User Reviews

I chose this as the first Hallmark Christmas movie of the season on my DVR because it sounded atypical. It did not disappoint. Of course, there's the usual Christmas schmaltz, but at least it's geographically different schmaltz. Also, as an adoptive mother I'm interested in the "What if I met my biological parent" storyline. Added bonus: the heroine is not a size 2.

It was a pleasant movie but not entirely believable. Hard to believe that the love interest had never been outside his county before. However, I do know a Louisiana gentlemen who CLAIMED that he'd never been to New Orleans until my husband's Navy reunion took place there. (At least that whole Vietnam war thing got him out of the state.) But I digress.

I did enjoy the movie, even though the plot was predictable. It won't go on my list of Hallmark Christmas movies I could watch every year ("The Christmas Card," "A Very Merry Mix-up," "Nine Lives of Christmas," and several others), but I could watch it another time or two.

This is a surprisingly sweet Hallmark family drama in which a reporter gets to know her biological father, who she thought abandoned her, under the guise of doing a story on him as his Louisiana town's newly appointed acting Père Noel. Jaicy Elliot as reporter Campbell Wallace, hoes to Louisiana for a Cajun Christmas to do a story on their new Père Noel and Cajun Christmas traditions like the lighting of bonfires. What the new Père Noel, Everett Bergeron (Bruce Campbell) doesn't know is that she is actually his daughter. Campbell gets to see what a wonderful man and loving father Everett is to his new family and his two other daughters...and she struggles with if or how to tell him that she is his eldest daughter.

The end is excellent and well worth the watch. I really like Bruce Campbell and I loved him in Burn Notice, he is a great comedian. I enjoyed seeing him as a loving father in this film...it was also fun to see Moira Kelly (she played his wife), who I haven't seen since the film Cutting Edge (which is a guilty pleasure of mine).

My one complaint is that I wish there were more actual Cajuns in this film. I appreciate their lyrical accents and missed hearing the endearing cherie (or as they say "cher"). As a big fan of Michael Doucet and BeauSoleil, I also secretly wished there was more Cajun music and traditions...like the ball of fire or boule de feu.

But having said that, this is still a recommendation from me...the endearing story kind of transcends what it lacked in Cajun authenticity.

Cute story for a Hallmark Christmas movie.

But the best part was having Bruce Campbell in it. Had Bruce Campbell not starred in this movie, this would have just been another typical Hallmark movie. But suddenly you add Bruce Campbell and it's now a Hallmark movie starring Bruce Campbell!

Bruce Campbell steals the spotlight in every scene he's in (and that's a good thing). He may have starred in a corny Christmas Hallmark movie. But he sure brought a flair to it.

Story wise, its a relatable situation to families. And sure the plots abd twists can get corny, but remember it's a Hallmark movie. And it tries to blend family connections and Christmas times together.

This was a wonderful movie. All the characters worked well together and there was just the right mix of heart, hope, hurt, and happiness. Not the traditional Santa-heartbroken hero or heroine-go back to your teen or college crush movie. Jaicy Elliot and Bruce Campbell are such talented actors and played their roles perfectly. We laughed and cried. The ending was great. Every Christmas movie that Bruce Campbell is in seems to be out of the ordinary and delightful. This is the second movie with Jaicy Elliot I have seen this year on Hallmark, and I hope there are many more. She is outstanding. This movie is one I will watch several times and look forward to seeing in years to come.

I really enjoyed the new take on a Christmas movie here for Hallmark! There was no looking for love, or finding love, or running into an old love, as in every other Hallmark movie. At least not in the typical sense. And that's what made it interesting for me. Waiting until almost the very end to reveal the secret made you wonder throughout the movie how it was going to happen. Like another review here, I really appreciated that they didn't use fake Cajun accents, or attempted Cajun accents, which are quite difficult to do accurately. I lived in Louisiana for 12 years, and so I would immediately have hooked onto a bad accent, which would have definitely had me turning off the TV, as it would have been like hearing nails on a chalkboard.

