‘Jingle Bell Run’ is fun

Category: Television and Streaming

Take one school teacher and pair her with an overzealous ex-hockey professional and you have the making of some fun and frustration.  Jingle Bell Run stars Ashley Willams and Andrew W. Walker in a delightful story of friendship and yes, love. Hey, it’s a Hallmark Christmas movie so did you expect anything less?

Williams is Avery, a school teacher whose sister secretly signed her up for the annual Jingle Bell Run. Walker is Wes, a former hockey hero who is trying to figure out what to do next while still keeping his celebrity front and center. 

When the contest starts, Wes and Avery are paired and must complete several tasks around the country to each win one million dollars. They start out not liking each other but that definitely changes as they make their way from Chicago to Boston, then to the south and Oregon before returning to Chicago to hopefully win the race.

By following clues the contestants figure out where their next destination will be. The race begins with several pairs and one by one they are eliminated. Avery and Wes refuse to lose. They are smart, savvy, and stubbornly intent on making it to the finish.

As they travel around the country the animosity they have for each other diminishes and finally toward the end of the competition they realize they actually do care for each other. That caring turns into friendship which then becomes love. 

This is a cute story with some funny situations. As one by one the teams are eliminated, viewers will feel some sadness to see the eliminated contestants leave but happy that Avery and Wes are still in the running (no pun intended). The pairing of these two turns out to be more than a competitive team. It turns out to be something neither of them was looking for – love.

Jingle Bell Run premieres November 16, 2024 on Hallmark Channel.

About the Reviewer

Francine Brokaw writes about books, products, travel, and all aspects of entertainment for over 30 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County.

Images are courtesy Hallmark Media