Love, Lights, Hanukkah! (2020 TV Movie) User Reviews

Previous Reviewer

[spokicker33 · 8/10 · 13 December 2020]

To the previous reviewer who said there's no DNA test that would show Jewish:

My wife took one a couple years ago and it returned 99% European Jewish. It's not just a religion, it's also a heritage.

A warm and heartfelt Christmas movie...

[toddsgraham · 8/10 · 18 December 2020]

It was a warm and heartfelt Christmas movie, one of Hallmark's better movies this season. At its heart for me was family: the love of family (the discovery of that family love), and being surround by people you love and people who love you (during the holiday season, of course). This was the underlining theme I took from the film. And I think the writer did a great job of conveying it thru the dialogue and interactions between the characters in the script. Our protagonist in this film is Christina (played by Mia Kirshner), an Italian restaurant owner keen to learn more about her biological family (as she was adopted). She is excited to find out from a recent DNA test that she is part Jewish and has genetic relatives living nearby in the city (who are open to meeting her). And so, her journey in this story begins: meeting new family, discovering and connecting with her roots, and, just maybe, leading her to a new, unlikely romance. I can't comment on the portrayal of the Jewish family in this film as others have done on here, but what I can say is that the film treats Hanukkah as more than just a complement to Christmas. Due to the nature of the story, the movie spends a significant amount of time presenting the celebration of Hanukkah and its traditions. Similar to other reviewers, I thought this element of the film was lovely, nicely done. What makes all this work, of course, is the acting. Kirshner's performance was outstanding. She did a great job of threading the line of someone who was a bit guarded but, at the same time, eager to meet her new family/romance. Simply put: her performance was believable, convincing. Ben Savage's performance was also strong (playing David, our other protagonist in this film). I have not seen him on screen since the 90s, but after this performance, I am wondering why not. The chemistry between the two was just about right for this family-focused movie. The supporting cast was brilliant. What stood out for me was Marilu Henner's performance (playing Ruth); it was an impressive performance, I thought (it pulled me in). As usual, with Hallmark Christmas movies, the scenery, props, and sets were festive, elegant, and well-polished, though I was not a fan of the ribbon on Christina's tree. It covered 80% of the tree, you barely knew it was a pine tree. All in all, this is a lovely new edition to Hallmark's Christmas movie lineup this season. I highly recommend it.

From an adoptee

[dsmith-54706 · 8/10 · 13 December 2020]

As an adoptee, who recently found both bio families thanks to DNA, and also finding that I was 50% a nationality that I had no idea of, I found this interesting. There are many emotions that you go through, and finally you come to realize that now you have 2 families, and you love both of them.

Exterior shots are Pittsburgh.

[kfmfrgk · 6/10 · 6 November 2021]

Sorry but Pittsburgh is in so many movies and never gets credit. The skating rink with the Christmas tree is ppg place and the exterior of Christina's restaurant is a Condados tacos. Start giving Pittsburgh proper billing for our appearances in movies!

The movie is cute and, like Christina's lasagna, predictable.

The best of the three Hallmark movies, which made reference to Chanukah

[adga-06808 · 7/10 · 17 December 2020]

This movie was certainly better than the other two Hallmark Chanukah movies. However, I wish that the writer/producers would have expanded a little bit more on the candle lighting ceremony. On the first night, there are three blessings recited. On every other night, there are two blessings. Twice, this film cut off the second blessing. Also, it would have been nice if it showed the family singing "Maoz Tsur", in their home. It was heard at the outdoor Menorah lighting ceremony. All in all, it was a good film.

Just plain enjoyable

[Jackbv123 · 10/10 · 13 December 2020]

This movie pushes a lot of my sentimental buttons. One of my favorite Christmas movies of all time is The Christmas Note. If you've seen it, you know the parallel.

In this movie, we find out early on that Marilu Henner is Christina's biological mom. When that was revealed, I thought at first that it was too early, but that's just the first of many such moments. And that moment was done so well. Both Henner and Kushner had great responses to the situation.

