Hallmark's Take Me Back for Christmas

On this episode of Pour The Wine, It’s Rom-Com Time, Garry and Amy revisit Hallmark's 2023 Take Me Back for Christmas. When Renee (Vanessa Lengies) wishes for a different life and wakes up in an alternate reality, she has everything she thought she wanted: a thriving career, wealth, and success. But, she’s lost the one thing that mattered most: her marriage to Aaron (Corey Sevier). As Renee races to find her way back to the life she left behind, she's also given the bittersweet gift of spending one last Christmas with her mother. 

Join Garry and Amy as they unpack what makes this heartfelt holiday film so memorable: from the emotional alternate timeline story and standout performances to the undeniable chemistry between Vanessa Lengies and Corey Sevier. They also share their favorite scenes, discuss the music that elevates the film's biggest emotional moments, and reveal why this Hallmark Christmas movie continues to be one they love revisiting.

Pour your favorite beverage, get cozy, and press play! Cheers!

Send us an email to pourthewineitsromcomtime@gmail.com! We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Music from #Uppbeat

https://uppbeat.io/t/abbynoise/mood-of-summer

Transcript

Welcome And How To Reach Us

SPEAKER_04 0:07

Welcome to Pour the Wine, it's romcom time, where we'll sip some wine and review all things rom com on the Hallmark channel. I'm Amy.

SPEAKER_01 0:15

And I'm Gary.

SPEAKER_04 0:17

And you can send us an email to Pourthewine, it's romcomtime at gmail.com and let us know your thoughts about anything Hallmark related. We are well into 2026 right now. Oh my gosh. And they've had a banner year so far with their movies. So shoot us an email. Let us know what you think so far. Let us know what you think about the countdown to Christmas movies that you've seen hints of lately. I know. Right?

SPEAKER_01 0:43

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 0:44

We're getting little tidbits, little tidbits along the way. We would love to hear from you.

SPEAKER_01 0:48

Yes, we would. And if you want to help Hallmark fans find our podcast, you can do so by giving us a five-star rating on Apple or Spotify. Five star. Or if you like watching our videos, you can head on over to YouTube at Pour the Wine is Roncom Time. Don't forget to hit subscribe and the bell so you don't miss any of our episodes. There you go.

SPEAKER_04 1:08

There you go.

Grapevine News Garage Sale Mysteries Return

SPEAKER_04 1:10

All right. And our herded through the grapevine section today. I just have one thing to report. And then as Lori Laughlin has stated, that garage sale mysteries are going to be coming back. Ah, the crowd goes wild. Um, we've never watched any, so we don't it'll be it would be new to us. Yes, it would be. If they land on the Hallmark channel, I suppose we'll be watching them because they seem to have been dropping some mysteries more on the Hallmark channel than Hallmark Mystery Channel.

SPEAKER_01 1:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:39

So I guess we'll see. But that's the only tidbit of news I got. You got any yourself?

SPEAKER_01 1:44

No.

SPEAKER_04 1:45

No.

SPEAKER_01 1:46

Just, you know, I can't believe we're in Christmas and uh Christmas in July.

SPEAKER_04 1:51

I know, I know. It's crazy to think. Crazy to do it. So fast. All right, let's get into it, shall we? Let's do it.

SPEAKER_01 1:57

Yep.

Movie Pick Cast Crew And Music

SPEAKER_04 1:58

All right. Today we're gonna be talking about a movie that we've been talking about reviewing for a minute and haven't gotten to until now. But we're going to be reviewing Take Me Back for Christmas. It originally aired as a Christmas in July movie on the Hallmark Channel on July 15th, 2023. This one stars Vanessa Lenji's as Renee and Corey Sevier as Erin. We also see another familiar face in this one. Paula Boudreaux plays Maria, and that is Renee's mom. Vanessa will be in the upcoming Christmas in July 2026 movie, Snowbound for the Holidays, which we are very excited about.

SPEAKER_01 2:40

Yes, can't wait for that.

SPEAKER_04 2:42

We last saw Corey on the Hallmark channel in three episodes of The Love Club. I'm actually not sure if that just aired on Hallmark Plus or was on the Hallmark channel. So I want to mention the composer as well because I really like the music in this one. Did you?