The only things that I wish the Director would have done is to have pulled out more range from the lead female actress. She was very one note in her emotions. The dialogue may have shown anger or frustration, but her face never did. And the only thing that revealed her happiness was a smile. But all smiles were the same! And also the love connection was either edited way, way back in the final screenplay, or didn't happen at all. These two people who barely said two words to each other, and maybe spend 20 minutes together were in love? There should've been a rewrite for that part for sure.

Wish there were more reviews uploaded at this point, since the only one that's here is so dismal. I, too, am from the South, and felt that they did a good job with location, even tho, of course, it was Canada rather than Louisiana. I found this to be a treasure trove of family riches. Jaicy Elliot is one of my new favorites and I hope Hallmark continues to use her. She is so engaging and real with a presence and class that are fun and satisfying to watch. I've seen her now in several different roles and she always delivers. The entire cast just works so well together and are so believable in their roles. There's a subtlety in the relationships of the principal characters that might not be apparent to all, but if you watch, and give the story a chance to unfold, it's much easier to appreciate what's happening and is actually well done. Lovely that there's more to it than just boy-meets-girl. I have to say that it's a treat to see Hallmark step up and dig in and deliver a better quality story/film. This is truly NOT one of their weak and basic romances that's so far fetched that we can't relate to it. So bravo for this great piece of work. A wonderful addition to the holiday fare.

My Southern Family Christmas (2022) -

I still find it really hard to believe that journalists take so long to write one article and that they have to visit somewhere for a week to get it done. Surely that's like printing your own money? Or money for old rope as my lovely old Nan would have said, because it sounds piss easy to me.

Initially I couldn't get on board with Jaicy Elliott as Campbell, which I will admit was due to her less traditional appearance. She wasn't what I would have called a typical romantic leading lady, but by the end of the film I was on her side.

It was a bit obvious that they had added glasses to Ryan Rottman's character, Jackson, in order to make him look a bit geeky and suitable for Campbell though.

And the lovers didn't have much chance for their relationship to develop, but they did seem kind of appropriate for each other.

The story focussed more on Campbell reconnecting with her Dad, Everett, played by Bruce Campbell, who gave what I thought was his best performance ever. I'd never been a fan of his other works or the "Humour" that came as part of them, so it was interesting to see him playing it straight and nailing it.

The deception element was a tad frustrating and the upset that it was going to cause was obvious, but the emotions and concept of the story did tug at the heartstrings a bit.

Also, the kids in the film weren't horrendous, so that was nice too.

A story of finding family at Christmas and making the most of it.

6.75/10.

My wife conscripts me to watch at least 6 or 8 Hallmark Christmas movies every year. I do it because I like my wife a whole lot more than the movies. But I can't remember the last time enjoyed one of these hallmark shows as much as this one. It's unique for its central focus on a father-daughter relationship and that it's a very believable and touching story. The romance plot was a bit clunky compared to the standard for Hallmark and similar holiday movies. I didn't find that distracting and if someone would say it's a trade off, it's well worth it.

Alright, maybe I was ripe for a new take on a holiday tradition. I think anyone that enjoys these holiday shows much more than me will also appreciate this one for being new and genuine. And thank God for a cast and setting that is relatable. I'm halfway through the 2022 tour of duty and what is distracting is the portrayal of characters better suited for royalty in cartoon fairytales but pretending to live ordinary lives and every day jobs. I really didn't get that vibe from this movie and that was a nice touch as well.

Even though we're from the South, this movie did nothing to warm our hearts. The lead actress seemed to have no fire at all, and while I don't want to seem shallow, we thought her either an odd or brave choice for the romantic female lead.

Thirty minutes in, the story lacked momentum, the cast personality, and we simply had no empathy for any character or what happened to them.

When the female lead was introduced to the male lead and they'd barely exchanged two lines, the "mayor" comments to another character "I don't know if they're flirting or fighting". Well ... neither. They'd just been introduced and barely said a word to each other.

We don't tolerate writing that stupid, so we ended this experiment, despite our appreciation of Bruce Campbell.