Mia Kushner! Wow. She was great throughout. And her chemistry with Ben Savage was so strong. There was a lot of good dialogue between them especially, but with everyone.

So much happens in this movie. Some of the things are predictable to a point, but they just keep coming.

I love movies like this because of the theme of love of family. Finding a whole new family and then falling in love with all of them is so great.

My only complaint about this movie is that it ended too soon. I wanted it to keep going.''

To reviewers who say that Jewish isn't something that can show up on a DNA test, tell that to the company that did my DNA test. My test recently came back showing a significant portion as Jewish. Jewish families have protected their genealogies since Jacob.

Nice movie with so many messages

[bmiller59 · 7/10 · 17 December 2020]

Enjoyed the movie, but I wasn't overwhelmed. We did learn some things about the Jewish faith, which really touched us. I wanted to get into it more, but it didn't happen. Marilu Henner exceptional,...as usual. The two leads were OK. We're not hating this movie though.

Captivating

[vkrasneski · 9/10 · 13 December 2020]

One of the best holiday movies this year. From beginning to end , every scene well potraed and directed. Casting was brilliant along with the surprise of Ben Savage. Your heart will be filled with joy as you watch these characters develop into a beautiful story. Enjoy! I did~

Decent Holiday fare

[gkops · 7/10 · 1 January 2021]

Charming movie that combines two major religious holidays but I have to say Mia Kirshner looks terrible, her face seemed bloated. I guess I'm used to seeing her look differently in some her other films.

Jewish is a nationality not just a religion.

[dujmqgwcx · 3/10 · 30 December 2020]

To the reviewer who said no DNA test can show someone is of Jewish decent..that is not correct. Jewish is a nationality not just a religion. I don't understand how people could not understand that fact. Not all people of Jewish ancestry are religious.

Very touching

[tamsmith-83026 · 8/10 · 13 December 2020]

I was touched by this movie. A different approach from the usual Hallmark Christmas movie. Ben Savage showing his sense of humor that he is known for even since he was as a child star. Good to have a Jewish holiday celebrated. Mia Kirshner was sweet and demonstrated well all of the emotions she was dealing with. Loved seeing Marilu Henner in a different role since I've only seen her in all of the Aurora Teagarden mysteries recently. Very sweet movie and worth a shot.

Cub Fans?

[salemgf1-765-314891 · 7/10 · 22 December 2020]

Beautiful Story, but no one in Cleveland, OH, where this story is supposed to have taken place, would be a Cub Fan! Clevelanders would not refer to distances to some place as miles away, they refer to distances as minutes away.

Disappointing

[canadian_eh_uk · 2/10 · 4 February 2022]

Perhaps this movie could have been tolerable had Ben Savage not been the lead. There was zero chemistry and his lines were always so stilted. The female lead was also not strong but it could have been just the lack of chemistry that made her role seem weak. Marilyn Henner was good though. I think I would have stopped watching entirely had she not been in it.

Love, Lights, Hanukkah!

[JoBloTheMovieCritic · 6/10 · 17 December 2020]

6/10 - I appreciate Hallmark shining a light on Hanukkah, but this story was pretty bland

Hanukkah isn't the Jewish Christmas

[phil-854 · 7/10 · 17 December 2020]

I really-really-really wanted to like this movie. I knew it would be a Hallmark film - a bit saccharine and low budget, but that was okay.

(spoilers below)

Things I liked: the Hebrew was great. The large menorah in the town square was heart-warming (I often go to the Boston Common lighting). The menorah gift was truly artistic, and the Jewish characters weren't caricatures. I *loved* the dreidel collection; some of those pieces were stunning. The dreidel game brought back sweet memories.

Things that I didn't like: Hanukkah isn't the Jewish Christmas. It's a minor holiday that's been amped up so that we have something of our religion to hold onto during a tidal wave of Christmas culture. But face it, this was a Christmas movie. The Hanukkah decor was Christmas decor with Jewish symbols. The large family gatherings- a la Christmas - may exist in some Jewish communities, but in my experience, these aren't especially common. I can't reconcile the constant cultural fusion in the spirit of dicovering Christina's roots. There are so many ways to discover one's Judaism, celebrating a hollywood-fusion-mishmosh just seemed too weird. But maybe my NYC/Boston Jewish life is too sheltered.

