User reviews

When you set out to watch "Holiday Road", you instantly think, oh, here's another take on "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles", which is an all-time classic. If you've seen it, you know it's a cornball comedy with heart, that leaves you feeling positive about human-relations. Overlook the sometimes sub-par acting and over-the-top silliness, here, and you actually can experience the goodwill between people of different creeds (purposeful), when they share a common experience (like a long bus/van trip), as in tragedies and disasters. It's unfathomable, in this world, that nine strangers would ever collaborate to rideshare a long distance, so you have to be open-minded (and patient) about the initial prep of the storyline. Nine central characters are a lot to follow (you have to pay attention), but the directors allot enough dialog that they each stay inter-connected in the ongoing journey. You begin to have empathy for each of the characters in their personal quests. I commend the background music, as well - the Christmas songs were original and played only in appropriate scenes. Social-networking (somewhat new in Hallmark movies) was also well-incorporated, and cleverly instrumental in the unfolding drama. As the movie comes to a close, each character receives a poignant moment, which leaves you satisfied for the enrichment you receive for "riding" this one out to the finish...

This movie was an unexpected treasure. I love anything Warren Christie is in and he didn't disappoint here. He reluctantly becomes the de facto leader of a group of stranded travelers who each have their reason for trying to get to Denver for Christmas. Along their journey.they are interviewed by the TikTok influencer in their group. What starts out as annoying becomes something much more. There are tears, many many laughs, even Christmas costumes. The characters are an odd assortment, each with a secret. How those are revealed, and worked through, is the heart of this movie. It was surprisingly charming and worth at least another viewing.

I know the romantic leads have to start off disliking each other, but this was too much. I hated Clay so much at first that if I saw him in real life it would not have been pretty. Dana didn't help things. Maybe she was provoked. Clay was ridiculous being entitled ordering his coffee without regard to anyone else, but Dana was pretty rude back. Clay did other things too. Then, miraculously, the animosity goes poof. They fall in love in 2-3 days.

There were a lot of other stories too. Two were married and two more mom and son, so the 9 people broke down to 7 stories, or backstories. Most of the backstories were really hard.

The trip along the way had some mildly interesting stops, but as the movie winds down each of the separate stories has a conclusion that fills in whatever blanks are remaining. A couple were blatant attempts to bring tears, and they kind of worked.

Along the way, the mom traveling alone (I can't keep 9 main characters' names straight) sang a touching rendition of a famous hymn. It left her in tears. When we find out why, it is even more so. Those of you who want to leave God out of these movies will be glad that the reason wasn't religious.

When Hallmark put their mind to it, THIS is what you get: "Holiday Road", a heartfelt, thoughtful and heartwarming Christmas movie about a group of strangers from different walks of life stranded in Portland and needing to get to Denver for Christmas for a multitude of oft-complicated reasons.

With flights grounded due to a winter storm, they rent one of those big Mercedes Sprinter Vans and drive there instead...learning about themselves and each other along the way, on a trip that doesn't quite go to plan. (Based on a true story, at least according to the opening credits.)

So many wonderful scenes. Well-written and well acted by the diverse cast - the casting is top-notch - with a great soundtrack, and, crucially, avoiding most of the usual Hallmark tropes. There are some melancholy moments and some happy moments, and an ending that, although a little predictable, hits you right in the feels.

Really loved this.

7.2/10

Hallmark finally has a new storyline, but of course it comes with a price, if you've got a heart for true to life stories at Christmas time. I recommend checking it out with a box of tissues nearby. Lucky for you the commercials give you a moment to catch your heart before it gets too heavy.

This is more than just a love story. It's a friendship story with a loving twist added in. While the movie claims to be based on a true story it isn't specifically based on any one persons experience. It's based on the stranded travellers experience of wanting to get home for the holidays.

There are nine main characters in this film and each character is unique with a few stories having overlapping experiences. I won't describe them because part of the fun of watching "Holiday Road" was learning about each persons life and how the holidays affect them.

This is one of those few stories Hallmark has nailed and can be proud to have made. "Holiday Road" isn't cheesy. It's well written and acted. The characters are relatable in some aspect, and it just pulls you into the holiday spirit.

Overall, I recommend adding this one to your Christmas Countdown list. My aunt was right when she said the humour was good, and the film itself was pretty good too.

That's all for now. Thank you for taking the time to read my review. Until next time.... Enjoy the show!

Hallmark you've hit a home run! I had given up on most of the Hallmark movies...so tired of the same theme, just different actors in a different setting - -> for years on end. And, for a long time, featuring the same people in the leading rolls, even if their acting skills were lacking. This movie has delightful people who play their parts well. Love anything Warren Christie does, so that was a bonus. It created in me a whole host of feelings & emotions. This was a wonderful movie to lead into the holiday season right after Thanksgiving. It left me wanting more... I didn't want it to end. It was that good.

