A military history professor agrees to help an antique store owner find the family of a WWII Army officer and return his uniform and medals after love letters are discovered in the pockets.
Starring: Jill Wagner and Paul Greene
Image: Great American Media
My Movie Grade: A
Fans Have Been Asking for a Mystery!
Mystery fans have been imploring Great American Family to include mysteries in their program lineup that are comparable to Aurora Teagarden, Hannah Swensen, or Mystery 101. Although a viable series has yet to land on GAF, Bringing Christmas Home should satisfy viewers' craving for mystery like Christmas cut-outs and a glass of milk.
Russell Carlisle (Greene) is an antique shop owner who finds a hidden treasure in his latest blind purchase of unwanted effects. As he rummages through boxes, he stumbles upon a WWII uniform decorated with several medals. Inside the pocket is a love letter from Alice to Orin Newton. Russell decides that the uniform holds too much significance for him to keep, and he determines to find the rightful owner.
Russell contacts Caroline Upton (Wagner), a retired Major in military intelligence who is employed as a military history professor, and he asks for her help in locating Orin.
Russell and Caroline fall into sync with one another, just like Sherlock and Watson, as they track down every available clue. When the duo learns that Orin had been captured and listed as MIA, it seems their search reaches a dead end--but not for long.
Russell and Caroline ultimately discover a bigger story filled with intrigue, codes, and false identities. Will they complete their mission by Christmas? Did Orin survive the war and make it home to Alice?
Bringing Christmas Home is a well-written story from established screenwriters and best friends, Casie Tabanou and Ali Spuck. The movie is suspenseful without being stressful, and the trail of clues is fascinating to follow and leads to a satisfying conclusion.
The Character Development Results in Depth
What makes Bringing Christmas Home stand out from other light-hearted holiday movies is the excellent character development. This feat is achieved through talented screenwriting and the actors' portrayals of their respective roles.
Some of the worst movies, like GAF's Journey to Christmas, have underdeveloped characters, and the result is shallowness and unlikability.
Wagner and Greene hop comfortably into their roles like a department store Santa takes his throne.
Caroline carries emotional baggage. Her military experiences have damaged her, and she feels broken and unworthy. She admits that she struggles with her purpose and feeling normal. She can't imagine that Russell would want to deal with her and all the issues she is working through. She underestimates him. Russell is caring and patient and puts her needs above his own.
Although Caroline and Russell have an instant spark, the sleuthing gives them the opportunity to get to know each other, spend quality time together, and grow closer. None of the usual microwave romance where two people profess their love after spending a nano second together.
Faith Is Acknowledged
GAF's base appreciates all the nuances stemming from a biblical worldview that are included in Bringing Christmas Home. The network manages to include faith-filled overtones without sounding pontifical.
When Caroline and Russell meet with Orin's former military comrade, Frank, the man remarks about the couple's adventure by noting, "God has a funny way of putting people together." It's a subtle reminder about God's sovereignty and Divine Intervention.
Near the end of the movie, Russell acknowledges that meeting Caroline is "a gift from God."
My favorite double entendre in Bringing Christmas Home is when Russell refers to a valuable collectible in his store that he plans to gift to one of their leads. The item is cracked, which some would say makes it less valuable. He, on the other hand, believes, "It's the crack that proves just how strong something can really be." This reminds me of 2 Corinthians 12:9, where is states that God's power is made perfect in weakness.
The Movie Includes Paul Greene's New Song
Greene wrote the title song for Bringing Christmas Home. You can listen to it again below:
Bringing Christmas Home Has It All
Bringing Christmas Home honors our military, features our favorite stars, is filled with twists, introduces a new Greene song, acknowledges God, and is a very engaging story. It's a wonderful addition to GAF's Christmas movie catalog.
I absolutely loved this too! -Maria
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