And the VERY WORST PART is that I can't stop thinking of "chocolatkes." They sound like a shonda, but I'll let you know, I'll be making them tonite :-)

All things considered, I'm glad that Hallmark made this film. Maybe in the future, they'll make more Jewish-themed movies. But this was a good start. I just wish I liked it more.

A Lovely Holiday Movie

[searchersd · 8/10 · 13 December 2020]

Enjoyed this movie immensely. It presented what it had to present, how Hanukkah is celebrated, very well. A different religion, a romance, the discovery of new family, and how all of this was wonderfully combined into a dual holiday celebration, is a lesson for our time.

Very watchable

[VetteRanger · 7/10 · 27 October 2022]

While there is a romance here, the meat of the story is the coming together of an estranged (via an early adoption) and her family of mother and half-siblings. Most of the movie is highly sentimental.

Marilou Henner is always a delight, and she has a few appearances as a family matriarch in these Hallmark movies. She's one of the few "name" actors or actresses (name from outside the locus of Hallmark regulars, that is) who still regularly are cast.

The rest of the cast contributes reliably and sells their roles, except many for the bit of drama finally introduced in the romance. I wasn't concerned it wouldn't work, especially as they always work out. ;-)

Heart warming, feel good movie

[gallyfe · 9/10 · 13 December 2020]

I really cared for the movie, that left me with a smile. Nice movie that celebrates family, old and new traditions and love. Combining Hanukkah and Christmas with respect to both, with a story that is reliable, concurring fears and loss and embracing hopefulness and love is the essence of this movie. I always like when we get new actors as well as actors we know and appreciate from other Hallmark movies. Nice seeing nature vs. nurture in a story of a family reunited when an adopted woman finds her roots.

Good Try

[leilamann · 5/10 · 17 December 2020]

This year, in their annual Christmas line-up, the Hallmark channel made an attempt at inclusivity through a Hanukkah themed movie, Love, Lights and Hanukkah. The movie is centered on Christine, an adoptee who's love for Christmas is only outshone by her love for cooking, and her recently deceased mother. At the beginning of the movie we see that Christine is waiting on the results of a DNA test and we soon learn she has a close relative who lives only ten miles away! So far this movie is not unlike many other Hallmark originals, just a little too cheesy and on the nose. When she meets this close family member, Becky (exact relation still unknown) she finds they have a lot in common, from running restaurants to dead parents, they could almost be sisters! Christine is invited to a family brunch where she meets Ruth, Becky's mother who is distressed over the fact that "there's only four days to Hanukkah and she still has so much to do!" Not exactly a common problem for Jews, Christians on the other hand... Ruth seems to have a lot of specific personal questions of Christine. Surprise surprise, Ruth is Christine's biological mother! Ruth got pregnant when she was 19 and studying abroad in Italy. While the actress who plays Christine is 45 years old, the character is clearly supposed to be much younger. So the math here with Becky (the supposedly much younger sister) having two pre-teen children, doesn't quite add up. Throughout the rest of the movie we learn about Hanukkah traditions along with Christine, all of which seem to resemble Christmas traditions just a little too closely. I mean, no one collects dreidels like ornaments. And for the final night of Hanukkah, Christine hosts a beautiful dinner, complete with latkes made from Ruth's recipe. They exchange gifts and Ruth gives Christine a phone number for her biological father in Italy, a man who had no idea she even existed. And, of course, along the way, Christine falls in love with a friend of the family who just so happens to be the food critic who said her food was predictable. In the end she fuses her Italian and Jewish cultures together for a Fest of the Seven Fishes like never before. Despite the clear cookie-cutter Hallmark format, and the poor attempt and shaping Hanukkah into it, the channel deserves props for the well intentioned and non problematic venture into an inclusive film.

Such a lovely, uplifing movie!

