Review

Movie Review: Never Been Chris'd
Subtitle: "When Christmas, Time Travel, and Way Too Much Holiday Chaos Collide in the Most Hilariously Predictable Way."

“Never Been Chris'd” is Hallmark’s newest attempt to blend time travel with Christmas magic, and let me just say—if you’ve ever wondered what would happen if someone tried to “fix” Christmas by accidentally messing up every possible holiday moment—then this movie is the Christmas treat you didn’t know you needed. It’s like “Groundhog Day” if Bill Murray was more obsessed with decorating for Christmas and repeatedly learning the same lessons about love, Christmas spirit, and avoiding ridiculous holiday mishaps in one of our favorite Hallmark Christmas movies .

The plot follows Chris (played by Brandon Routh, who’s clearly having way too much fun playing the “guy who has to learn the meaning of Christmas” trope), a super ambitious man who’s so disconnected from Christmas that he literally has no idea what he’s missing. He’s not actively avoiding Christmas, but he’s more the “I’ll skip decorating the tree and get back to my corporate grind” type. He’s so consumed with the non-Christmas aspects of his life that he’s forgotten the real magic of the season. But, of course, that’s when the holiday magic kicks in—and he gets accidentally time-travelled into an alternate Christmas reality where he’s forced to re-live Christmas again and again, only this time with way too many Christmas decorations, too much Christmas cheer, and way too much holiday chaos. The catch? Chris keeps getting stuck in a time loop—and every time he repeats the day, he has to figure out what’s wrong with his Christmas life before it’s too late (and before he misses another perfect holiday moment).

Enter Holly (played by Alison Sweeney, who brings the perfect mix of sass and holiday cheer to a role that definitely involves a lot of eye-roll-worthy moments), a holiday-loving woman who’s definitely way too into Christmas—because if anyone can teach Chris how to “fix” Christmas, it’s her. Every time Chris tries to make Christmas better, Holly’s there to remind him that the holiday isn’t about being perfect—it’s about enjoying the mess, embracing the chaos, and maybe falling in love while accidentally decorating a tree with way too many ornaments-- just what we love about hallmark Christmas movies.

The comedy comes from watching Chris repeatedly make the same Christmas mistakes—whether it’s accidentally ruining a holiday party, getting stuck in a snowstorm, or messing up a perfectly planned holiday dinner (because what’s a Christmas movie without an overcooked turkey?). Every time Chris tries to fix things, the Christmas chaos just gets worse. But, of course, every time he learns a new lesson about Christmas, he starts to fall more in love with Holly and finally realizes that maybe he doesn’t need to fix Christmas after all—he just needs to experience it.

And let’s talk about the romance: Chris and Holly’s “we’re definitely not falling for each other” routine is so obvious, you might as well stick a bow on it and label it “romantic comedy 101”. Every time they share way too many awkward moments under the mistletoe or accidentally find themselves baking cookies together (because why not), you’ll be grinning at how inevitable their love story is. I mean, come on, when they finally share that perfect Christmas kiss under the too-perfect Christmas tree—you’ll be grinning like a fool because it’s exactly what you signed up for.

The grand finale? Predictably heartwarming, of course, just like we love to see in hallmark Christmas movies. After way too many Christmas loops, way too many hilarious holiday mishaps, and way too many repeated romantic misunderstandings, Chris finally gets it. He realizes that Christmas isn’t about fixing things—it’s about embracing the moments, learning from the chaos, and falling in love in the process. Naturally, the perfect kiss happens when they least expect it, surrounded by way too many Christmas lights and way too much Christmas magic—because it’s Hallmark, and no one does Christmas quite like them.

“Never Been Chris'd” is a delightful mix of Christmas magic, way too many holiday mistakes, and a romance that’s so obvious, it’s practically underlined in red ink. If you love watching way too many Christmas disasters, romantic misunderstandings, and a movie that proves that Christmas isn’t about perfection, but about embracing the chaos, then grab your coziest blanket, your favorite holiday snack, and get ready for a movie that will leave you laughing, swooning, and probably planning your own Christmas time travel adventure to avoid all the holiday stress. 🎄💋⏳