In today's world of shows and movies it is a bright spot to find these story gems in the fray. The story line and flow was spot on, and the characters were convincing. I really enjoyed the setting, all be it, I am from Baton Rouge and a bit bias. The story line is one that hits home with adopted children and the care that was given to the script to not over sensationalize it, while still providing a plot with "stickshun" (staying tuned in) was expert. Almost every parish in Louisiana has some form of festival throughout the year. I think the festival that was portrait in the movie reflects the family lifestyle that still exist in Louisiana. Hope to see more work like this in the future.

My Southern Family Christmas is my new favorite movie, not just for Christmas, the town is awesome the actors were amazing, the characters were very relatable and likeable. I will be showing this movie to my whole family Jaicy Elliott did an amazing job as Campbell, love Bruce Cameron as Everett, loved that is was set in Louisiana, you dont see many movies set in the Bayou, I want to see more movies set in the south, and it was cool getting to know more about Pere Noel, the two young ladies that played Mary Margaret and Amila were great, the whole cast did an amazing job, would love to see a part 2 to this movie!

Ascension parish does not have bonfires on the levee on Christmas Eve. St. James Parish just east of Ascension Parish is where this tradition occurs every December 24th at 7pm. The Cajun village where this was filmed is maybe three miles from the parish line. I can't rate this any higher based on the inaccurate portrayal of our beautiful tradition. I appreciate that the movie doesn't portray Louisiana residents as uneducated, slow minded people. I also Appreciate not having forced accents and dialect. The story line of uniting a child and parent is sweet. I just wish the geography was accurate. Overall a decent film but hard to fully enjoy watching.

The is another story about finding a lost father. It has echoes of my favorite Christmas movie "My Christmas Family Tree". It is about the lost daughter visiting dad and his family and gradually becoming a part of that family in the most important way that counts - love. This story has circumstances that are a little less savory as regards dad's history. And instead of new information not immediately shared as in MCFT, in this one Campbell keeps an important secret from the beginning.

This movie is well done. The acting is very good. The dialogue is good. The romance is about is prominent as the one in MCFT, which is definitely secondary to the developing relationship with her previously lost family. There are some decent funny moments, but more than that the atmosphere is almost entirely upbeat despite the secret. There are some nice tidbits about Christmas on the Bayou, even if almost no one had an appropriate accent.

Oh course there has to be a conflict moment. I thought that was extremely well done even if it was fast. There are many sentimental moments. And the very last sequence, the very last sentence, is a home run.

I'm not ready to bump MCFT off the top of my list yet, but who knows? Maybe after 5 more viewings before a year is past it will be right next to it.

I've seen two of her movies so far and can't wait to see her in more. She is like a breath of fresh air in a very jaded (to me) Hollywood.

The Christmas story was good - I'm right into Louisiana at the moment - reading a lot of Jana Deleon and Erin Nicholas. It's a fascinating area of the United States for those who live on the other side of the world. Alligators, a bayou, gumbo, beignets and Pere Noel - who this movie is actually about.

The relationships that develop as the movie unfolds are heart warming - especially at this time of the year.

Jaicy Elliot has a special understated extraordinary acting talent that makes it hard to take your eyes off the screen. I loved this movie!

As an avid Hallmark fan, Christmas time is our Superbowl! So needless to say I'm just crushing content, watching Hallmark none stop. As My Southern Family Christmas began I already fell in love right from the start because the protagonist chick was a big girl and I do love me some beautiful big women! BUT then to my surprise as I peek from around my phone and on to TV screen, it's the Deadite Killing King Himself!! My heart instantaneously filled with overabundance amounts of happiness! Bruce Cambell, it fills me with great joy that you have chosen the Hallmark Family for the 3rd act of your career. Welcome home King!