[moviefan318 · 9/10 · 17 December 2020]

This has quickly become one of my favorite Hallmark Holiday movies, and I really, really hope there's a sequel...hopefully one in which David and Christina visit Giorgio in Italy and get married in front of the entire blended family! Love, Lights, Hanukkah had a lovely story, good acting and one of the most endearing cast of characters to ever grace a Hallmark movie. Were things a little over the top...maybe, but that's why so many of us tune into these films. We want the world to look and feel beautiful, and have a happy, heartfelt ending. Anyway, I think the fact that my family is interfaith (I'm Catholic and my husband is Jewish), is why the movie resonated so much with me. It also reminded me of one of my favorite books, Big Stone Gap, by Adriana Trigiani - if you loved this movie, and you haven't read it yet, read BSG immediately, because you will love it (it was also made into a movie, but the book is much better). Finally, while it is true that Hanukkah isn't the "Jewish Christmas" and is considered to be a minor holiday, my husband and I have always loved blending our individual family, religious and cultural traditions for the last 30+ years and sharing it with each other, our children and our extended family. Sharing and blending all of our holiday traditions have made them even more special to us. At the risk of sounding as naively saccharine as a typical Hallmark movie, maybe that is the real takeaway from Love, Lights, Hanukkah... sharing what is meaningful to you with the people you love.

An admirable try

[Tug-3 · 3/10 · 19 December 2020]

This movie makes a valiant effort to work some Hanukkah traditions into the standard Hallmark format. Unfortunately, it uses up all its good ideas within the first half hour, and then gets overwhelmed by the boilerplate.

The first act sets up an interesting plotline: Christmas-obsessed gal discovers that she's part Jewish, finds her biological family, and approaches her cultural heritage with admirable openness. Explored deeper, this really could've been something special. Instead, the plot quickly shifts gears into a bland romance, and all the cultural exploration stuff is shuffled to the background.

Heartfelt and touching

[lkozma-88596 · 10/10 · 3 January 2021]

I really loved this movie! It was so touching and sincere. It brought tears to my eyes a number of times. The acting was very good. I loved how the Christian and Jewish celebrations were shown that they can easily co-exist and family is family. I thought, however, that at least a photo of Christina's mother could have been shown. And, I did find, at times, that Mia Kirshner's eyebrows were a bit distracting. Overall, great movie!

This should have been the Hall of Famer for 2020. It was that worthy!

[Carycomic · 10/10 · 27 December 2020]

First off, there was Ben Savage as the leading guy, David. My folks have been big fans of his acting ever since BOY MEETS WORLD. Just the way they loved his brother's acting on THE WONDER YEARS! So, that was the main reason they wanted to tune in and watch this movie.

Secondly, there was Marilu Henner as Kristina's biological mom. I had a school boy crush on her, as Elaine Nardo, on TAXI. And I've found her almost too convincing, as Candace Cameron's mother (pompous realtor Aida Teagarden) in the "Real Murders" series of films. So, her acting made her equally believable in this role.

But, the main reason I tuned in to watch this movie was Mia Kirshner, as Kristina, herself. The last time I saw her in a leading role was--literally--twenty years ago, when she played Ruby Cates on the CBS one-season wonder called WOLF LAKE! And the plausibility she brought to bear, there, has only been amplified during those two decades to make her twice as plausible here!

Her acting had me doing just what the writers hoped viewers like me would do. Crying when she cried, laughing when she laughed, and smiling when she flashed her own lovely smile.

In short? This ties for first place, with "Deliver By Christmas," as one of my Top Five Favorite Hallmark telecast debuts of the 2020 Christmas season.

Embarrassing

[willfyoung1 · 2/10 · 25 December 2020]

This movie is horribly written and acted and the actors have no chemistry and the sets are put together lazily but yes they don't have a lot of Hanukkah movies so I give it a two

Christina Rossi (Mia Kirshner)

[aab874 · 10/10 · 20 April 2021]

Favorite scene with

Christina Rossi (Mia Kirshner) - Her second meeting with David. The Cannolis are for Dessert, not for Review. Love their Chemistry already! BTW #1, I love Brandi Alexander! BTW #2, Beautiful story about Family and Love!