SPEAKER_01 3:00

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_04 3:01

We haven't talked about the music. Okay. Yeah. I thought you might.

SPEAKER_01 3:04

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_04 3:05

The composer is Christopher Guglick. And it's not surprising that we love the music because he has also been the composer for several other movies that we've really enjoyed, with the most recent being We Met in December, which was one of our favorites for Countdown to Christmas 2025. And a Keller Christmas Vacation. He's also the composer for the upcoming Snowbound for the holidays.

SPEAKER_01 3:31

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_04 3:32

So I have a feeling we're gonna like the music in that one too.

SPEAKER_01 3:35

Yeah. Well, this was written by Kate Bragnell and directed by Corey Sevier. Kate has written a few movies that have aired on Hallmark. Her most recent is 2024's The Christmas charade.

SPEAKER_00 3:48

Oh, that was good.

SPEAKER_01 3:49

Yeah. Corey's uh latest director credit for Hallmark is also the Christmas charade.

SPEAKER_04 3:57

They tend to stick together, huh?

SPEAKER_01 3:59

They do. Hey, good on them, though, you know, helping each other out. Yeah. So it's time to drop the synopsis.

SPEAKER_04 4:06

Alrighty.

Synopsis And Spoiler Warning

SPEAKER_04 4:07

After a particularly disheartening work day at her local gift shop, Renee makes a Christmas wish for a different life.

SPEAKER_01 4:15

Oh my gosh. Nothing good can come out of this. Nothing can be.

SPEAKER_04 4:19

Or does it? You can't say nothing good can come from it. No, I'm just saying. Yes, it actually does.

SPEAKER_01 4:25

You just have to go through some things before. You gotta go through some things first.

SPEAKER_04 4:28

Yeah, you gotta see some things, go through some things, and then it'll be all right.

SPEAKER_01 4:32

So, this is the part of the podcast where we let you know that we're going to drop some spoilers. So if you haven't seen this movie yet, I would suggest that you stop our podcast right now. Go watch the movie, then come back, or just listen to our podcast first, and then go watch the movie and let us know what you think down in the comments.

SPEAKER_04 4:49

There you go. There you go.

SPEAKER_01 4:51

All right.

SPEAKER_04 4:53

All right.

SPEAKER_01 4:54

So what did

First Reactions And Why It Works

SPEAKER_01 4:56

you think?

SPEAKER_04 4:57

My first thought is why is Vanessa Lenji's not headlining more Hallmark movies?

SPEAKER_01 5:03

I'm 100%.

SPEAKER_04 5:04

Why, why, why, why, why?

SPEAKER_01 5:06

I am one zero zero percent.

SPEAKER_04 5:10

Come on, Hallmark. I know we're getting her, you know, she's the lead in the upcoming snowbound for the holidays, which is great, and we're really excited about it. We're excited to see it. It is part of Christmas in July, but why is she not headlining a count on a Christmas movie or any of the other heart movies in any other time of year?

SPEAKER_01 5:31

She should be the top tier.

SPEAKER_04 5:33

Yes, yes. I mean, we you know, we we love her. She's just so effortlessly likable, like just and she's so natural, so natural. We love her. Yeah. About the movie. All right, the movie now. Um, you know, we've we've seen this several times at this point. We love this movie. Uh, this is not something we just watched for the first time, so we could review it. We've been talking about reviewing it for a minute, and now what more appropriate time than right before her next movie drops? Um, you know, we've watched it many times, it just never loses its magic.

SPEAKER_02 6:16

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_04 6:17

Corey and Vanessa are just so great together. They are, especially in this one. I know they've done at least one other one together, probably more than I can't think of, but uh it's just fun, it's heartfelt, and boy, is it moving.

SPEAKER_01 6:31

I mean, bring of tissues. I know.

SPEAKER_04 6:34

We we've we've seen it many times and cry every single time.

SPEAKER_01 6:37

The goosebumps. Oh gosh.

SPEAKER_04 6:40

And the composed music is great, it's just an overall feel-good holiday movie.

SPEAKER_01 6:45

It is.

SPEAKER_04 6:46

Yeah. So what about you? What do you think?

