Review

Movie Review: Christmas at the Golden Dragon
Subtitle: “When Chinese Food, Family Drama, and Holiday Chaos Serve Up the Most Unexpectedly Heartwarming Christmas Feast.”

“Christmas at the Golden Dragon” is Hallmark’s answer to a very specific holiday question: What if Christmas wasn’t all about snow, gingerbread, and caroling, but instead about a Chinese restaurant, a family reunion, and way too many old family secrets being stirred up in the wok of holiday chaos? It’s a holiday movie that might just make you rethink your entire Christmas dinner lineup—and convince you that family drama, no matter how chaotic, is definitely the real spice of the season.

The plot follows the Wang family, owners of the Golden Dragon, the local Chinese restaurant, as they try to run their business and survive the holiday season. When the whole family—who’s been scattered across the world for years—returns for the first time in ages, you know what happens next: awkward reunions, secrets come to light, and, naturally, there’s way too much Christmas chaos. Enter Holly (played by Ali Liebert), a successful but slightly overwhelmed woman who returns to the family restaurant and is thrust into a whirlwind of holiday traditions, old family rivalries, and the realization that maybe it’s time to let go of the past and embrace the future. Oh, and there’s a lot of dumplings involved, which is just chef’s kiss perfect.

The humor comes from the family’s hilarious attempts to balance way too many things during Christmas. Everyone has their thing—there’s the overeager relative who insists on making everything way too perfect, the person who’s obsessed with the idea of winning "Best Christmas Feast," and the grandparent who can’t help but bring up every single embarrassing family memory. Watching Holly try to juggle old family drama, save the restaurant, and keep everything from falling apart is like watching someone try to wrap a gift with one hand while holding a bowl of soup in the other. Spoiler alert: it’s a delightful mess.

And the food? Well, it is Christmas at the Golden Dragon, so you know the food plays a starring role. Between cooking, eating, and accidentally making a mess in the kitchen (because Christmas chaos always leads to a little food disaster), the restaurant itself feels like a Christmas miracle waiting to happen. Plus, there are some very questionable attempts to "recreate Christmas traditions" that lead to hilariously awkward moments of family bonding. Like, no one actually asked for a Christmas tree made out of fortune cookies, but here we are, and somehow, it works.

Of course, romance also plays a role (because this is Hallmark, after all). Holly reunites with an old flame, Matt (played by Ryan Paevey), who’s back in town to help his family (and definitely not to fall in love with Holly again). Their chemistry is delightfully awkward at first—because nothing says “we might be meant to be” like sharing dumplings while talking about unresolved issues. By the time they finally admit their feelings (probably over a steaming plate of General Tso’s chicken), you’ll be grinning like you just got an extra fortune cookie.

The small-town setting is classic Hallmark—the Golden Dragon itself is the beating heart of the community, and everyone seems to have a very particular opinion about how Christmas should go. The supporting cast is packed with hilarious, extremely enthusiastic relatives who are way too into the idea of a “perfect” Christmas and not nearly enough into the idea of compromise. Honestly, watching them try to come together and make everything work is like watching a cooking show competition—with way too much heart and no way to actually taste the food.

The grand finale is peak Hallmark—with a holiday feast that somehow goes off without a hitch (or does it?) and a big, heartfelt family moment where everyone realizes they’ve been holding onto the wrong traditions and what they really need is a little less perfection and a lot more love. It’s warm, it’s cheesy, and it’s exactly the kind of Christmas magic we all crave.

“Christmas at the Golden Dragon” is a funny, heartwarming, and unexpectedly delightful holiday movie that proves Christmas isn’t just about snow or carols or cookies—it’s about family, food, and learning to let go of the past while eating your weight in dumplings. Grab your coziest sweater, a bowl of your favorite takeout, and prepare for a holiday movie that will have you laughing, crying, and maybe making plans to visit a Chinese restaurant for your next holiday meal. 🥢🎄🍜