Review: “The Christmas Heart” (2012)

Fancy banner done in a navy ground. On either side, Hollywood red curtains tied back with pearl-white cords. In the center of the banner are four gold-navy-&-red art deco-styled brackets framing out the words “Books by Alicia Presents” (in gold), an art deco element beneath, then “Christmas Romance Reviews” (in pearl white).

Basic banner of navy ground and very light gold art-deco brackets in the upper left and bottom right corners. In bolded pearl white, a movie title is written. This one says, “The Christmas Heart.” Beneath it, in gold, is the date (2012) the movie came out sandwiched between two gold art deco elements.

~ A Holiday Drama Where Faith, Science, and Tradition Collide ~

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Teri Polo as “Anne Norman”
Paul Essiembre as “Mike Norman”
Ty Wood as “Matt Norman”
Cruise Brown as “Tommy Norman”
Tess Harper as “Elizabeth Morris”

Location: Cleveland, OH, and Detroit, MI

Platform: Tubi

Date: December 21, 2024

Classic Cinema Scale: Fancy banner with a thick gold border. In the center, in Hollywood red, the words, “Classic Cinema Scale.” Beneath it, three film reels—the top in gold, middle in silver, bottom in bronze. Each has words done in navy. For the gold reel, “Golden Age Worthy: Exceptional performances, chemistry, and production that capture the magic of classic Hollywood.” For the silver, “Matinee Material: Good entertainment with solid elements, though not quite reaching classic status.” And the bronze, “B-Movie Blues: Missing the mark despite potential.”

Matinee Material — Hits the right dramatic beats but misses opportunities for deeper faith exploration

Tissue Box Scale: Fancy banner with a thick gold border. In the center, in Hollywood red, the words, “Tissue Box Scale.” Beneath it, a column of tissue boxes, all in red, gold, and navy—the top is a single box, middle is two, bottom is three. Each has words done in navy. For the single box, “One Box: Keep a tissue handy, but your makeup is safe.” For the duo, “Two Boxes: You’ll definitely need those tissues, but you’ll still be presentable after.” And the trio, “Three Boxes: “Is pepperoni okay?” territory — don’t even bother with mascara!”

Two Boxes —Only a Grinch could get through some scenes without tears

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As a longtime fan of Teri Polo, I approached this Hallmark Movies & Mysteries offering with cautious optimism.

The Hallmark name once guaranteed quality, family-friendly entertainment that didn’t shy away from meaningful messages.

While this holiday drama follows its formula effectively, it takes some surprising — and frequently frustrating — turns in its handling of faith and miracles.

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This holiday drama doesn’t focus on romantic chemistry, but the cast creates believable family dynamics.

Teri Polo leads the ensemble with her usual skill, bringing depth to Anne’s struggle between maintaining hope and facing reality.

The Norman family feels authentic in their interactions, particularly during emotional scenes.

However, not all performances hit the same mark.

While most of the cast deliver solid, natural performances, Dr. Shirazi’s portrayal stands out for its stiffness, making the already problematic medical scenes feel even more disconnected from the human element of the story.

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The town’s Christmas Eve candle-lighting tradition creates a beautiful outdoor spectacle that adds genuine warmth to the holiday atmosphere.

Indoor decorations strike a realistic note, reflecting how most American homes actually look during the season.

Gold-framed banner with Art Deco brackets in top corners. The banner reads: “Décor Pro Tip: The hospital’s grim, sickly green walls serve as a stark reminder of how institutional colors affect mood and healing. When designing spaces meant for recovery, color choice shouldn’t add to patients’ distress!.”

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The wardrobe authentically captures everyday winter wear in northern states, though nothing particularly stands out.

This works for the story being told — these are regular people facing extraordinary circumstances.

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Unlike my usual romance reviews, this is a different kind of holiday story.

It follows a clear dramatic structure: a good-hearted teen needs a transplant, while across town, a man’s tragic choices create the possibility for a Christmas miracle.

The story hits its expected beats with precision, building tension as the clock ticks toward Christmas.

Gold-framed banner with Art Deco brackets in top corners. The banner reads: “Reality Check: The medical scenes, particularly around organ donation discussions, highlight a concerning trend in modern medicine. While the information presented is technically correct, the delivery lacks basic empathy. When did medical training start prioritizing clinical detachment over compassionate care?”

Section Header: Basic banner with a pearl-white ground. In the center, in navy, are the words, “Christian Corner” that are sandwiched between gold art-deco elements.

Here’s where things get complicated.

The story’s handling of faith raises significant concerns.

Rather than embracing either secular holiday magic or genuine Christian faith, it attempts to straddle both — suggesting Santa as a source of miracles while standing in front of a Nativity scene.

This muddled approach might leave viewers of strong faith feeling frustrated. (It certainly did for me.)

Gold-framed banner with oversized Art Deco quotation marks in the upper left and lower right, done in a bold Hollywood red. In between the quote marks is the quote and attribution: “We prayed a very long time for children. These boys are miracles” — Anne.

Anne’s statement (above) carries deep meaning, but the story’s context unfortunately undermines its power.

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While The Christmas Heart delivers its intended emotional impact and features generally solid performances (Dr. Shirazi’s portrayal being the notable exception), it falls short of its potential for meaningful spiritual discourse.

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Teri Polo’s reliably strong performance
Beautiful Christmas Eve tradition
Effective emotional storytelling
Realistic family dynamics

Subsection Header: Basic banner with a pearl-white ground. In the center, in Hollywood red, is the word, “Lowlights” that’ sandwiched between gold-&-red art-deco elements.

Confused handling of faith elements
Some insensitive medical scenes
Inconsistent character development
Missed opportunities for deeper spiritual exploration

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Yes, this holiday drama effectively tells its story of hope and miracles, but its reluctance to take a clear stance on faith feels like a missed opportunity.

As a Christian viewer, watching characters pray for miracles while redirecting credit to Santa or one of the Wise Men proves irritating.

First, Anne speaks with her son about Santa. Innocuous until she, a Believer, encourages him to pray to Santa for a miracle. And at the end, she credits the Wise Man for the miracle.

Either of these eye-rolling scenes proves that the script writer/producers didn’t have the courage to honor God as the Father of answered prayers and miracles.

Ironically, both St. Nick and the Wise Men believed in Him!

That said, viewers simply seeking a general holiday drama about hope and second chances may find exactly what they’re looking for.

Have you watched this Christmas drama? Share your thoughts on how holiday films should handle matters of faith and miracles in the comments below!

Related topics: Christmas drama, holiday films, classic storytelling, family dynamics, seasonal entertainment

This review is part of “BBA’s Christmas in July Romance Reviews Week” series. Check back tomorrow at a special 2:00 p.m. time for a new review!

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Color photo of me, Alicia, authoress and writer of this blog. Because these specific posts are all about Christmas romance movies, I enhanced my photo with a Santa hat and with a bough of holly bracketing the bottom right. In the center of the holly bough are two candy canes crossed like lovers in a romantic embrace. (See what I did there? 😊)

Alicia Strickland

As a romance novelist with expertise in fashion, interior design, and a deep love of classic Hollywood, I bring a unique perspective to holiday romance reviews. Join me in exploring the magic (and occasional missteps) of Christmas movies!

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Alicia Strickland

Hi! I write across multiple genres under various pen names. But for nonfiction, I write as myself. As a designer with a love of Old Hollywood and all things creative, I bring diverse perspectives to my storytelling... and to my blog. In the unlikely event that I’m not writing, I enjoy crafting, gardening, or spending time with my flame-point Siamese, Hunter.

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