SPEAKER_01 6:48

Um, I agree. With the music, it so sets the scene. I mean, and it just builds and builds and builds, and then it it just explodes and the emotions are like off the chart.

SPEAKER_04 7:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:02

I mean, every time I watch this, I I'm tearing up, man.

SPEAKER_04 7:05

I know, I know.

SPEAKER_01 7:07

I'm tearing up. Um I'm like, oh my God. And Vanessa is she when she acts, she has those the mannerisms of like when like when you hear something, you're like, huh? What did you say? I mean, it's just it's so, like you said, effortless.

SPEAKER_04 7:24

It's it's her facial expressions, it's the thing she says, it's the acting she does in the scene. It's almost um, I don't want to say comedic like, but the uh the things that she does, the way she moves in the scene, right?

SPEAKER_01 7:37

It's just uh it's like she's she's hanging on every word and you can see it in her face, and she's not even trying, and it's just so good. And like you said, she's got that comedic side, but she's also got that very emotional, vulnerable side. Yes, and it sh and it all of that shows, and her chemistry, you know, with with um Corey is is good in this movie, and he dual had it this too.

SPEAKER_04 8:05

I mean, he acted and directed in this one, so yeah, and her chemistry with Paula who plays her mom, yeah, also is so good. Oh my god. So, so good.

SPEAKER_01 8:16

So and um one other thing, I just love the the like you know, the shout out to It's a Wonderful Life, and also the Family Man. Um because they they kind of both had the same type of situation where they wish for another life, and you know, when you wish for another life, you have to give up something.

SPEAKER_04 8:37

Yeah, it's not always what it's cracked up to be, right? Right. Yeah, the family, what'd you say, the family man? That's Nicholas Cage and Tao Leone, and uh, of course, it's a wonderful life, classic, one of our all terms that is my favorite classic movie. I mean, uh, don't even get me started on the new Jimmy Stewart movie that's coming out. Can't wait.

SPEAKER_01 8:55

I know. So I love this movie. There you go.

SPEAKER_04 8:59

All right, so let's get into some favorite scenes.

The Parallel Meet Cute Breakdown

SPEAKER_01 9:01

Now, I'll be honest here. The meat cute or the I guess the parallel meet cute or whatever.

SPEAKER_04 9:10

The re meet cute with the parallel universe meet cute.

SPEAKER_01 9:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 9:13

It's sort of a remeat cute because they kind of meet each other getting it.

SPEAKER_01 9:16

Which I thought was funny because it she plays this so well.

SPEAKER_04 9:22

So she goes back to So we're talking about the the meet the meat cute first. Okay, the re meet cute. Okay. This is the Mary Meat Cute.

SPEAKER_01 9:29

Yeah, so she goes back to when um she goes back to the apartment where her and Aaron stayed when they were in New York. And she doesn't have the keys, right? 'Cause she's in another life.

SPEAKER_04 9:44

But she remembers it's not a place that she lives in present day.

SPEAKER_01 9:48

No.

SPEAKER_04 9:48

It's a place that she her new life that she wished for and which she lives in.

SPEAKER_01 9:56

You know, everybody leaves a key under the flower pot, right? But in New York, oof, you yeah, that that's brave. That's brave. But she walks through the house and she's kind of talking, you know, to Aaron, who really isn't in the room with her at the time. And then she goes into the living room and he's coming out of the bathroom and it's kind of like, What? What are you doing here? And she doesn't understand that they're not together right now. So I just thought that whole scene was so cute.

SPEAKER_04 10:29

Well, what's so great is she walks in and she's like, Hey, I'm home and I'm having a weird day because she has wished for this new life and she is, you know, we won't go into how she gets there. You have to watch the movie if you haven't seen it. But um, I mean, we may talk about it eventually. But um, so she's in this parallel universe, and in the present day, she is with Aaron. They are married. But in this other life, she goes home to what she thinks is her home in in New York, right? In New York City. And it's just, it is cute because she's like, Hey, babe, I'm home. And uh weird stuff is going on, you know. And he's like, What are you doing here? You know, he comes out. I think he was taking a shower or something.

SPEAKER_01 11:09

He came out of the shower.

