Renowned TV chef Mandy Gilmore (Lori Loughlin) brings her culinary series, ‘A World of Food’, to an end so that she can travel the world to dine in all 142 Michelin star restaurants. With a flight booked to Paris, Mandy makes a quick stop in Milwaukee to oversee the sale of her late Aunt Susie’s pantry to businessman Adam (James Tupper). Just as she’s about to seal the deal, Mandy meets Otto (Jesse Hutch), a volunteer at the pantry who convinces her to keep the pantry open to feed those in need for one more Christmas.
‘A Christmas Blessing’ is the kind of holiday movie that is designed to tug on the heartstrings and it certainly achieves that. A real feel-good story, the film sees its central character trying to balance what’s right and what makes most business sense. For Mandy, selling Aunt Susie’s pantry is the only thing stopping her from fulfilling her travel dream but her chance meeting with Otto makes her look at the situation differently. Realising all of the good that her aunt did in the neighbourhood, and how loved she was, Mandy decides to honour her memory by running the pantry for one more holiday.
Initially Adam agrees to Mandy’s conditions, expecting her to fall at the first hurdle, but he grossly under-estimates who he’s dealing with. When the two meets, he has no idea who she is meaning that he is unaware of her prowess in the kitchen. With the help of Otto, Mandy starts to get the pantry back on its feet and she begins to feel more connected to her late Aunt through her conversations with Otto. There’s a nice bit of mystery added into the plot too with Otto potentially not being who he says he is. I won’t spoil anything but this element of the plot I really enjoyed.
This film is one of Lori Loughlin’s first productions since being released from prison following her involvement in a college bribery scandal. Prior to that, Loughlin was seen as squeaky clean and it wasn’t clear if she’d be able to recover her career. ‘A Christmas Blessing’ is a perfect vehicle for her and it’s a reminder of her natural warmth and charm. The camera has always loved her, and the role of Mandy is one that likely appealed to her due to the redemptive nature of the plot. Loughlin is truly wonderful in this film and she makes a great team with the always charming James Tupper as her love interest Adam.
For me though, the real star here is Jesse Hutch. I’ve seen him in a few things over the years but as Otto he gives one of his best performances to date. He plays into the mystery of the character well and he’s a real delight to watch on-screen. I loved the way he Otto so subtly and his presence commands your attention every single time he appears.
‘A Christmas Blessing’ really did catch me by surprise. I didn’t expect to like the movie as much as I did but it’s up there with ‘A Paris Christmas Waltz’ for contender of best Great American Family holiday movie of 2023. With an emotive story that hits you in the heart, a romance that you can root for, and a stunning trio of leads, the film captures the spirit of the holiday season perfectly.
Cast: Lori Loughlin, James Tupper, Jesse Hutch Director: David Winning Writer: Alfonso H. Moreno Certificate: Unrated Duration: 90 mins Released by: Great American Family Release date: 12th November 2023
Find out more about ‘A Christmas Blessing’ at https://www.greatamericanfamily.com/movie/a-christmas-blessing/.
