User reviews

Hallmark just signed Aimee Teegarden (one of the talented stars of the great TV series Friday Night Lights) to an exclusive multi-picture deal. That was a smart move because she is quite charming and very likable, as she demonstrated in Once Upon a Christmas Miracle, New Year's Resolution, and My Christmas Wish List. But she may have been miscast here as Elle, a valedictorian and high achieving tech expert, happily immersed in the Big Tech culture of Northern California. Inexplicably, and despite a high profile and demanding job, Elle has continued to embrace her role as class president long after graduating high school and goes back home (3,000 miles from work) to oversee a reunion.

The movie begins with a scene that seemed like an homage to the movie Carrie, and then jumps ahead 15 years. Tanner Novlan plays Devin, a popular high school goof off who became a single dad and took over his parents' successful event planning company. If he looks familiar, it's because Novlan previously played a struggling actor who couldn't remember his lines in a Liberty Mutual commercial ("Liberty Biberty").

The romance between Elle and Devin seemed more than unlikely (they live 3,000 miles away from each other and she loves her Big Tech career in California). But Yasmeen Kelders was great as Devin's daughter Skyler who, rather conveniently, is presented as a young tech whiz who knew of Elle's achievements. One of the best things about the movie is its promotion of women in STEM fields. And I really liked the father daughter relationship (Devin's support of Skyler's dreams was sweet).

But the estranged real estate couple didn't ring true for me, either as a couple breaking apart or afterwards (I blame the writing, which was weak). There were other problems too. For example, would a successful hot shot tech executive discuss highly sensitive work issues during a FaceTime call on speaker in public and then simply put the phone down (and ignore the urgent matter) when a high school crush walks up?

And what woman would take her gay stylist from Indianapolis to her 15 year high school reunion in Connecticut? I respect and admire Hallmark's commitment to diversity, but if you're going to add a flamboyant gay character to a Hallmark movie, he should be as funny as Dan Levy from Schitt's Creek (not easy to do). This guy was just annoying and there was no reason for him to even be in town. Hallmark's gay characters don't need to be over the top caricatures for Hallmark to be inclusive.

And as much as I like Aimee Teagarden, her character was unrealistic and a bit off putting. Her high school crush (who took a cheap shot at Devin for remaining a local) reduced her to acting like a silly schoolgirl which didn't jive with her successful no nonsense career as a tech executive. She was also very dismissive of Devin for the first hour, blew off her understandably concerned assistant Alma and, in one of the sadder scenes, acknowledged blowing off Samantha after high school when she reached out to Elle. And her Big Speech was mostly about her.

But the most annoying aspect of the movie was how it dealt with Elle's impressive career and her position at a company called ZIgg. She was apparently the CTO of the company and managed its data cloud storage division. She was also featured "on Wired Magazine's 35 under 35 list". And yet the movie never explained what ZIgg does and what went wrong at the company. They also never explained why she never spoke to anyone on the Board or tried calling anyone other than the CEO, and there was no reason to believe she couldn't return to the company just because the CEO was arrested or wouldn't be in high demand at other Bay Area and Silicon Valley tech companies in California (there were no facts given as to why the sins of the CEO would sink the company or taint her).

I should probably give this less than a 6, but I really do like Aimee Teagarden. It's not her fault the story made no sense.

"My resume is who I am." I'm disappointed in the woman who says this especially when she's played by my favorite actor, Aimee Teagarden. Aimee's previous 4 Hallmark movies have given her deeper roles. My current Christmas favorite was her last Christmas movie so I really looked forward to this despite signs that it would probably be on the shallow end.

This movie is basically one of the usual holiday rom/coms. Elle is the class president of the "cursed" class of 2007 and she vows to pull off a reunion to break that curse. To do so, she must work with the former class clown who is now fairly accomplished at just what she needs for the reunion. Meanwhile, things from her day job threaten her enjoyment of the holidays. The rest of the story is pretty much what you might expect.

Elle and at least one other character are forced to examine their lives and what they consider their identity.

The acting is ok. The dialogue has some good moments. Teagarden and Tanner Novlan have quiet chemistry. For a holiday movie, the overall tone is not so jolly with downer moments occurring almost from start to finish.

