"Christmas with Holly" is that rare film in which everything clicks and fits superbly. The plot, director, cast, crew and filming all excel. The story comes from a 2010 novel by best-selling author Lisa Kleypas, "Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor." Kleypas has written more than 50 historical and contemporary romance novels. But this is her first and only film to date made into a movie.
Billed as a drama, family and romance, this film is so much more than that. It's a love story that brings brothers together, healing for several, and friendship, family and love of kindred souls. And, it is done with a touch of humor gently spread throughout. The story takes place in Seattle and Friday Harbor which is located on San Juan Island proper. It is the largest of the San Juan Islands that are part of the state of Washington but that sit off the mainland in the waters between Vancouver Island, north of Puget Sound and south of the Straits of Georgia.
Six-year-old Holly lost her mother a few months ago, and hasn't said a word since. Holly was born out of wedlock, and by six she had met and was endeared to her mom's three brothers - uncles Scott, Alex and Mark. Victoria had willed the guardianship of Holly to Mark, who had also been living for a time in Seattle, although he still owned a coffee shop back home. Because of problems in school, with Holly not speaking, Mark decides to move back to Friday Harbor and put her in school there. They would live with Scott who is renovating their family's grand Victorian home.
While this was taking place, somewhere across Seattle, Maggie Conway had been stood up at the altar, with a church full of friends. So, with support from her sister, Kate, she decides to get away from the city. She wants to live in the town she and Kate had visited during the summer vacations with their parents. And, with her savings, she opens her fairyland toy and book store. Where else, but in Friday Harbor?
Mark and Maggie bump into one another on the ferry, literally. Within a day or two in town, they bump into one another again. Then it becomes almost routine. While Maggie has been working to get her store open, Mark and Holly have been winning over Uncle Scott at the Nagle house, and also Uncle Alex who has been staying there as well. He is doing marine research and is waiting on a grant for a research project in Maine.
It's not hard, from this point, for anyone to guess how this will turn out. But it's the details of the story that are so endearing as it unfolds and plays out. The brotherly and half-hearted squabbles between Mark, Scott and Alex. Their deep heartstrings for Holly, mutual interest and concern. Holly's slow and slight emergence with her uncles. The natural, very real and believable fatherly warmth and playfulness Mark has with Holly - just the right seriousness, compassion and caring, and happy, playful and reassuring face - at the right times. The genuine and real touch of understanding, kindness, gentleness and encouragement that Maggie has with children, and with Holly especially. How Maggie invites Holly to imagine herself in the fairy doll house. The budding friendships, meeting others and burgeoning affections with and between these people and others in the story. And, the gradual and blooming love between Mark and Maggie, and wonderful touches of humor just in the right places.
When Mark moves back to the island with Holly, he asks Scott to put them up in the family home that Scott is remodeling. "Besides," he says, "you can use an extra hand on the remodel." Scott replies, "Okay, fine. But Holly better be good with a hammer, 'cause I've seen you with tools." And, the funniest scene and exchange in the film is when the three brothers have planned Thanksgiving dinner at home, and Alex is getting ready to prepare the dinner. He looks in the refrigerator and asks, "Where's the turkey?" Scott walks over, opens the freezer door, takes the turkey out and plunks it on the table. Alex says, "You put the fresh turkey in the freezer?" Scott says, "Yep!" And Mark is in the background nearly cracking up.
And the most heartfelt scene is when the brothers and Holly are at home and she's sitting on Scott's shoulders. Holly points to Alex and says, "He's my favorite uncle. So is Uncle Scott." Then she looks at Mark and says, "And do you think you can be my dad?"
The producers did a good job making the film in Nova Scotia, although to Washington and British Columbia residents, the ferry and aerial water scenes won't quite look like the San Juan Islands. I lived many years in the Pacific Northwest and sailed the San Juan and Georgia Islands one summer with friends. I have ridden all the Washington State ferries that operate in the San Juans and Puget Sound, and those that operate from Washington and British Columbia to Vancouver Island. And, I have been to Friday Harbor a couple of times. The movie has a reference to Shelby catching a ferry back to Bellingham, but there is no such ferry. The daily ferry to Friday Harbor operates out of Anacortes, hauling vehicles and pedestrians. There is a direct passenger only ferry, the Seattle-San Juan Clipper, that operates only intermittently between Seattle and Friday Harbor.
