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The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

TV Movie · Drama · Romance · 2008

Five-time Emmy nominee and Golden Globe winner Henry Winkler stars in The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, the story of what happens when you open your heart to the power of Christmas. Disenchanted single mom Jennifer Cullen (Brooke Burns) is a Scroogette when it comes to anything Christmas. In fact, even her six-year-old son, Brian, is having trouble believing in Santa Claus. But when her Uncle Ralph (Henry Winkler) visits and brings a fellow passenger from his flight named Morgan Derby (Warren Christie), Jennifer s dubious heart awakens to the possibility that perhaps Christmas really does hold miracles. It s uplifting and laugh-packed and a story that will inspire the whole family to believe.

Movie details

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2008 TV Movie · Drama · Romance 1h 28m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.4 / 10

Community rating

Five-time Emmy nominee and Golden Globe winner Henry Winkler stars in The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, the story of what happens when you open your heart to the power of Christmas. Disenchanted single mom Jennifer Cullen (Brooke Burns) is a Scroogette when it comes to anything Christmas. In fact, even her six-year-old son, Brian, is having trouble believing in Santa Claus. But when her Uncle Ralph (Henry Winkler) visits and brings a fellow passenger from his flight named Morgan Derby (Warren Christie), Jennifer s dubious heart awakens to the possibility that perhaps Christmas really does hold miracles. It s uplifting and laugh-packed and a story that will inspire the whole family to believe.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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It's Christmas, Eve

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Michael M. Scott

Written by

Bruce Graham

Brooke Burns

Brooke Burns

Jennifer Cullen

Henry Winkler

Henry Winkler

Uncle Ralph

Warren Christie

Warren Christie

Morgan Derby

C

Connor Christopher Levins

Brian Cullen

Woody Jeffreys

Woody Jeffreys

Richard Windom

Serge Houde

Serge Houde

Stephen Windom

Rebecca Toolan

Rebecca Toolan

Winnie Windom

Court is in session

Put The Most Wonderful Time of the Year on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Sentimental Softie

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Cool Ironist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.