User reviews

This movie was shown on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel and like many of the movies there it is less about romance and more about family. Sarah Powers' Anna is the central character along with Beau Bridges' Nonno. Anna has traveled the world as an adjunct professor which has left her with relationship problems with her siblings. A further complication is that Nonno has Alzheimer's which is progressing to the second stage.

The movie touches on the pain families endure as their patriarch loses vitality and worse. It deals with tension when one family member chooses a life away from the family home while those who stay behind must carry on and deal with the work involved in maintaining a family home, business or farm.

There is a romance which I thought should have been left out. There are a lot of things going on without it, and that particular relationship doesn't get much attention. It doesn't get enough attention to see any chemistry between Powers and Markian Tarasiuk's Dr. Greg.

The overall running theme of the movie is the importance of family no matter what. An ongoing thread in the story is the search for Nonna's favorite recipe.

This movie offers an alternative to all the Christmas romance movies. The acting and other production values are good.

'Our Italian Christmas Memories' (2022)

Opening thoughts: To be honest, for me the overall standard of the previous 2022 Hallmark Christmas films (with a couple of exceptions of course) was not great. The worst being very bad. Did like the premise for 'Our Italian Christmas Memories' (lovely reflective title) and applaud any film etc that explores or portrays Alzheimer's. Hallmark are no stranger to serious, quieter films and attacking difficult sensitive themes and relatable relationships.

Quite a lot of Hallmark's have succeeded in making good films with a more serious tone and heavier subjects, though others fall into the over sentimental and heavy-handed categories. 'Our Italian Christmas Memories' doesn't fall into those traps, but it would have been a better film if it tried to do less. As a film, it is above average and well intentioned, at its best actually with the Alzheimer's portrayal. But it could have been a good deal, as not all the storytelling works as well as ought. As far as the 2022 Hallmark Christmas films go, it is not one of the worst but also not one of the best.

Good things: Starting with the many good things with 'Our Italian Christmas Memories', the best thing about it is the performance of Beau Bridges. Very classy and moving. Every bit his equal is the charming and heartfelt Sarah Power. The chemistry is sweet and genuine, never sickly, while the supporting cast are solid too despite their material being variable.

Furthermore, the production values are pleasing, with slick photography, beautiful scenery and the editing is always cohesive. The script generally flows well and doesn't feel contrived or self-indulgent, it comes over as sincere and doesn't take things too seriously. The story has enough compelling parts, is very sweet and handles the subject matter tactfully. 'Our Italian Christmas Memories' is at its best in its portrayal of Alzheimer's, very moving and honest as well as tactful. Also succeeding at showing better than most films etc revolving around it how it affects not just the person diagnosed but also family and anybody else close.

Bad things: Against all this, 'Our Italian Christmas Memories' is too over stuffed with too many subplots. What makes this a problem is that it gives a choppy and rushed feel structurally and a few of the subplots are severely under-developed and under-cooked, especially for the doctor.

Have actually highly appreciated the same sex couple relationships and welcomed the increase in diversity in Hallmark films, but the one here is so underwritten and hardly there so it was not needed. The ending is unrealistically pat. The title, as has been said already, is misleading, as said there is very little passing for Italian, the traditions not being Italian and the cast would never pass for Italians, and there is also very little that is Christmassy. There are also too many cliches with nothing fresh done with them, which make most of the situations and character decisions very easy to predict prematurely.

Closing thoughts: In conclusion, decent and with good intentions but very uneven.

6/10.

First of all, please consider that what you see in American movies is American-Italian and hardly ever Italian. Immigrants brought their traditions with them, often from small towns, they became famous there and now everyone believes they are in Italy too. For instance, I had never heard of the Feast of the Seven Fishes until I watched the American movie by the same name: nobody knows about it here, apart maybe from some small area in the south (Like mandolins, for God's sake please stop using them in every Italian movie you make :-) ). It was funny to hear them say "Sugo is regional" when the word just literally means sauce (sometimes used to describe tomato sauce, as you can imagine not a regional thing). Unfortunately the movie is right about one thing, kids not wanting to learn how to cook, people stopped learning a couple of generations ago or more. The movie itself is not bad compared to others in its genre, at least it's not just the copy/paste big town person going to a small town and falling in love, there's more here. Just one more thing that makes me smile: nono/nona means ninth in Italian, you need to add an "n" in the middle to make it grandparents. Would I recommend this movie? If you, like me, are addicted to feel-good Christmas movies I would definitely say yes.

This was a fair Christmas film that I had a little trouble watching.

My difficulties where threefold: first there was the lack of actual Italians or actors who looked and sounded Italian in a film that is literally called Our Italian Christmas Memories, second was the lack of Christmas in what is essentially a Christmas film...if it wasn't for the three wisemen popping up occasionally and the German tradition of finding the pickle on the tree...I wouldn't have known this was a Christmas movie at all and third I am growing weary of Hallmark's tireless agenda of dead parents, broken homes, lesbians and additionally in this film a Ukrainian doctor! It's a Christmas movie, can't the politics be set aside for some entertainment?

