(DVD Eight)
After facing criticism for the single-track focus of all their Christmas movies, featuring mostly straight, white, WASP-ish casts in November and December, the Hallmark Channel has been diversifying its holiday films in recent years, to include multiple ethnicities and orientations, and even some films focusing on other non-Christmas year-end holidays.
The Eight Gifts of Hanukkah was a 2021 offering that explored Jewish culture and heritage. Which was a refreshing change but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t just as typically predictable as most Hallmark movies are! Inbar Lavi plays Sarah Levin, a young optometrist who is recently divorced and slowly making her way back into the dating life, casually seeing two new men. Jake Epstein plays Daniel, Sarah’s best friend, who she’s always overlooked, but who not-so-secretly adores her. When Sarah begins receiving highly personal daily gifts in the eight days of Hanukkah, she labors to figure out who knows her so well that these gifts would have such great personal connection (duh!). Though the plot was a bit cringe-worthy in terms of how obvious Daniel is and how oblivious Sarah is, seeing Sarah’s family celebrating Hanukkah traditions over the eight days was lovely, and the supporting cast had some really strong performances.
(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Love, Lights, Hanukkah! (the 2020 non-Christmas movie from Hallmark).)
( Internet Movie Database entry for this film ) | ( official The Eight Gifts of Hanukkah web site )
Recommended
by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service
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