Five More Minutes

It was hard to say no to watching 'Five More Minutes', with it being one of the best received 2021 Hallmark Christmas films in rating and reviews. Nikki DeLoach is also one of my favourite female Hallmark regulars and one of the few to nearly always deliver on good performances regardless of the film's quality (same with Hallmark regulars overall). David Haydn-Jones is not as consistent and his filmography is spottier, but when he is good he is very good.

'Five More Minutes' wasn't flawless, but absolutely deserves the praise it's garnered. It also is a great representation of both DeLoach and Haydn-Jones. The 2021 Hallmark Christmas films were hit and miss, 'Five More Minutes' (watched the day after watching by one of the misses 'A Nantucket Noel') is very much one of the hits and one of the best of them. For me, it's in the top 5 best of the block and one of the best 2021 Hallmark films overall.

Do agree that DeLoach's character's treatment of Haydn-Jones' when dumping him and what she does instead were incredibly cold and made me lose respect for her, this was a shame due to actually really connecting with her throughout the rest of the film.

Also agree that Haydn-Jones' character was a little too pushy at points.

So much is great too. DeLoach's performance is nuanced and incredibly powerful, while she is always compelling she had never moved me quite to the same extent that she does here. Haydn-Jones is very charming and sympathetic, the performance is subtle but never dull. Their chemistry is heartfelt and very genuine, with the development being generally realistic in how it moves (excepting some questionable behavious). Sherry Miller brings class and sincerity to her role. On the whole, the characters were ones worth caring for and easy to in a very relatable and personal scenario.

Furthermore, 'Five More Minutes' is lovingly filmed and the scenery also delivers in beauty. The music never feels melodramatic and isn't overused, or at least to me. The direction is sympathetic while still with momentum. The script is very honest and treats a serious subject with much respect, while not being over-serious. Of all the stories for the 2021 Hallmark Christmas films, the one here is one of the most poignant and did find myself connecting emotionally to the events. The mystery elements never come over as too simple while also not being over-complicated with some neat subtle clues, the big revelation was a real surprise and rang true. The ending is very sweet and tender, it is a little too neat considering what happened earlier but other Hallmark films have fared far worse in this aspect.

Overall, beautiful. 8/10.

Hallmark movies come and go. I love them, but generally would give a 6-8 rating. This one gets a 9. It's a sweet story (aren't they all?), but the actors are all good, the plot a step above and the ending brought me to tears. Reminds me of the old Hallmark Hall of Fame movies of long ago. It's good enough to DVR and save. I think even the Hallmark Christmas movie haters will enjoy this one!

To me it is the best Christmas movie I have seen. Flaws and all didn't matter. The message was the star. It was warm and wonderful and made me cry. Losing a loved one and being given 5 More Minutes is something a lot of us wish for. Thank you to Hallmark. Linda.

With a sweet, warm, and magical feel to it, the opening scene in 'Five More Minutes' sets the tone for this lovely Hallmark Movies and Mysteries' Christmas movie. The story pulls at the heartstrings, providing a bit of mystery and a touch of magic, making for a wonderful viewing experience. Hands down, one of the best this season thus far. The story revolves around Clara (played by Nikki Deloach), an art teacher who will soon lose her job and is also having doubts about her current romantic relationship. So, she heads home this Christmas to help her mother with her late grandfather's candy cane confectionery. While home, she makes a wish for five more minutes with her grandpa (played by Eric Keenleyside), who had always given her the advice and support she needed. Shortly thereafter, she discovers her grandpa's journal, which provides an account of his first lost love. She decides to find this mysterious lost love, eventually teaming up with Logan (played by David Haydn-Jones), her first love, who, like her grandpa, seems to always know what she needs. It is a warm and heartfelt story that immediately pulls you in. It is rich in feeling and emotion. Indeed, I found myself shedding a few tears in this one. The writers do a great job developing all this thru some engaging dialogue and, of course, there is a magical twist to the story. The acting in this one is brilliant. Deloach, a Hallmark regular, had a very convincing performance, quite impressive. Her performance engaged me; I could feel the emotion, her emotion on-screen. Haydn-Jones too was quite good. He had this warm and supportive vibe to his performance, which I found appealing. The chemistry between the two was lovely to watch as well. It felt easy and natural. All in all, 'Five More Minutes' is a beautiful Christmas movie, a nice new edition to Hallmark's Miracles of Christmas movie line-up. I highly recommend it.

This movie was a family winner. It was not the usual predictable storyline, and had all the warmth we hoped for in a holiday movie. My husband and I found it fresh and wonderful pleasure to watch. As the ending credits rolled, we declared it the best one so far!