A VERY VERMONT CHRISTMAS

(director John Stimpson; screenwriter: Steven Kent, Pamela Rice; cinematographer: Amanda McGrady; editor: John Stimpson; music: Ed Grenga; cast: Katie Leclerc (Joy Keogh), Ryan McPartlin (Zac Chase), Joanna Herrington (Mary Keogh), John Forest (Greg Harris); Runtime: 84; MPAA Rating: TV-G; producers: Mark Donadio, Miriam Marcus; Hallmark Media; 2024)

“It should please its targeted Hallmark television audience.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

A Hallmark TV movie directed with passion by John Stimpson (“The Legend of Lucy Keyes”/”Ghost Light”), and it’s efficiently written by Steven Kent and Pamela Rice.

Joy Keogh (Katie Leclerc) is an attractive single young woman who lives in Maple Glen, Vermont, where she’s a champion skier who regularly skis with her mom Mary (Joanna Herrington). After skiing she brews a craft beer at her late dad’s Mogul Joe’s Brew Pub, that has become a popular attraction, even attracting visitors from abroad. But business is now slow since dad has passed away a year ago, and Joy promised mom she would go all out to keep the business running.

The villain in the story is the oily ex-boyfriend Greg Harris (John Forest), the present owner of Frosty’s, her rival, who urged her to sell her place to Schultz Distribution, like he did. She refused and dumped him.

At a ski lift she meets a beginner skier named Zac Chase (Ryan McPartlin). They get to know each other when sitting down and chatting at the ski cafe. It turns out he’s a salesman for Schultz Distribution, and they want him to purchase for them a craft beer. This gets Joy to vent against big companies trying to crush small businesses.

At a beer tasting contest at the ski resort, she needs help with her new brew. It turns out Zac has qualified as a cicerone (accredited as a certified expert in making and evaluating craft beer). They team up, as he will pass on his craft brew skills to her and she will teach him how to ski.

Greg becomes jealous and tries to wreck her new relationship, but is no match for the forthright, talented and handsome Zac.

It’s a decent holiday romance film that’s well-crafted and genially acted. It should please its targeted Hallmark television audience, but will probably not reach a wider audience.

REVIEWED ON 12/21/2024  GRADE: B-
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