Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Jingle Bell Run’

11/24/2024

Written by John Edward Betancourt

One particular hope that we all harbor in this life when we head out into the world to live our dreams and conquer the planet, is that we will keep moving forward. Because that is of course, how we make progress in life and how we accomplish wonders. Which is why we hit the ground running when our time arrives and do our best to become the best in our career field, because we know the rewards will be endless in nature. Yet… despite our best efforts to keep pushing forward to have everything we need in life physically and emotionally… there comes a point when we realize that something drastic has changed in our lives.

In that, we will hit a wall at some point and become stagnant. Wherein we’ve settled for a plateau and revel in comfort and routine and well… what’s wild is that we rarely realize that. Because we think we are in motion and still kicking tail and taking names and in the end, it takes external forces to point out that we have halted our progress and that we aren’t quite as driven as we used to be. Which is a stunning moment to experience for certain, one that gives us pause and leaves us wondering, how then do we break out of the grind and get back to living life to the fullest and moving forward like we used to? Well, as it turns out, a new movie that recently debuted on the Hallmark Channel explores just that in Jingle Bell Run.

A feat that this story accomplishes by introducing us to a pair of individuals that are in fact… stagnant in life. For there’s Wes, a former hockey star that thinks he’s doing just fine with his career long gone. Only for him to discover that he’s a shell of himself and no longer moving forward in a competitive state, and he’s not alone here. Since we also meet Avery. A woman that has truly settled into routine and has become genuinely stagnant in life, and well, thanks to a support network and an understanding that perhaps they need a little pep in their step, they both make their way onto a holiday reality television show that tests like them never before. But that’s not a bad thing. Because just like that, they’re able to discover how much they’ve lost by being stagnant in life and how much they have to gain by throwing caution to the wind and going for broke.

Which is… the perfect way to explore how we get our swagger back when we settle in life, and the cure is indeed… just living in the moment. Without giving much thought to our actions. Which might seem irresponsible, but we always act accordingly when we’re chasing our goals, and that makes a second go round no different and in going that route, do we start to realize the power and the value of living in the moment. Of the thrill it gives us and the freedom it provides our very soul with. Which is expressed through Avery and Wes’s emotional growth in this film. Since we watch them transform before our eyes and that really does hammer home the value of living life in this manner and how it can re-energize us in a prompt and inspiring manner.

But while that would be enough to carry this feature, it does have more to say about the negatives of being stagnant in life. in that, it also prompts us to close ourselves off to people and just worry about our little world, and while that isn’t the end of the world, since there are folks who thrive within their own journey… it can be problematic for others and starve them of interactions they need and keep them away from relationships/friendships that are life changing and powerful in nature. So, it stands to reason that we should always be willing to meet new people and take a little time to get to know them, because we never know what that will provide us with emotionally.

All of which gives rise, to a supremely unique Hallmark holiday movie. One that not only features what we love about these films, since it has romance, holiday cheer and moments and fun, but dives far deeper than expected. Because few holiday features ask us if we are happy with where we are at the moment or if we are doing enough to chase our dreams and if we are living our lives to the fullest. But this one does, and it handles such thoughts in a supremely subtle manner through those elements that we love and that makes this, a delightful watch for certain. Simply because you can never go wrong with a movie that gently nudges you to be the best version of yourself, so you find real peace in your soul and in your life.

Watch ‘Jingle Bell Run’

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