Now for the highlights of this film...Beau Bridges brought a lot of class to this film and even though he is quite definitely not Italian, I did feel that his portrayal of an individual suffering from dementia was a fairly good representation.

The story follows the eldest daughter in an Italian family who comes home to look after her grandfather (Nonno) while her mom takes a trip. Anna Collucia, is an adjunct college professor and she spends most of her time away from home, so it is a shock to her that her grandfather's dementia has progressed as much as it has. The younger sister and her partner have been taking care of the grandfather's farm (which seems to be a greenhouse) and she has resentment for her older sister and wants to sell the farm because it id too much for her to take care of. The younger brother is an insecure individual who has failed at a bunch of jobs, but thinks he has finally found what he wants to do...be a cook...but he is still so afraid of failure that he panics, makes mistakes and runs out on his job (I am not sure what profession that behavior is acceptable in, in real life). Anna, thanks to her Nonno's doctor, decides to try and recreate her grandmother's sugo (or sauce) to help stimulate her grandfather's mind...so she spends most of the movie looking for the recipe or asking people what they know about it.

Overall this was one of the sadder offerings for Christmas (2022) and if it wasn't for Beau Bridges...I might not recommend it at all, but my recommendation is not for romantics...but for people caring for aging parents and dealing with difficult family situations.

Our Family/(Italian) Christmas Memories (2022) -

At last! This film was something different, it had some heart and feeling alongside the usual romance and with lots of Christmassy moments.

Despite the sadder side of it, I felt very warmed by Grandpa Vincent's journey.

Beau Bridges was actually very good in his role of the Grandpa, who was suffering with dementia and that made it so much easier to hope for a miracle at the end.

Overall, I would probably say that it was more Anna's (Sarah Power) story than about the romance between her and Markian Tarasiuk in the role of Greg. She came to understand things better and realised the importance of family, as well as what can be missed by not being around for them.

However, I could understand why Anna had stayed away so long, because everyone was quite horrible to her. Her sister Ella (Morgana Wyllie) in particular was a b!tch.

I did like this one, even though the romance was definitely secondary to Anna reconnecting with her Grandpa and the memory problems that he had. I would have liked it to be an extra ten minutes longer to show more of her connection with Greg, but it was still good.

Maybe not one to watch regularly perhaps, but not one to write off either.

6/10.

I went middle of the road with my rating because, honestly, I didn't finish watching to the end. I was drawn to the title "Our Italian Christmas Memories" because I come from a family that is Italian on my father's side.

First of all, the casting was disappointing to me. Most of the cast is not Italian and doesn't even look Italian. Most are Canadian. The late matriarch of the family floats in and out of an Italian accent.

Second, they pepper the few obligatory Italian words and phrases throughout the scenes: nonno, nonna, Buon Natale, sugo (which they pronounce incorrectly as "suko" the entire time).

Third, which I realize is essential to their plot, they contend that none of the children or grandchildren in the family wanted to learn how to cook. This is unheard of in Italian homes. Kids are brought into the kitchen very early and they are very excited to be taught how to cook and bake by their mothers, grandmothers, fathers, whoever might be teaching.

Fourth, the feast of the seven fishes on Christmas Eve was barely mentioned. Of course, that was at least up to the point where I quit watching.

What really made my head explode was the CHRISTMAS PICKLE! That is a GERMAN tradition!! Not Italian!! Hallmark has even mentioned that being a German tradition before in their movie "Christmas Getaway."

I'm guessing whoever wrote, cast, directed, produced and acted in this movie has never spent any time around an Italian family at any time let alone Christmas. Very disappointing.

We all know Halmark holiday movies are meant to be fun lighthearted rom coms with a bit of temporary heartache/drama. Then they throw one at us that hits hard. Holly & Ivy was certainly one example.

As another reviewer mentioned, Beau Bridges absolutely nails it here. Early on, there's a scene in the kitchen with labels everywhere. Looked identical to my grandmother's home. She died from Alzheimers in 1988, and dad died in 2020. He died from cancer but suffered dementia, often severe. I am now showing early signs myself and this is terrifying.

So for Hallmark to make a movie which places light romance in the background and shines a light on real life difficulties and pain with a Christmas setting, they are to be applauded. Hallmark has the template in this movie for a Hall of Fame film, akin to A Dog Named Christmas.

Yes, the pickle ornament is German (I know personally) but families make traditions from things with varied backgrounds. Not something that should keep one from enjoying the movie. The characters RJ and Anna are relatable, imperfect adults whose stories weave into the greater storyline we'll.

Christmas time evolves for all of us, more so as you get older, lose parents, raise children to adults, and hold on to what is important best we can. It goes from magic to melancholy. This movie isn't heartbreaking. It's like a preview for people in their 20's - 30's as to what the future may hold.

The closing of the movie is wonderful, but do yourself a favor - watch the movie. It's a worthy two hours. Kudos to Beau Bridges for his portrayal of a man dealing with dementia. It's worthy of an award nomination.

Thank you for reading. I don't write many reviews but this was a personal one.

There is some good in this one, although the Alzheimer's angle is cheap and cliched. Bridges and Power are very good, actually almost excellent, although she makes some questionable hair and costume choices. There are the tiresome Hallmark broken family tropes. Hallmark never seems to hire a hair styling crew.