A heartfelt, well written movie about strangers who are forced by circumstances to travel together to get to Denver in time for Christmas. Done honestly, without silliness and with great heart and soul. The ensemble cast was great, with each story emotionally powerful. It was just lovely. I loved the current trend subplot of the vlogger. What delight. I was surprised and had sych low expectations after so very many silly movies so far this year. I had almost given up hope that we would see a heartfelt movie in the old beloved Hallmark tradition. Definitely a winner! There were even a few sweetbsurprises in the subplots. Watch this one.

A production from Hallmark that actually made me laugh & cry,was thinking they finally got decent writers or at least for this movie.

However the way it looks Hallmark without credit or compensation for those involved,took a story that happened to a group of passengers & just ran with it.

Of course for tv purposes there was changes for the individuals or interactions,between the van riders.

Now as usual the cinematography was decent & any music,didn't overwhelm the dialog with any actor.

The casting was perfect & enjoyed the acting,was a fun looking trip.. I wouldn't mind experiencing this,lol.

Worth a watch but keep in mind,what I mentioned above.. Do better,Hallmark!

I went into this one expecting a typical road trip comedy. While I got the road trip part right (thanks title), the comedy part was middling. Yet, for such a large ensemble cast there is considerable character development and some truly touching moments, especially near the end. Did I shed a tear? Heck yes I did. I'm proud of this movie for really sticking the emotional landing. I found myself smiling and really enjoying how they wrapped up the stories of so many people trying to travel from Portland to Denver. OK, flaws: The airport closed because of storms, but we don't see any inclement weather for the whole dang trip to Colorado. I'm fairly certain there are multiple interstate freeways you might drive on for such a long trip, but they never found any. Phones don't work for maps, but you can stream video with ease. The social media influencer was way too over the top, though much of the movie, but it makes sense in the end. Sara Canning is a great, believable lead who I'd like to see in more Hallmark movies.

Every element is in this movie from comedy to sadness and it all works well. Yes, there are many characters and it takes a while in the movie to learn about them but it works. Kudos to the actors and production staff for pulling together a quality product. Also, there are very few Hallmarkish elements here which leads to a fresh story. About the only traditional Hallmark thingy I can think of is their avoiding use of Interstates as Hallmark seems to prefer back roads, even when it is silly to do so. But, the movie was fun. Every story line for each character worked and the ending, while fairly predictable, also worked and was uplifting. I hope to see more fresh and original productions like this one.

I enjoyed this film a lot. I found that it had a lot of fun quirky people from all different walks of life brought together for a common cause. I understand why some people felt the mishmash of characters made no sense or they didn't care for them. Every year Hallmark throws prince and princess movies down our throats and diversity at us. While, the diversity is fine I noticed this year they made a point of NOT making a movie with any lead Asian characters. Instead they chose to relinquish them to the Asian couple in this movie who's story was pretty lame. I think Asian actors deserve better then this and definitely better from Hallmark!

Give credit where credit is due.

This movie is of course one of Hallmark's better storylines - BECAUSE IT ISN'T THEIRS. They stole it from the real people who traversed together in a van from Orlando to Knoxville and documented it all on video and tiktok. What a shame too. Even going as far as stealing direct scenes and dialogues "I'm here for the snacks" come on. I rated it a 1 because while the storyline is amazing, Hallmark pulled the rug out from under the people whose story it actually is.

If nothing else, I will keep this as a 1 based on morals and principles. The blatant theft is astounding. The "writers" and everyone, even the actors and execs, should be ashamed.

I have watching Hallmark channel since it started and can honestly say this is the best holiday movie it has ever produced. Kudos to the writers and entire cast. It was a perfect ten in every way. Finally a great holiday movie from Hallmark. Since I don't want to put in any spoilers. I would like to encourage every one to watch this excellent film. It grabs your interest from the very beginning and keeps you entertained through the entire film. All nine characters have their own story and problems and each character is give his or her complete story. It was so good I am thinking I will watch it again, thank Hallmark for a totally new romance movie!!!

We have watched Hallmark movies for years and can say that this is one of the absolute best. It is funny heartwarming, and has a great story about people meeting and becoming more than friends. Eight people get stranded at an airport in Portland, Oregon, and somehow figure out a way to get a van together and make it to Denver for Christmas. They learn stories about each other, and while they don't start out as friends, they end up as family. There is the normal van breakdown during the trip, a Christmas elf contest and the viewer gets to learn the backstory on each character. Very heartwarming. Highly recommend.

The teasers and ads for this movie turned me off of wanting to see it because they only showed the group being boisterous and loud (similar to, "Haul out the Holly" which I could not watch in its entirety). It was my sister who recommended this movie and so I gave it a try and was not disappointed. It was surprisingly heartwarming and felt very real. The script was well written and the casting perfect. Yes, there were a few plot holes, but the fact that this was fresh and original along with the nice musical score led to me wanting to highly recommend this movie to others as well as watch it again and again.

There are several annoying characters from the beginning especially Dana and Maya. I normally fast forward through the commercials, this time I fast forwarded to get to the commercials.

Dana can't let go of Clay's coffee order. There was no one in line until she made such a big deal about it and just kept going on and on and on. There is no way after that could these characters fall in love so quickly. Not a believable story the way this was written.

