Chandler Christmas Getaway (2018 TV Movie) User Reviews (6)

This is a fairly average addition to the holiday genre that's still worth a wat

[kevin_robbins · 6/10 · 10 December 2022]

Chandler Christmas Getaway (2018) is a movie that I recently watched on Tubi. The storyline follows a family that head for a holiday vacation in a cabin they rent. They have new love challenges in the family, single challenges, they're adjusting to a little girl they recently adopted; and of course, what's a holiday without a few family feuds. Can the family pull it together and enjoy the holiday?

This movie is written and directed by Rhonda Baraka (A Christmas to Remember) and also stars Karon Riley (The Holiday Stocking), Victoria Rowell (Dumb and Dumber), Deetta West (Merry Wish-Mas), Nadej K. Bailey (The Best of Enemies), Malinda Williams (High School High) and Chrystale Wilson (The Players Club).

The cast in this is very solid and deliver worthwhile performances. The family dynamic is well established and chemistry between cast members is perfect. This picture has a very authentic feel to it. The storyline and circumstances are just okay but keep your attention. The character evolution is solid as the movie unfolds.

Overall, this is a fairly average addition to the holiday genre that's still worth a watch. I would score this a 5.5/10 and recommend watching once.

Currently Watching

[krysamor · 6/10 · 16 December 2019]

They should've at least gave the previews from the previous movies so we'd know this is something like a series like the Christmas Prince and Finding Father Christmas.

I'll be back later for the full review.

Dull getaway

[TheLittleSongbird · 3/10 · 19 September 2023]

Christmas films can go either way, which has been my experience watching overtime the festive output of primarily Lifetime, UPTV and Hallmark as well as other companies. They can either be well-meaning, charming, warm-hearted and don't feel too heavy. Or they can be too over-sentimental, cheesy, contrived and bland. There have been many films of theirs that have fallen in both camps and in the camp where there is a bit of both. Despite sounding very predictable, 'Chandler Christmas Getaway' also sounded relatable and have seen lower budget family drama films done well.

Unfortunately, 'Chandler Christmas Getaway' is not a good example of this being done well. Really liked the idea, but the idea was wasted by mediocre at best and too often downright bad execution. Is 'Chandler Christmas Getaway' unwatchable? No it isn't, it does have a few good things but even those good things have been done infinitely better elsewhere. Could it have been much better? Absolutely yes and it was a shame that it didn't turn out well at all.

Beginning with the good things, the scenery is quite nice. It does lack authenticity, it is clear that this wasn't done in Winter but it is at least nice to look at. The actors to me did do a more than serviceable job with what they were given, regardless of the character writing the performances were surprisingly above average.

Some of the music is pleasant enough.

The film however does suffer from a lot of drawbacks. The editing is very choppy and lacks fluidity and the photography could have been less drab and more focused. While the music is pleasant on its own, it could have been used less and with more subtlety. While the actors do well and their characters didn't irritate me, the characters also didn't feel fleshed out enough and personalities could have been stronger and behaviours less confused.

When it comes to the script, pacing and story, 'Chandler Christmas Getaway' is very messy. The script is very stilted and has too much awkwardness, humour is too far and between and what little there is is cheesy and not funny. The sentimentality also gets too much, as does the overdone bickering. The pace often feels very dragged out in a story that is very thin and filled with overlong padding, what little story there is is very predictable and bland. Structurally, the film is as jumpy as the editing, which did make events incomplete and muddled and affected the coherence.

Overall, had potential but rather weak. 3/10.

What the Heck Was That?

[docm-32304 · 2/10 · 19 December 2021]

This is not a Christmas movie at all. If you like sunny hot weather, no snow, constant bickering and no humor, you might like this...but still not a Christmas movie. It was like watching someone's boring home movies. The editing is bad with choppy cutting and the whole movie lacks any kind of story...it just starts and ends.

The whole thing is just a big mess

[brianfromalabama · 1/10 · 26 November 2018]

Every scene is terribly boring. We are dropped into the middle of these people's lives with no back story about who they are or why we should want to spend a holiday with them. The story is so choppy and all over the place it's hard to ever really follow exactly what is going on. I wanted a fun holiday tale to put me in the Christmas spirit and this one really failed to deliver.

Love this Christmas Movie series

[larenzosjunior · 10/10 · 1 December 2018]

Just recently discovered this movie series and absolutely love it. I hope they make them every year. So far 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and now 2018 has not disappointed. Keep them coming.