The diversity police must be happy, though. Every couple is mixed race, including the pregnant lesbians.

Perhaps Hallmark is reacting to the new competition from GFAC, with more recognizable actors and slightly more complicated production design, but there is not enough here to make it stand out.

Contrary to other reviewers I really enjoyed watching this movie that accurately portrayed a family dealing with a tough issue - early Alzheimer's disease. Beau Bridges acted the role so well. Family relations are messy with holidays intensifying all of those relationships. The actors playing the grandchildren were very believable. The story was well written; searching for the grandmother's sugo recipe was a great theme. Food is central in many families and preserving the recipes that have cultural meaning and history is of critical importance as people age and memories fail. More movies like this one please!

This movie, like everyone (Almost) has mostly stated so far, is not a feel-good Christmas movie. I appreciate a complex family story, since I tend to be hyper-attuned to family issues. My own family is by all accounts wonderful, however we have a lot of work to do in order to be more vulnerable with one another.

In looking at they dynamic, it's easy to feel the tension between the siblings, along with the added tension of Nonno's dementia. He himself is likable (Beau Bridges does a great job), but the role is not one-dimensional; he shows vulnerability and anger, emotions that often don't surface in Hallmark movies, much less the Christmas releases.

His three grandchildren are interesting and mirror some of the same things I've seen in other families, even my own. The sisters have a pretty strained relationship, and the younger sister is easy to dislike. Her consistent anger throughout the movie (toward her older sister) is palpable, and she simply appears to be hostile and completely lacking in maturity.

The eldest sister is the main character, in my opinion, and has the most visibility of emotions and growth. Her relationship with her grandpa is admirable, and for me, I could feel her genuine care for him above all else. That alone helped me enjoy the movie more, because it reinforced that she had some solid evidence of her efforts to be part of the family.

The brother is adorable, to me, because I feel for him; he has the underdog vibe, as he struggles to make a success of his life. His girlfriend is absolutely beautiful and cool/calm/collected, which really helps keep the movie uplifting. I loved seeing their scenes together. The chef/kitchen scenes were surprisingly interesting to me, as I typically don't get into food scenes; it was the intensity of a chef's kitchen that struck me most, and the fact that it is NOT easy to be in the food industry.

The most pivotal moments for me in this movie are when Nonno goes on his walk that turned out to be longer than expected, and also when the two sisters are having their tense conversation at dinner out, and Nonno has to intervene. Both of those were very well-done scenes, as I felt the tension and pain of the older sister.

Overall, the movie was good, but again, more of a drama that could work at any time of year vs. A Christmas movie.

5.4 stars.

This is in NO way Italian, not one bit. Beau Bridges as an Italian? Oh boy.

This movie was all over the place. There's a scene, then they jump almost 30 years into the future. The grandfather didn't age a day. Already I knew this was going to be a farce. I think it's about a man with alzheimer's and a bunch of grandkids who have no idea what it means to be respectable human beings. Let's sell the farm, let's give up, let's bicker about irrelevant issues, and be illogical all the time. One sister is gay and her wife is pregnant. Who is the father? Why not explore that a little?

I don't understand the point and I'm disappointed with this movie, but at least the doctor guy was cool. And the grandson, is that Woody Harrelson's kid? He has no authority or drive whatsoever, what a most emasculated character. His girlfriend was the coolest person in this movie, make her the lead next time, please.

The kiss was misplaced and didn't belong in this film. Sure it was nice, but it felt like an attempt to resurrect a lifeless story.

Ooof.

There is no spoiler here because this made for TV film was spoiled before it even hit the TV audience. I always feel cheated when producers deliberately place "Christmas" in the film title in hopes of sucking in people like myself to watch the film only to be very disappointed with the outcome.

Actor Beau Bridges is tasked with playing a traditional Italian American farmer who is rapidly declining with the paralyzing memory disease of dementia and one of his daughters is trying hopelessly to restore some of his fondest memories with his deceased wife's recipe for the families spaghetti sauce.

Siblings are not on the same page as to what to do with their fathers family farm, sell it or keep it going. The two sisters and one brother are all stressed out with personal matters and on top of it they are having to deal with their fathers failing memory and how to move forward with his health care. The issues raised in the film are real which many families can relate to, but I would suggest that the Director and the Producer must be victims of dementia in some form as well, because simply decorating a house with Christmas lights and ribbons does not make a film a Christmas themed movie.

Sadly, I will forget about this film rather quickly and suggest you forget about it as well otherwise you will be wasting your valuable time not watching a Christmas themed film at all.

I give this film a rather poor 4 out of 10 IMDb rating.

Why do all Christmas movies seem to be the same family members always seem to get sick or something happens to them everyone falls in love when they don't even know each other and always run into eachother out of the whole town I know it's just a movie but come on make them different they go to each others houses for the first time they don't know how to go on a date what do they have one director. The cast was boring the only nice thing about the movie was the christams decorations. Had to fast forward half of it so boring don't even know why I finish it. It was getting depressing also at one point hallmark must thinks everything is a fairytale.