Now I get that most of the Christmas movies in recent years are the same 3 romance stories in different variations. But most of them had some Christmas elements that wasn't just the the tree it had that magical moment of the holiday. But this movie didn't feel any Christmas to me.the story is about high school reunion after 15 years were we meet the group of characters thinking about their school days and where they are now. Did they chose the right path, what did they achieve etc' etc'. The movie wasn't bad at all, the cast was great and had good chemistry. But to me the link between Christmas and the story was weak at best. They could have done reunion at any event because we always think of these questions When we meet our friends. There was no this extra Christmas magic that these kind of movies need to be holiday movie .

7.2 stars.

This is about a bunch of classmates at senior prom, then we jump forward 15 years to class reunion happening during the holidays. There are lots of highs and lows surrounding it, and few speed bumps along the way, and the question is: will it even happen?

Many people say this was poorly made, or they complain about the storyline, such as how could someone possibly think that a class reunion over the holidays is a good idea for a plot...

I usually only criticize movies that lack the crucial elements: entertaining, chemistry, dialogue, acting, and music. This film has them all, and while they aren't stellar, they are above average. If the minimum requirements are met, the movie is on lock.

Teagarden is one of my favorites for Hallmark and is the reason for my favorite Hallmark film so far, which I rated 9.6 stars. If you're curious, you'll have to read my reviews and find it.

Back to this movie. There is a major variance from most Hallmarks surrounding the fact that our lead female basically loves two different guys, and both guys are really cool. They are both "good" guys, not sleazy, but friendly, not asymmetrical, but very handsome. Of course we can guess which one she will choose, obviously the one who raised a really great kid (and she is a great little actress that one).

I have loved Aimee Teegarden since the Friday Night Lights days, and I have enjoyed all her Christmas movies for Hallmark - last year's 'My Christmas Family Tree' and 2018's 'Once Upon a Christmas Miracle are standouts - to this point, and enjoyed them all.

So of course I was anticipating 'Christmas Class Reunion' which sees the "cursed" class of 2007 reunite at Christmas (because everyone is already in town for the holidays) fifteen years after they graduated high school.

There are a number of intertwined stories but Elle's (Teegarden) is the main one, as she plans the reunion - which doesn't exactly go to her meticulous plan - whilst being torn between her high school crush and the guy who she didn't really like back then, the class clown who has matured and has a daughter.

It's a fairly predictable movie in the sense that you have a pretty good idea of exactly what's going to happen, but there are some nice moments throughout the film that definitely resonate. Christmas is a wonderful time for nostalgia, and what is more nostalgic than a high school reunion at Christmas?

Don't over-think a movie like this. Just watch and enjoy. Yes, everything ends happily, but that's fine. That's what you want from a movie like this! You could do a lot worse. Indeed, Hallmark HAS done a lot worse this year and in past years.

Hallmark has released a string of disappointing Christmas movies in 2022. The Christmas Class Reunion movie in 2022 is so predictable and slow moving to the point of being boring. The movie has a great cast with Aimee Teegarden from Friday Nights Lights as one of the lead characters. But the writers didn't put together a decent script for the cast to perform. The storyline was even more predictable than most Hallmark Christmas movies but most of the movie was depressing with couple breakups, conniving business folks in the class, and workaholics classmates who have made a mess of their lives in the big city. Hallmark should focus on quality versus holiday drivel.

I really enjoyed this movie for what it is: fun entertainment that is easy to follow and fairly captivating.

In reading many of my peers' contributions here, my view is clearly a departure from theirs. While I agree that the plot wasn't airtight on each and every detail, I fail to understand how a movie that is covering about 6 sub-plots/relationships could go that deep.

Elle (Teagarden) indeed has a job with "Zigg", and it's true we never really know the company's profile. Is that really necessary to understand the overall gist of the movie? Not at all. We know that this firm has come into challenging times, and it threatens Elle's self-confidence, because she has placed her identity in her work. Another reviewer stated that this is disappointing; I respect this, however, I myself truly relate. I work in non-profit, but if my job were threatened, my purpose and joy would be rocked; I try to work on this, but I would absolutely need to recalibrate. To me, the point of her statement "My resume is who I am" is not that her identity is the money she earns, but that her work is her 'comfort zone' - she is structured, disciplined, very Type-A, and many people are similar.

It is only until this painful moment happens that she is forced to reconsider her priorities, and for that reason, she is able to step back and see how it hasn't been as wonderful as she thought.

- I agree that she is somewhat aloof, because in this role, her respect for a peer that was silly, undisciplined, and her complete opposite in high school is understandably sparse. She doesn't keep that mindset for the entire movie, and realizes that Devin has found wisdom worth sharing.