This is a great film that families should enjoy far into the future.
Billed as a drama, family and romance, this film is so much more than that. It's a love story that brings brothers together, healing for several, and friendship, family and love of kindred souls. And, it is done with a touch of humor gently spread throughout. The story takes place in Seattle and Friday Harbor which is located on San Juan Island proper. It is the largest of the San Juan Islands that are part of the state of Washington but that sit off the mainland in the waters between Vancouver Island, north of Puget Sound and south of the Straits of Georgia.
Six-year-old Holly lost her mother a few months ago, and hasn't said a word since. Holly was born out of wedlock, and by six she had met and was endeared to her mom's three brothers - uncles Scott, Alex and Mark. Victoria had willed the guardianship of Holly to Mark, who had also been living for a time in Seattle, although he still owned a coffee shop back home. Because of problems in school, with Holly not speaking, Mark decides to move back to Friday Harbor and put her in school there. They would live with Scott who is renovating their family's grand Victorian home.
While this was taking place, somewhere across Seattle, Maggie Conway had been stood up at the altar, with a church full of friends. So, with support from her sister, Kate, she decides to get away from the city. She wants to live in the town she and Kate had visited during the summer vacations with their parents. And, with her savings, she opens her fairyland toy and book store. Where else, but in Friday Harbor?
Mark and Maggie bump into one another on the ferry, literally. Within a day or two in town, they bump into one another again. Then it becomes almost routine. While Maggie has been working to get her store open, Mark and Holly have been winning over Uncle Scott at the Nagle house, and also Uncle Alex who has been staying there as well. He is doing marine research and is waiting on a grant for a research project in Maine.
It's not hard, from this point, for anyone to guess how this will turn out. But it's the details of the story that are so endearing as it unfolds and plays out. The brotherly and half-hearted squabbles between Mark, Scott and Alex. Their deep heartstrings for Holly, mutual interest and concern. Holly's slow and slight emergence with her uncles. The natural, very real and believable fatherly warmth and playfulness Mark has with Holly - just the right seriousness, compassion and caring, and happy, playful and reassuring face - at the right times. The genuine and real touch of understanding, kindness, gentleness and encouragement that Maggie has with children, and with Holly especially. How Maggie invites Holly to imagine herself in the fairy doll house. The budding friendships, meeting others and burgeoning affections with and between these people and others in the story. And, the gradual and blooming love between Mark and Maggie, and wonderful touches of humor just in the right places.
When Mark moves back to the island with Holly, he asks Scott to put them up in the family home that Scott is remodeling. "Besides," he says, "you can use an extra hand on the remodel." Scott replies, "Okay, fine. But Holly better be good with a hammer, 'cause I've seen you with tools." And, the funniest scene and exchange in the film is when the three brothers have planned Thanksgiving dinner at home, and Alex is getting ready to prepare the dinner. He looks in the refrigerator and asks, "Where's the turkey?" Scott walks over, opens the freezer door, takes the turkey out and plunks it on the table. Alex says, "You put the fresh turkey in the freezer?" Scott says, "Yep!" And Mark is in the background nearly cracking up.
And the most heartfelt scene is when the brothers and Holly are at home and she's sitting on Scott's shoulders. Holly points to Alex and says, "He's my favorite uncle. So is Uncle Scott." Then she looks at Mark and says, "And do you think you can be my dad?"
The producers did a good job making the film in Nova Scotia, although to Washington and British Columbia residents, the ferry and aerial water scenes won't quite look like the San Juan Islands. I lived many years in the Pacific Northwest and sailed the San Juan and Georgia Islands one summer with friends. I have ridden all the Washington State ferries that operate in the San Juans and Puget Sound, and those that operate from Washington and British Columbia to Vancouver Island. And, I have been to Friday Harbor a couple of times. The movie has a reference to Shelby catching a ferry back to Bellingham, but there is no such ferry. The daily ferry to Friday Harbor operates out of Anacortes, hauling vehicles and pedestrians. There is a direct passenger only ferry, the Seattle-San Juan Clipper, that operates only intermittently between Seattle and Friday Harbor.
This is a great film that families should enjoy far into the future.