bennett, Brandon Routh, Eden Sher
Dylan, an architect, has a major project on his hands, but he's still unsure what to do with it. He's also decided that he'll propose to his boyfriend, a doctor, right before the trip... but things don't go as planned. William tells him he doesn't think it's the right time, though he doesn't explain why. This leads Dylan to postpone everything and take the trip alone. Emory learns from a mass email that she's been fired just before the trip, but she starts to think she has a special talent for photography. Once the brothers arrive in Germany to begin their trip, none of them reveal what's going on in their lives, except for Cal, who's sad about the girl he let get away, but wants to make the most of the trip.
Luckily, he meets another American, Felicity, who's traveling with her grandfather, Ron. Ron clearly sees that there's chemistry between them and makes sure they spend some time alone together. Emory also feels a spark when he meets the tour director, Noah, who notices the camera around his neck and tells him that the hired photographer couldn't join them, so the photos will depend on him and his phone, on top of everything else he has to do. Emory decides to become the unofficial photographer of the trip, but there might be more than just altruism behind his intentions.
Everything goes smoothly until the siblings lose track of time and miss the ship after their first stop, leading to a comical attempt to find each other at the next destination. This forces them to spend the night in a small inn, where Dylan has to fend off the advances of Hilda, a German woman who hit it off at a festival. Afterward, they speed off to the next port on a motorcycle with a sidecar… and get lost along the way. But they make it, and the cruise continues. Cal grows a little closer to Felicity, and Emory to Noah, though neither of them openly admits they like each other. Dylan remains preoccupied with William's secret. The situation reaches a breaking point when William joins the family but refuses to tell Dylan what he's been hiding.
As the family goes on excursions, Ben seems to tire more easily than usual, but everyone assumes it's due to the activities and his age. Ben, a former competitive figure skater, is most excited about skating in Vienna on Christmas Eve. However, during a surprise gift exchange on the cruise, Ben loses his balance and nearly faints, forcing him to explain to the children why this "forced family vacation" is so urgent. The news shocks everyone, but it also allows William to finally open up to Dylan. Will Dylan consider it a betrayal and end the relationship for good? Will Cal and Felicity connect through their shared past relationships (both are divorced) and try to rebuild their lives between Seattle and Portland? Will Emory find a way to balance her passion for photography with her relationship with Noah after returning to Portland to be closer to her parents? And will you need a box of tissues for the final scene in Vienna?
As with any story, its quality depends largely on the actors' performances. Jonathan Bennett, of course, shines as always. In other films, he's sometimes gone overboard with his antics, but here he strikes a perfect balance between comedy and drama, imbuing Dylan with an understandable anguish over his relationship, which lends him complete authenticity, with a concern matched only by his love for William. The scenes with Hilda are also very funny, but it's interesting that he never tells her he has a partner.
When he finally expresses his emotions in the third act, it's impossible not to feel them through his performance. Brandon Routh is also great as Cal, bringing a charming awkwardness to the character as he grapples with the pain of rejection and begins to develop feelings for Felicity. His funniest trait is his voracious appetite and impatience at mealtimes. A scene in his cabin, with its exaggerated and hilarious decor, also elicits laughter when his brothers tease him. Eden Sher is great as Emory. This is her first Hallmark movie, but I hope it won't be her last. As a fan of Sher since her portrayal of Sue Heck in The Middle, it was a delight to see her here, bringing her quirky charm to the role.
She uses her great sense of humor to deliver some of Emory's funniest lines, while her expressive face conveys far more than words ever could. She also perfectly embodies the slowly developing romantic feelings between Emory and Noah, and it's impossible not to root for her to find a way to confess her feelings and try to make what will undoubtedly be, at least initially, a long-distance relationship work (I wonder if there isn't some underlying family issue that explains why Emory decided to stay in Europe with Noah and pursue photography). Laurel Lefkow and Nigel Whitmey also do a fine job as Anne and Ben, with Nigel particularly effective in portraying certain subtle behaviors that make viewers suspect something is up before the big reveal. He also makes the most of the final scene, which will definitely require more tissues.
Jill Winternitz, as Felicity, is a good foil to Routh's Cal. She brings that same awkward energy to their scenes together, as they both try to maintain their composure and not rush things. There's a very sweet scene at a Christmas market where a local woman seems to be showing a little too much interest in Cal, so Felicity steps in to save him or make it clear that she's interested too. Their whole romantic subplot is very subtle, but Winternitz uses her expressions and body language in such a way that her interest in Cal is obvious to the viewer. Harry Ditson (whom some may remember from the 1984 film "Top Secret!") is delightful as Ron, Felicity's grandfather.
He gives the character a comic charm by finding ways to leave the scene so that Felicity and Cal can be alone. Anand Desai-Barochia is also good as William, but he has a very difficult role, as he has to be very reserved and generally has to use his expressive face to say more than his dialogue. Frédéric Brossier is absolutely charming as Noah, a delightful host to the cruise ship passengers and their tour guide at various stops. He finds that connection with Emory that slowly develops throughout the story, leaving us wondering if he'll ever truly express his feelings. He has such great chemistry with Sher that you can't wait for them to get together.
Overall, "The Kellers' Christmas Vacation" has a wonderful story that balances humor and pathos, making you laugh out loud one moment and be on the verge of tears the next. The sets are stunning (who wouldn't want to live in a Hallmark movie?) and the cast is exceptional, bringing the characters to life. This is the first Keller family vacation we've seen, but will it be the last? Perhaps they'll make some prequels!
"The Kellers' Christmas Vacation" has a runtime of 1 hour and 23 minutes.
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