Review of Une histoire éternelle pour Noël

This film starts out like the traditional Hallmark Christmas drama. A military widow and daughter are struggling at Christmas time with haunting memories of the lost husband/father. The widow is having a hard time taking the next step because so many events keep bringing back the memory of her husband. The circumstances of his death and his being the only body not recovered from the fatal mission has left a glimmer of hope in her but by all explanation given there is zero percent chance of his still being alive. She is struggling because she has become engaged to his wonderful best friend but her memories are ruining this relationship. She breaks off engagement suddenly and decides to take her daughter to the father daughter dance herself. While the daughter is enjoying the dance she wishes for one more Christmas with her dead husband. This is where it goes bad. From what appeared to be a dream sequence the dead husband appears at the dance in fatigues. Explains how he survived and now he is reunited with the mother and daughter. I keep waiting for the dream sequence to end and lo and behold he really is alive.

You would think the soldier actually being alive would be a good thing however it ruined the film. The way they had him return with no real warning was a shocking twist that you don't want to see in a Hallmark movie I end up feeling bad for her fiancé in the film. The real tragedy is that there are many people who have to accept the death of a loved one when a body isn't recovered and this will just increase their pain. I believe this is the only Hallmark movie I've ever watched that I wish I had not.