SPEAKER_04 11:10

And then she's kind of like, What? And realizes, you know, pretty quickly that they're not still together based on his reaction. And and I love that he's like, Did you come for your, you know, what does he say, Game of Thrones DVDs? Yes, or or something. And and he says something like the DVDs are obsolete, and she's kind of like, No, actually, they're not. They have behind the scenes in the director's cut, you know, everywhere bloopers in the director's cut.

SPEAKER_00 11:33

So I guess the director's cut.

SPEAKER_04 11:34

It's so cute. She's like, actually, DVDs are so relevant, you know.

SPEAKER_01 11:38

I know, I know. That was so cute.

SPEAKER_04 11:39

So that's yeah. So he's shocked. She she quickly understands that they are not together anymore. She thought they were together and they were living there, and then you know, they kind of go through this whole thing and so yeah. All right, so we have a rating scale for our merry meet cute's. Is it merry and bright? Is it snow much potential, or is it ho ho no? Didn't work at all. What do you think?

SPEAKER_01 12:03

I thought it was merry and bright because they both played it so well.

SPEAKER_04 12:08

I agree, even though it's kind of a re meet cute-ish in the different timeline.

SPEAKER_01 12:13

But yeah, I agree.

SPEAKER_04 12:15

It was merry and bright. I I just loved it.

SPEAKER_01 12:18

All right, well, let's move on to favorite scenes.

Strong Opening Relationship And Backstory

SPEAKER_04 12:21

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 12:22

Um what was your first favorite scene?

SPEAKER_04 12:24

Well, I wanted to talk about the beginning because you have the intro music and it's sort of um, I love the song, you know, I love that out of the gate we slide right into the relationship between Renee and Aaron. And again, this is present day. Kind of jumped ahead with with the meat queue, but um, you know, it's just you you can feel and you see right away what their relationship is like. It's very sweet, it's very soft, it's very loving, you know, and we learn a lot in that opening scene without it being like spoon-fed to us. Right. It's just a natural, you know, it's the writing, it's the way it was shot, is it it's the way they acted it. We learn, you know, her mom has died. And and, you know, Aaron suggests selling the house, and they could basically start over. And, you know, he really wants to be a chef, but he's kind of working in insurance, and she doesn't want to sell the house because that's, you know, the house she grew up in, I guess.

SPEAKER_02 13:19

Right.

SPEAKER_04 13:19

That her mom lived in. And, you know, we find out she makes these gift baskets as a hobby, but she really works at a gift shop doing other things. And so it's I just feel like we got so and and a lot of times we do get a lot like right in the beginning, but it's almost like you got to get past that to get into the story.

SPEAKER_02 13:36

Right.

SPEAKER_04 13:37

And I just feel like that intro was so well done. It was that uh that has to be one of my favorite scenes. I'm like, I just you feel it right away, right? You feel what you're getting into right away without it seeming like over the top or too much or you know, cheesy.

SPEAKER_01 13:55

Right. So and I loved how he was so like supportive of her decisions no matter what. You know, he's like, Are you happy? You know, if you are, then I'll sell, you know, houses forever or insurance forever.

SPEAKER_04 14:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:10

And, you know, I just I really loved that about him.

SPEAKER_04 14:12

So yeah, that was really, really great.

SPEAKER_01 14:14

Yeah, it was.

SPEAKER_04 14:15

All right, what about you?

The Wish Bell And The New Life

SPEAKER_01 14:17

Um, I'm gonna go into where Renee, she's you know, she's closing up the shop. And this is when um the elf, uh, who's played by um Kimberly Ann, I think it's Chewin. Okay. Um, she asked Renee and Tasha, Tasha is her friend who works with her at the store, um, if they want to make a wish with with Santa, right? Tasha does, because you know, Tasha, she's down for the wish, and of course she's pregnant. Um, but it's uh Renee doesn't want to do it.

SPEAKER_03 14:52

Right.

SPEAKER_01 14:52

You know, and she tried she makes up all these excuses and everything. But then you there's the the next scene is the elf or or Cece is is what they call her. Um she comes up to Renee and hands her a bell and she says, Well, if you ever want to make a wish, just ring the bell and then make the wish. And I thought that was so cool. I like how they use the bell because that's kind of like almost what happens in the family man. Yeah. He rings the little bicycle bell.

