Hallmark Christmas movies are like fruitcake: dense, predictable, and occasionally studded with something unexpectedly tasty. So, while time travel might seem like a bizarre ingredient to toss into the holiday mix, I’m cautiously optimistic about A ’90s Christmas. It’s like finding a sprinkle of candied ginger in that brick of fruitcake—weird, but potentially intriguing.
The premise is simple enough: Lucy Miller (Eva Bourne), a lawyer drowning in billable hours and holiday loneliness, gets magically zapped back to 1999. For those of you who actually lived through the ’90s, the mere thought of revisiting that era — dial-up internet, the Y2K scare, and, yes, NSYNC — might be enough to trigger an existential crisis. But for Lucy, it’s an opportunity to fix past mistakes and maybe, just maybe, find love and family.
Now, let’s talk casting. Bourne is a Hallmark regular, reliable if not revelatory. She’s joined by Chandler Massey and Katherine Barrell, who I’m hoping bring a bit of spice to this sugary concoction. The real question is, will the script give them anything to do beyond the standard Hallmark tropes? Will Massey be the charming high school sweetheart Lucy should have chosen? Will Barrell be the sassy best friend who delivers tough love while sipping hot cocoa? Only time will tell (pun intended).
The movie’s supposed to examine ideas about second chances and family togetherness. If the film manages to avoid preachiness and sentimentality, it may offer something worthwhile.
A ’90s Christmas airs Friday, November 29 at 6/5c on Hallmark.
