Movies spark nostalgia but follow same predictable formula

By Anjy Fadairo | Staff Writer

Known for boasting their signature happy endings, hometown happiness, and sappy plot lines, Hallmark movies have remained a staple of many Americans’ Christmas traditions for years.

Though they induce warm feelings, Hallmark holiday movies typically follow a straightforward formula - typically involving workaholic women, typically from small towns in the South, who now work in big cities.

A few days before Christmas, something goes wrong at the company or at home, forcing them to go home and either take a break from their typical work or start a new job in their home town. After moving home, the main characters typically reconnect with a partner they knew during their childhood (often high school) or even fall in love with a colleague.

Then they move back home, or embrace the holiday spirit — happily ever after.

I watched the Hallmark movie ‘Christmas at Dollywood’ and rate it a 7.5/10.

If you’re looking for a typical lighthearted Hallmark movie with a Southern setting, a “rivals to lovers” relationship trope, and the fabulous Dolly Parton, this movie is for you.

Christmas at Dollywood stars one of Hallmark’s favorite actresses, Danica McKellar, as Rachel, a successful event planner and single mother with a gift for writing.

When end-of-year festivities no longer require her presence in New York, Tennessean Rachel returns to her home state to plan Christmas at Dollywood’s anniversary and soon finds slight trouble with another event planner, Luke.

The two fall in love and begin to realize their true dreams and the love they share.

Rachel decides to stay in Tennessee and pursue a career as a writer while continuing her work as an event planner, and soon, she becomes a published author.

Considering I’d watched and loved numerous

Anjy Fadairo Staff Writer

other Hallmark movies prior to viewing this one, I was able to guess the plot pretty accurately.

I was pleasantly surprised, however, the movie ended on a slightly different note than I had initially anticipated.

While this movie wasn’t the most substantial piece of cinematography, I liked how Hallmark slightly deviated from its regular trope. Rachel not only managed to move back home like usual Hallmark main characters, but she also remained true to her career aspirations.

Because of this, Christmas at Dollywood receives a 7.5 rating on a scale of 10.