SPEAKER_04 15:22

Like the bike belly's like ring ring, ring ring. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:25

And then in It's a Wonderful Life, it's every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings, right? So Right.

SPEAKER_04 15:31

So there's a bell angle, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:34

I just I just love that angle. And then it goes into the next scene where you know she's kind of closing up shop and she walks outside and she kind of slips and falls. You know, she's just having one of them days. Yes, yeah, and then she gets in her car, and guess what? Her car doesn't start. So that just you know, from there it just doesn't get any better, right?

SPEAKER_00 15:57

Right.

SPEAKER_01 15:58

So she sees the bell, she rings it and she makes a wish. And you know, when you're kind of a skeptic of things, she's like, of course.

SPEAKER_04 16:06

And it's because nothing happens, right? Nothing happens, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:11

So she puts her head down and then all of a sudden it starts snowing, and then the next scene is her waking up in her new life. Right. So I kind of like that. That was one of my favorite scenes. That was a couple favorite scenes.

SPEAKER_04 16:23

Yeah, that was you kind of went into yeah, that was good. That was good. No, it's good because at the end of that scene, too, um, when she leans her head on the wheel, the the music is kind of magical in that moment, and you know something's happening. But again, it's not like over-the-top cheesy, it's just enough to get you there with the magic, right? So yeah, it was great.

SPEAKER_02 16:43

Yeah, it was well.

SPEAKER_04 16:45

Then I will go into, and it just happens to be the scene right after that. Another one of my favorite scenes is when she she wakes up and she's now in her the life that she wished for. She wished she had a different life. So she is in a completely different life, and she wakes up in an office building. And now in her present day life, she lives in the suburbs, right? Outside of the city. So here she's in an office that is in downtown New York. Um, and she wakes up and her reaction, she sees herself in the mirror and she now has shorter hair. Yeah. Because in present day her hair is long. She's in the city, she's smacking her face. She's like, Renee, wake is she? This is where Vanessa is so good in this scene.

SPEAKER_00 17:28

It's so funny.

SPEAKER_04 17:29

It's so lively, it's so funny. And she's kind of like taking it all in, but she's like, Yeah, okay, uh-huh, sure. You know, and it's just, it's so cute. And then she's got to go to a meeting right away. And she's like, meeting what? You know, and of course, the guy who's like her assistant, her friend, he's known her forever, and but she doesn't know him yet, you know, so she's learning him. And then she goes into the meeting, and this this goes right into, you know, she sits at the table, but she doesn't sit at the head of the table because she doesn't realize she's the boss, right? So she's like taking all of this in, and it is written all over her face, her expressions, the things that she does, like when she's you know, like when she's physically like smacking herself, like, wait, it is just hysterical to me. That whole first scene of her in the new life was great, was was really, really well done and really well acted.

SPEAKER_02 18:22

Right.

SPEAKER_04 18:23

Because that's how you would be, you'd be like, what the you know? Yeah, and she's like, What in the world? You know.

SPEAKER_03 18:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 18:30

So, and that kind of then leads into the remeet cute, which we just talked about, because she's like, Hey, I'm having a weird day, you know, when she goes back home. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:41

Well, what happens next is when she gets back into her office from the meeting after she asked Jerry to reschedule it, um

Seeing Mom Again And The Emotional Shift

SPEAKER_01 18:50

her mom is in there. So she kind of Renee goes in, she closes the door, and she kind of puts her head on the door and her mom starts talking. And this is what is so cool about those two scenes. The first scene when she wakes up and she finds out she doesn't know where she is, it's it's like a uh comedic, right? But then when she comes back, it gets really serious because she's seeing her mom who had passed away from cancer, and so seeing her mom in that moment was like this emotional Well, she hears her first, she doesn't even see her, she's got her back to her desk, and the mood changes and her face, her body changes.

SPEAKER_04 19:31

Yeah, because it's and yeah, and we feel it because you know, we both lost our moms um a few longer ago than me, but um it's just you feel it, you know. And I know you and I have talked a lot about this. I dream a lot about people who have passed away, right? And my mom especially, and it's just like you I know the feeling that she, and I don't know, you know, I don't know if Vanessa has personally had that type of loss or not, or what, but she expresses it perfectly.