I loved this story, it was not a typical Hallmark Christmas movie. It was a different kind of love story , the love of family. I loved it being set in my beautiful state of Louisiana. Nope not typical for a Christmas movie either but we do have our special traditions, and the bonfires on the levees is one that I have got to attend one of these days. My husband has a been Santa here in north Louisiana for 26 years so Christmas Eve we are always busy and can't make the trip down south. I am glad they did not try and throw fake Cajun French accents into the movie that ruins things if it ain't real don't do it. Louisiana at Christmas this year out Temps we're in the 20's but as the mayor says in the movies normally 50's and sometimes warmer. A few years ago we had flurries on Christmas and people were so excited we get snow late January early February if we get it.

I'm so glad that My Southern Family Christmas made it on Hallmark's Christmas in July schedule because it's one of their best holiday offerings ever. From the well-conceived storyline to the wonderful acting, you can't get much better than this one. Jaicy Elliot is such a natural. Her emotions are palpable, but not overdone and you really feel for her character. If you enjoyed her in Romance in Style, this movie will have you liking her even more. She's perfectly cast. Moira Kelly, Bruce Campbell and Ryan Rottman are also very well cast. Their characters are interesting in their own right, provide emotional depth and really help move the story along in a believable way. Hallmark really should cast Rottman as a lead more often. If you're looking for a solid TV movie with a solid storyline and solid performances all around, this is a must watch.

A wonderful story of family values, reconnection and overcoming fear. Recommend sitting down with your partner or family to watch. This film was well written and highlights decisions made in one generation and how thta affects the next. A great movie.

The main character is well acted, with the supporting cast naturally embracing their roles. Through the whole movie i felt apart of the family. The family were caring through their actions towards each other, and the young couple flirting through the occasional niggle at each other was well depicted and believable, the romance was believable as was the family dynamic.

7.7 stars.

Wow, this is rated 7.1 stars as of today. I anticipate having a very enjoyable viewing experience, however let me begin by telling you my story of why I no longer watch any Hallmark movies rated less than 6.2 stars. After reviewing over 500 of them, my personal data shows that the IMDB reviews are consistent and I rarely like anything lower. So now when I'm recording on DVR I look to see the rating. What a time saver. I've already eliminated about a dozen films the past week ranging from 4.5-6.1 stars, and sometimes it's difficult, because there are a handful in that zone that I've enjoyed. Thinking back on all those ones below that threshold, I would probably rewatch them every 10 years, but what's the point? You only live once. Sure, like I said, there are some rare exceptions but they are usually not worth my time. One almost exception was 'A Brush with Love' which I gave 7.8 stars, but IMDB was 6.2, however it fits within the algorithm. Another: 'Sand Dollar Cove', I rate 7.7, IMDB 6.2: still fits. I'm scrolling through my reviews to find a true outlier, bear with me...Ahh yes, 'Dater's Handbook', 7.6 for me, 5.8 everyone else. And so it took me a while to open a time slot, I was understandably hesitant to watch it, so many people disliked it. But I'm glad I gave it a chance and for that reason I decided to give every Hallmark movie the benefit of the doubt for a time. But now with the data I've compiled, I realize it's not worth wasting 50 hours of viewing to find 2 or 3 exceptions. Case in point, one of my favorites was an IMDB 6.3: 'Christmas at Grand Valley', I'm sure glad the system didn't fail me. A huge outlier, 'Made for Each Other', I gave 7.8 stars, but was only 5.9 stars. I suppose there will be those few like it that I will never have a chance to see, but like I said, you only live once.

So why the whole analysis of my movie preferences? Well, I saw 'My Southern Family Christmas' is rated 7.1, which speaks volumes as to the likelihood of pure fun, so my expectations were high going in. But, it starts off slow and I was already questioning my statistics, and I've documented some movies in the 7.0+ realm tend to be hit and miss. While usually a good gamble, any film with an exceptional rating, especially in the ballpark of 7.5 or higher, tends to be swayed by factors such as political agendas, ideological beliefs, religious or social ideals etc. Sometimes there are inordinately high rated films I don't find entertaining at all, even though the general public almost unanimously feels otherwise.

You might anticipate based on the above paragraphs that I'm leading to a negative review of 'My Southern Family Christmas', however, this is not the case. I think you'll love it, especially the last 5 minutes.