I loved Aimee in other movies, especially I think "Christmas miracle", where she plays a very ill and endearing young lady. To see her in two very different roles, but equally believable, shows her range and skill.

- I loved the couple that had their marriage issues; oddly enough, the young man was so incredibly handsome and charming (i'm not related, I swear) - the actor looked absolutely in love with his movie partner, but I did think she was somewhat like a shell of a person. I appreciated the realistic view of a couple that drifts apart due to career, and it's a great foil for the usually magical relationships that Hallmark is known to highlight. (Every HM movie has a conflict, but it's rare for the conflict to be this level of "icy"; while it's not fun to feel these emotions, they are truly a reality for millions of people. It helps to see that - surprise! - we are truly not alone, and even the bliss-filled Christmas world of Hallmark has complexities.) - The story lines that were also included, but for me, lacked enough depth to warrant a "10", were the ones that featured the 'nerd that became a success' with her amusing assistant, as well as the father/daughter storyline that failed to be authentic to me. (he didn't have enough 'fatherly' factor to seem like her dad, and she needs to be in movies that allow her to be the focal point - not a bit part) I laughed aloud at the start, when the movie decides to channel Carrie, because that scream of Aimee's was absolutely hilarious. I also listened - the entire time! - for a 'voice clearing' that Aimee allegedly does, and I heard nothing. That was actually why I decided to watch each detail of the movie, and I must say that I'm disappointed to not be able to hear this allegedly annoying trait of Aimee's!

Overall: enjoy this movie, don't overthink it, and know that if you are the sort of HM movie lover that relates to work/career situations, this is a great Christmas movie for you.

The teaser text for this movie would have made a great movie, potentially. But the writers didn't even try for that. The idea of a class reunion with surprises and successes and disappointments could have been dramatic and humorous at the same time, but the reunion only appears in the last act and the script never really focuses on it very much. Yeah, they have a room full of people, but do nothing with it.

We have a female lead whose firm is collapsing, but they spent so little time on establishing her in it that 'Who cares?' They made a weak pass at an antipathetic romance when she distrusts the "high school goof off" as an event organizer, but they didn't really make much of that, either.

We did find ONE funny moment, when she tells a company that "The North Pole" is a deceptive name for a company, given that it's devoted to "exotic dancers".

Otherwise, these lazy writers showed no originality and wasted our time.

The movie starts with the Winter Prom of 2007 featuring 6 stereotypical teen "types." The smart and popular achiever, both male and female versions, the class clown, the in-love inseparable couple, the popular jock, and the class nerd. The mean girl is missing. They are part of the class deemed "cursed" due to disasters at prom, graduation, and other class events. They used the same early 30-something-year-old actors to play themselves as teens, which can be tricky.

Cut to 15 years later and the "achiever", Elle, short for Noelle, played by Aimee Teagarden is in charge of planning the class reunion. We know that she is the focus mainly because her name is Christmassy. She indeed has fulfilled her potential, having made quite a name for herself as the Chief Technology Officer of a successful and important company. She leaves Silicon Valley for Hartford CT, looking forward to seeing her old friends again, particularly Kam the male version of herself whom she had a crush on when she was in high school. We next meet Devin the class clown, very appealingly played by Tanner Novlan. At the 2007 prom, he flooded both Aimee and the school gym with his malfunctioning snow machine. Tanner is the male lead and his chemistry with Aimee was amazing.

As the reunion plans come into shape we also reconnect with the inseparable couple whose marriage is falling apart even as their real estate agency is booming. The Nerd Girl is now an attractive and successful TV host up for a big promotion to a national morning show. She still lacks self-confidence despite her success and is inseparable from her best friend who is also her very flamboyant stylist. When the popular jock makes an appearance we think we spy a love interest for our likable TV host, but sadly he is attracted to her gay best friend instead! Aimee is very happy when her old unrequited crush, Kam, shows up. He is just like her: career and success-focused and very very busy. Too busy and important to help with the reunion, so she finds herself partnering with her old nemesis, Devlin. He is the father of a daughter who idolizes Elle, and it is not long before she realizes that he is no longer an irresponsible screw-up. The young actress, so far uncredited, who played his daughter was a star.