SPEAKER_01 20:02

Oh my gosh. In that scene, and you know, and you of it the way you feel, and we all have that one moment or would feel where we're like, if we could just have that one last moment to say goodbye or whatever. Yeah, so that was it, that was a great scene.

SPEAKER_04 20:16

That was a great scene leading into it. Yeah, all right. So, what about you? Other favorite scenes?

The Dream Apartment And Big City Energy

SPEAKER_01 20:21

When when Renee finds out she actually has an apartment, yeah. It's done.

SPEAKER_04 20:26

I'm glad you're talking about this because what am I too?

SPEAKER_01 20:28

Yeah, because that whole scene was the this is oh my god, I don't even know how to explain it, but she walks into her apartment and she's like, Oh my god.

SPEAKER_04 20:38

Because it's gorgeous, right?

SPEAKER_01 20:40

It is gorgeous, and the music that's playing, yes, it's it's so upbeat and it's kind of like it's kind of like a uh uh I don't know, like a pretty woman moment where she gets to spend all this money, right? And she sees that she has all these clothes and all the things.

SPEAKER_04 20:57

Well, her closet is to die for.

SPEAKER_01 20:59

She's got a case with sunglasses and all these books, and all that stuff, and she's just having a good time going through it all. And I just again, the music in this scene makes it, you know? And what we always say is music, music, music makes the mood. And I agree.

unknown 21:17

I agree.

Restaurant Team Up And Flirty Tension

SPEAKER_01 21:20

So you get any more?

SPEAKER_04 21:22

Um, it just any scene she is in, right? I gotta say, all right. No, there's a scene where she goes uh to the to now um Aaron has a restaurant in this life. He is a chef and he owns his own restaurant or is a partner in his own restaurant or whatever. So she's she wants to have her company and him kind of work together.

SPEAKER_02 21:43

Right.

SPEAKER_04 21:43

Right. So she goes to see him and it's just really it's such a good scene between the two of them too. And Corey too. He's he's really good in this.

unknown 21:52

Right.

SPEAKER_04 21:53

Also, he's really, really good. And she's crying, you know, she's trying to dig to see if he's got a girlfriend and you know. And he he realizes that and he kind of points it out to her. And it's just, it's really cute. And then, you know, they're gonna be working close together. And, you know, and and he basically you find out his restaurant is in trouble or whatever. And then she comes up, she's like, Oh, I wish there was something I could do for you. And then she's like, Oh, wait, and her facial express, she doesn't say anything, her face says it all right. And then you and I both laugh out loud every single time we watch this because she's like, do it, do it, you know, to him because she wants him to join forces with her and and them team up and help each other out. And um she's like, I could tell you what to see. It's just it's so cute. That whole scene is so cute. So I love that one.

SPEAKER_01 22:42

She was kind of squirming in this seat when she's she doesn't pull the chair out and it's so close to the table when she sits down, she's kind of like you know, and doing all the squirming and everything. Yeah, it was really, really well shot. Yeah. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_04 22:55

And then um, I guess if, you know, did you have any more before we get towards the end of the movie?

SPEAKER_01 23:00

Um, just when they were doing the recipes, um oh yeah.

Hockey Night Sparks The Creative Flow

SPEAKER_01 23:06

She had asked him about um if he was going to play hockey on Wednesday night, and he's like, Oh wow, I haven't played it any in a long time. It's been a while. And she stops what she's doing and she takes him to, I guess, where they skate. I skate outside and play hockey. And I think the whole scene was and again the music was just so fun and so playful.

SPEAKER_04 23:31

Well, and and because it was nervous and she knew how to get him out and get him into his element of something he loved, right? So he could then focus on what they were trying. It wasn't like he was lack of focus, he was just nervous and couldn't come up, you know. You get stuck in your own head, and then so she got him out of his element into something that he loved, and they were yeah, and they look like they could really skate.

SPEAKER_01 23:53

I know, yeah. I know I was impressed. I was impressed.

