Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Three Wise Men and a Boy’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Paul Campbell, Andrew Walker, Miles Marthaller, and Tyler Hynes as Stephan Brenner, Luke Brenner, Taylor Brenner and Thomas Brenner in THREE WISE MEN AND A BOY. (Photo Courtesy of Richard Hubbs/Hallmark.) ©2024 Hallmark

There is a prevailing belief in our world, that the holiday season truly is quite the magical time. One where no harm can come to people because the season is about unity and giving, and looking toward a better tomorrow, and there is merit to this. Since we do find joy during the season, and we do find wonder and somehow… everything is just brighter alongside family and friends. And of course, those good vibes extend beyond our own observations, since others seem to share in it and popular media even gets in on the fun. Since so many holiday films showcase wondrous times during the holidays and if there is a problem to be solved in those stories, its minor and conquerable through love and hope.

But while there is merit to that line of thinking, and joy to find in those tales, deep down we know the holiday and those stories offer true escapism. Since life doesn’t end when the holidays begin, and tough times fall upon people during the season. As do massive challenges that can tax a person’s joy and potentially remove it. Which means that it would likely be more helpful to enjoy holiday stories that showcase that, to help us find a more realistic brighter path during the holidays, and we should also think less of the magic and more of how we can properly spread cheer and well, different perspective is top of mind today, simply because a Hallmark Channel holiday movie sequel offers up just that in Three Wise Men and a Boy.

Which is indeed the follow-up to Three Wise Men and a Baby, and reunites us with the Brenner men no problem, some years after that all-important adoption took place and well, they are in unique places this time around. For Luke is struggling with playing single dad for a moment during the holiday season, while Taylor is hitting hard times as his attempts to get a video game company off the ground continue to falter, and Stephan is struggling to balance work and life, and they’re all dealing with this during the holidays and while their mother is shaking up their lives with a new relationship. All of which strains them to no end and to complicate life further, they’re trying to salvage the school play they… basically nearly ruined with a touch of overzealousness. 

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All of which provides us with a fascinating, realistic look at the holiday season. Because that is it to a tee. For not everyone is feeling holiday cheer and enjoying prosperity during the season. They’re struggling like anyone else. And some folks are stuck working heavily while trying their best to juggle the season and their job and all the chaos life sends our way. Which makes for a refreshing feature for certain. One that really does feel as though we’re in the midst of it with the Brenners and truly, we can relate to just about everything they go through here. Since we’ve had our tough seasons where we don’t know where the New Year will take us, and we’ve also pulled our hair out plenty when the stress just piles up.
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But of course, with this being a Hallmark Holiday Feature, the film doesn’t just focus on grit and realism. It is eager to show us as well, how we get through those tough times and how the season does help with that. Which is why we see the family come together as needed, and hold one another up when they’re struggling, and that’s the real magic of the season. Believing in one another, and propping one another up when the going gets tough, and that’s what we need to focus upon when it comes to the season. What we can do for one another and how best we can be there for folks who might be going through it. For that is how you make change in the world and if by chance we can extend that line of thinking beyond the holidays, imagine what we could accomplish.

All of which brings forth, another charming Hallmark Holiday Feature. One that is a delightful sequel as well. Since it is just wonderful to reunite with the Brenner boys and see how they’ve come along since we first met them a couple of years ago. Plus, it means we get more charming performances from this cast and once again, this movie shows that Hallmark is trying some new things with its Holiday Features. Since we don’t always see sequels to them, and we tend to not see such realistic messaging. But they are trying to do more and expand and take these stories in a new direction and they succeed here thanks to this charming tale that offers up a different look at the reason for the season, and the other gifts we can give people during it.

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