Of course, the inevitable catastrophes start to happen with a fire breaking out at their fancy venue and Aimee's company being the target of a federal investigation putting her whole career in jeopardy. As she works with Devlin in finding a new venue and tackling all of the challenges, she realizes that her worth is not what she does for a living, but what she is inside. She and all of her friends' lives are happily sorted, which we learn in one of my beloved "one year later" epilogues. Hallmark is delighting fans by casting other popular Hallmark stars in cameo roles. This time was Chris McNally's turn in a cute performance as an Elf-garbed photographer. I tend to like movies using ensemble casts and this one was no exception.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I love that the Liberty commercial guy is in this. He's actually very charming and was probably the best actor in this movie. I was a huge Friday Night Lights fan and Aimee Teegarden was really great in it. What this says to me, is that the Hallmark writers need to work a little harder with the dialogue they give. Next year I would love to see the successful girl go back to her hometown...she can still fall in love with the one that got away or whatever....just make the man move to the big city. You wanna know why? City life is AWESOME! And you absolutely should live there if you can. Not everyone wants a life in the suburbs.

Elle (Aimee Teegarden) was an over-achiever in high school and still is. I could not figure out why on earth she would want to continually try to oversee class reunions especially since each one since their graduation has been a disaster for one reason or another. She even states that "it's the job of the class president to plan reunions." Devin Ryan, her classmate, says he didn't realize that it was a lifelong position. I thought the same thing. I know our class reunions were never planned by the class president. She is really rude to Devin. A lot. Repeatedly. While Devin with stars in eyes, is the ever-longsuffering male lead who puts up with her excessive, whiny demands just hoping to somehow merit a sideways gland and a smile from the diva who can do no wrong. Crumbs from her table.

Yasmeen Kelders, who plays Devin's daughter, was adorable and spot on in her acting. Watch for this kid. She will go places.

Samantha's assistant, James, is so over-the-top with his gay-ness he is not even believable. I get that Hallmark is trying to make a statement that they are not homophobic, but damn, tone it down a bit. James was literally a caricature.

And WHY is Aimee ALWAYS AND FOREVER clearing her throat? That is so annoying! She does it in every single movie.

And lastly, This movie has little or mothing to do with Christmas other than the word is its title. There were not even any beautiful street decorations to admire. But then again, we were spared the timeworn clichés of the snowball fights and the tree lighting. Finally "Santa" shows up and "saves the reunion". Way to go, Santa. But he can't save the movie. It's a snoozer.

Aimee Teagarden is delightful, but I am not sure she is enough to make this a top shelf Hallmark holiday romance. This starts in the past with a high school prom when things don't go exactly as planned for class President Elle. The guy she likes doesn't ask her to dance and she gets doused in a bucket of water from the snow machine while on stage in front of everyone.

Now it is fifteen years later and they have yet to have a successful reunion...but this year Elle is determined to make it the best. They loose their venue and their decorations last minute...but thanks to a core group of friends and Devin, the one responsible for the water incident back in the day, this may be the first successful reunion.

There is a lot going on in this holiday romance...this is less about a boy and girl falling in love and more about a group, which seems to be a bit of a theme lately on Hallmark. Elle's loosing her job, real estate agents and married couple (the most romantic in high school) Jay and Katie's relationship is in trouble, and low self-esteem Samantha is hoping for a big job opportunity in New York...oh! And Devin is a single Dad who is trying to go from fun one to responsible one.

The film is cute, but the variety of storylines really detracts from the actual romance. Not as funny as I would like a high school reunion film to be and not as romantic as I would like a holiday romance to be...I can't say I recommend this to my fellow romantics. There are better films in spite the delightful and handsome actors.

When we saw this movie the first time, we liked it, and decided to watch it again this year. What was interesting the second time around was that we found the lead character "Elle" played by Aimee Teegarden to be really shallow and unlikeable. Elle's attitude towards "Devin" (played by Tanner Novlan) both in high school and 15 later initially at this class reunion came across as someone who is totally self centered and never matured one bit. And then as if somebody waved a magic wand, she finally starts to see that Devin is a very likeable guy who actually acts his current age and is responsible versus her still acting like a shallow teenager despite being a successful adult. Her other old classmate friends aren't much better. Maybe that was what the writers/director were going for, but I found the "growth/transformation" arc for Elle occurring over the course of a few hours/days at this reunion gathering versus over the past 15 years hard to believe. Only giving it 3 stars instead of the 1 star it deserves because Tanner Novlan's Devin character was likeable in this this movie. In fact, in the very beginning of this movie, his character Devin tells his daughter his reasoning as to why he wasn't planning on attending the class reunion other than fulfilling his company's contract on providing the party decorations for the event. He should have followed his own advice!