SPEAKER_04 23:56

I don't think I can do that now or ever. But yeah, so they're skating and they're talking about what they're gonna do, right?

SPEAKER_01 24:03

Like they're coming up with yeah, she gets them to talk.

SPEAKER_04 24:06

Yeah, that was really cool.

SPEAKER_01 24:07

Yeah, it was a cool scene. All right.

Dress Shopping And Letting Go

SPEAKER_04 24:09

Um, the other favorite scenes for me would be tied to her mom when they're uh they're picking out dresses to go to a Christmas party together and just their conversation, and you know, she realizes that you know, she's in the present day been holding on to um the house. You know, she's been stuck and she realizes her mom was probably gonna sell the house eventually. Right in that scene. So there are revelations there, it's just a really close moment. And then of course, at the end of the mo towards the end of the movie, when um you know, she's in this uh parallel or parallel timeline or different life, a different life when she's there and her mom, you know, and so now Renee gets to go back to her present day. She finds out from the elf right. What was her name? I can't think of her name right now. Cece. Yeah, but she also realizes that that means her mom will be gone. Right. And it's just I think you and I started tearing up then too. It's like from then on, you know, we're just like, and then she goes and spends some time with her mom um towards the end of the film, and that whole thing is just brilliantly done, brilliantly acted, brilliantly shot. Um, I just loved it. And of course, we you know, I'm crying every single time we watch it in that in that moment. It's just so, so good.

SPEAKER_01 25:33

And Paula and Vanessa's it, you know, conversation in that scene was I you would think they were mother and daughter for real. I mean, the tears look were real. The I mean it's real life conversation.

SPEAKER_04 25:51

Well, and just the tears from Vanessa, really, just her her in that scene, knowing, you know, that she's gonna go back to her old life and her mom isn't gonna be there, but her mom doesn't know that, so she's trying to keep it normal. But you can see on her face she's trying to take it all in and absorb it, and you know, it's just it's so so well done.

SPEAKER_01 26:15

Right. And she has until midnight, and they watch a move, they watch a movie, which I thought was pretty cool because that's what they used to do. And then before midnight, her mom had fallen asleep, and right she kisses Vanessa kisses her hand and says, I'll picture you sailing. 'Cause she's gonna go on a big trip, right?

SPEAKER_04 26:35

Or something. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:37

I I'm telling you, this is one of Hallmark Hallmark's best scenes.

SPEAKER_04 26:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:42

Best scenes. So all right. So all right.

Goodbye Before Midnight And Best Scene

SPEAKER_01 26:48

Cheers.

SPEAKER_04 26:49

Wanna get into cheers?

SPEAKER_01 26:51

Um, just everything. I mean, I I don't know what else to say. The whole movie was good. So I'm just gonna go with I mean, the the acting, Vanessa's acting was brilliant, the supporting cast was brilliant. Um, you know, uh Corey's acting was brilliant. I I I th this movie just clicked for me.

SPEAKER_04 27:16

Yeah, same, same. I mean, we've talked about all of them. Her, like you said, Vanessa's acting, Corey and her together are so good. Um, and the way he is in it also, it's I yeah, it it's just effortless between the two of them, between her and you know, Paula, who plays her mom, between her and her best friend, Tasha. We haven't even talked about her.

SPEAKER_03 27:41

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 27:41

Right. Um, it's just it's great. And the story about being stuck.

SPEAKER_02 27:46

Right.

SPEAKER_04 27:47

And, you know, and and I think she literally says that at some point about how she was stuck. And, you know, you notice that right away. I think I put that in my notes at the beginning of the movie. Like she's, you know, because people do get like that. You go home to take care of a sick parent, and you know, you can't necessarily leave, and she ended up staying there, and you know, and that happens, and then you just it's not that you get comfortable, you're just like, oh, well, it kind of is what it is. I'm not gonna go back and chase my dreams, or I'm not gonna, you know, and I really like that they had um they didn't have a riff between her and uh between the Renee character and Aaron. Right. Like he wasn't some jerk, you know, like he wasn't he wasn't a jerk in either timeline. It was someone that she really loved. I like that they didn't make him someone she wanted to leave or realize she needed to go to someone else. You know,

Cheers Jeers And What The Story Says

SPEAKER_04 28:38

I just I thought it was it was just really, really well done. And it kind of also showed that, you know, you're you're with who you're meant to be with.