The personal issues are voiced and cleared up and magically they are all better. There were too many other consistencies. 35 minutes in and this is now Clay's favorite road trip. The Chinese couple who could barely speak English can now rap Christmas music.....

Hallmark does make way too many of the same Christmas movies with different characters year after year but this is one they should have skipped, or at least I should I but I only watched it since I have been a fan of Warren Christie's for many years. If you are not a fan of any particular actor, then I would recommend a pass.

Very well done Hallmark! Although it followed some normal Christmas checklist points of Hallmark movies (e.g., cancelled holiday airlines and broken down vehicle before arrival) , the grouping of such a diverse cast was truly extraordinary. Everyone interacted so well after a rocky start. We have watched a lot of Hallmark movies and as far as Christmas fair goes, this was truly one of the best! The role of the social media influencer was very well played and helped tie the great story together. This movie had everything, from sadness to great happiness and of course love. The beginning, the story and especially the ending were really very very well done! My wife and I highly recommend this movie!

All the flights have been canceled. At the airport, Clay (Warren Christie) and Dana (Sara Canning) get into a fight over ordering coffee. Clay gets the last rental and it's a big van. Dana is leading a group of fellow travelers hoping to go to Denver. Clay agrees to take them along and reluctantly takes Dana.

It's a Hallmark Christmas road movie. Maya annoys me. Clay and Dana have relatively good chemistry. The rest are not that compelling. I kept thinking of Vacation. A good road trip movie only needs four or five passengers. The rest of the fun is encountering wacky characters and crazy situations along the way. This movie can lose half of the travelers and I wouldn't miss them. Lastly, I don't think vomiting fits on Hallmark. I would get rid of that.

A unique story for a Hallmark movie that shows people can show love for each other despite appearances and backgrounds.

It's the best in a long while! This movie veers off the map from the Hallmark formula and succeeds to keep you entertained.

The purpose of these films is to give the viewer new ways to relate - to talk about difficult topics in different ways so maybe you can use them should you be in a similar situation. This film has plenty of new situations and new dialogue to add to your lexicon. Plus, it introduces social media terminology deftly that the young-uns and the geezers won't be alienated.

You'll want to watch it again fo sho!

I was so impressed with this movie that I decided to write my first review. Kudos to the writers, director, and actors for collaborating on nine individuals for whom I cared deeply. (To be honest, I would watch Warren Christie recite a grocery list!) There was not a false moment. Each actor probed the depths of their character to reveal the hidden human inside. I have already watched it four times. I cannot recall a Hallmark Christmas movie in which I initially disliked four of the main characters - rather intensively. The use of social media to give the audience a glimpse into the psyche, soul, and motives of the characters was a novel approach. I was also impressed that one of the wisest individuals was also the youngest. The audience was left anxious to learn "the rest of the story."

Heartwarming, feel good, nostalgic, funny, festive, and absolute holiday perfection. Hallmark really hit every mark with this movie. Honestly in my opinion it was the best Hallmark Christmas movie that I have seen in years and I couldn't run to amazon fast enough to purchase it and be able to watch this many times more during this and every future holiday season.

Between the storyline, cast, and character progression it really pulls on the heartstrings and shows that the best adventures are often the unexpected ones.

Hallmark obviously stepped outside of their typical holiday storyline in a way that is fun and refreshing while still maintaining their touching and uplifting motif that we have all become to know and love. Absolute job well done by everyone involved in this project and a sincere thank you for being a part of bringing this to life.

In Holiday Road, the pervasive use of clichés is not just a mere occurrence; rather, it saturates every scene and dialogue, rendering the viewing experience dull and predictably unoriginal. The filmmakers seem to have relied solely on well-worn tropes and overused expressions, failing to inject any semblance of originality into the narrative.

Moreover, the insult to the brain is palpable throughout the film. Instead of challenging the audience intellectually or offering a fresh perspective, the storyline unfolds without any depth or meaningful exploration. It's as if the creators underestimated the viewers' capacity for thoughtful engagement, opting for a narrative that lacks substance and fails to stimulate cognitive processes.

The characters, unfortunately, are disappointingly shallow. Their lack of development is not only apparent but also puzzling. The film leaves viewers grappling with the why and how of character motivations, as if the filmmakers expected audiences to fill in the narrative gaps without providing any substantial groundwork. This absence of coherent character evolution leaves the audience disconnected and unable to invest emotionally in the story.

Adding to the frustration, the film attempts to convey a sense of cleverness in its storytelling. However, this effort falls flat, as everything unfolds without apparent reason or logic. The supposed cleverness becomes a facade for a lack of coherence and depth, ultimately leaving the audience questioning the purpose behind each narrative turn.

In summary, this film embodies a cascade of issues - from its reliance on clichés to the insultingly simplistic narrative, shallow characterizations, and a failed attempt at clever storytelling. It not only fails to engage the audience intellectually but also leaves them bewildered by the lack of substance and coherence. The end result is a cinematic experience that can only be described as disappointingly dumb.