SPEAKER_02 28:46

Right.

SPEAKER_04 28:46

No matter the timeline.

SPEAKER_02 28:47

Right.

SPEAKER_04 28:48

Right. Because she refines her, she finds her friend again, right? Tasha, and she gets back together. Well, sh I guess she doesn't get back together with him in that timeline, does she? But they're getting closer.

SPEAKER_01 28:59

Right. They're and she's understanding what he has gone through.

SPEAKER_04 29:04

Right. And what he's done, what he gave up, what he sacrificed for her sacrifice to be with her, and she's realizing she is stuck, she needs to move forward, you know. So yeah, I thought it was just great.

SPEAKER_01 29:15

So and that and that that build up to the kiss at the end. Yeah, the music.

SPEAKER_04 29:22

Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_01 29:26

Oh my god. Kudos to the whole crew on this one.

SPEAKER_04 29:30

I know, I know, and I loved her clothes, I loved the costuming in this one. It's just everything clicked.

SPEAKER_01 29:37

Yep, everything clicked. All the Christmas stuff, yes.

SPEAKER_04 29:39

Yeah, all the Christmas stuff. All right.

SPEAKER_01 29:41

What about some geers? Do you have any jeers?

SPEAKER_04 29:43

Um no, me either. No notes. Did you have any wait was?

SPEAKER_01 29:49

Um, no.

unknown 29:50

No.

SPEAKER_04 29:51

No, yeah. I I I couldn't think of any. I was trying to be like, wait, what? Would that really happen? I'm like, most of it was pretty solid.

SPEAKER_01 29:58

Yeah, it was. I agree.

SPEAKER_04 30:01

All right.

Tinsel Top Moment And Final Rating

SPEAKER_04 30:02

So um what was your tinsel topped moment? Oh. Which is what we try to do in terms of.

SPEAKER_01 30:08

The talk with her mom, the last talk with her mom before she came back to the present time.

SPEAKER_04 30:15

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 30:16

That was my tinsel top moment.

SPEAKER_04 30:18

Yes. I would say, I would say that one for sure. And I really it would be a tie for me. That one for the emotional reason. I thought it was really well done. But I also have to say, when she first wakes up in the office, I love that scene. I love it, love it, love it. So yeah, and then all the way into when her mom shows up in her office. Yeah, that whole yes, those would be my tinsel top moments. All right. Out of five ornaments, how many would you hang on the tree?

SPEAKER_03 30:50

Five. Five.

SPEAKER_04 30:54

I I would have to give it a five also. Yes. Yeah, for different. I, you know, I was thinking about the movies that we've given fives to, and there are different reasons. Um, but this one I would I'd have to give it a five. Yeah, five ornaments on the tree. I mean total for for us.

SPEAKER_01 31:09

It hit on all cylinders. So you know it really does.

SPEAKER_04 31:13

It really, really does.

Wrap Up And Calls To Action

SPEAKER_01 31:15

All right. Well, is that a wrap?

SPEAKER_04 31:16

That's a wrap.

SPEAKER_01 31:17

All right, again, thank you for listening. And if you want to help other Halmart fans find our podcast, you can do so by giving us a five-star rating on Apple or Spotify. And if you want to watch us, head on over to YouTube at porthewine is rom-com time. And don't forget to subscribe and hit that bell. So when we drop our next episode, you'll be notified.

SPEAKER_04 31:38

You'll be notified. That's right. And remember, send us an email to porthewine is rom-com time at gmail.com and let us know if you've seen Take Me Back for Christmas and your thoughts about the movie.

SPEAKER_01 31:49

Yes. 100.

SPEAKER_04 31:51

Even if you don't agree with us, then that's okay.

SPEAKER_01 31:53

Oh, you will.

SPEAKER_04 31:54

We'll disagree with you, but we make sure you follow us wherever you get your podcasts and on Instagram and TikTok. And Instagram, we are very close to 500 followers. So if you're not following us there, go there, give us a follow, tell your friends. We are going to school's 500. Do it. All right. Until next time. Cheers.