2023’sThe Santa Summitis one of the freshest-feeling Hallmark Christmas movies of the last few years, both because of its premise and how strongly it delivers on the ‘com’ side of the rom-com subgenre. Starring Hunter King, Benjamin Hollingsworth, Amy Groening, and Stephanie Sy,The Santa Summitmanages to stand out among the dozens ofholiday season Hallmark filmsfrom the premise alone, as it takes place at a convention for Santa Claus enthusiasts.
When it comes to settings that promise plenty of Christmas spirit, it’s hard to imagine many that can guarantee festive fun as much as an entire convention of Santa cosplayers. That’s not the reasonThe Santa Summithas been a hit though. It’s the heartwarming and hilarious adventure that awaits friends Jordin (King), Ava (Groening), and Stella (Sy) once they arrive that makes the 2023 Christmas rom-com worth watching - even for those who don’t normally enjoy Hallmark movies.
The Santa Summit Is Worth Watching
Hallmark’s Santa Convention Comedy Has As Many Ha Ha Ha’s As Ho Ho Ho’s
2023 was a strong yearfor Hallmark Christmas movies, with multiple new festive films from the network being hits with viewers. However, even with a high caliber of competition,The Santa Summitmanages to stand out as a must-watch.The reason why is simple -The Santa Summitis incredibly funny.Many holiday season films from the network are comedies, but as a brand, Hallmark Christmas movies are more known for festive feel-good spirit than they are laugh-out-loud moments.
This is whereThe Santa Summitbucks the trend. While it’s stillundeniably a Hallmark Christmas moviethat includes the traditional tropes fans of the network have come to love, it also stands strong as a rom-com in its own right.Writer Russell Hainline and director Jeff Beesley created a hilarious viewing experience that isn’t just funny by Hallmark movie standards, but comedy films in general.Even viewers who don’t usually enjoy Hallmark Christmas films are likely to findThe Santa Summitenjoyable - as proved by the many positive reviews from surprised critics who’re more than open about their usually less-than-flattering opinion of the network’s seasonal offerings.
However, it’s not just the comedy in the sharp script that makesThe Santa Summita worthwhile addition to any festive movie lineup.The romance side of the rom-com is just as strong - something that helped it immediately gain a solid following among regular Hallmark viewers when it debuted in 2023.The Santa Summitdoesn’t feature just one couple, either. Hunter King’s Jordin, Amy Groening’s Ava, and Stephanie Sy’s Stella are each given their own romance arcs. What’s more, each is distinct and strong enough to have viewers rooting for the eventual (and, as it’s a Hallmark movie, more-or-less inevitable) happy ending for all three of the trio of friends.
This is whereThe Santa Summitfalls back into much of the familiar territory that cements it as a must-watch for fans of Hallmark Christmas movies in particular. The network’s holiday season films are known and beloved for their cozy familiarity, andThe Santa Summitis full of moments that tick off boxes onthe Hallmark movie checklist. For example,the meet-cute between Jordin and Ben Hollingsworth’s Liam might be seen as cheesy by some - she drops her wallet, looks up, and there he is - but for Hallmark movie fans it’s the perfect start to a Christmas romance.
The Santa Summithas more than enough genuinely hilarious laughs to counter-balance the traditional Hallmark adherence to by-the-numbers love stories.
Fortunately for viewers who find these kinds of cliché moments to be on the corny side,The Santa Summithas more than enough genuinely hilarious laughs to counter-balance the traditional Hallmark adherence to by-the-numbers love stories. The very premise ofThe Santa Summitpromises plenty of jokes throughout. A Santa convention is an incredibly unusual event, and the chances of a movie set in one being any genre other than comedy are incredibly slim. It’s an intriguing set-up, andeven the most skeptical viewers will find that Hallmark’sThe Santa Summitdelivers on the comedy potential that an entire convention filled with hardcore Santa Claus enthusiasts contains.
The Santa Summit Is Available To Stream With The Prime Video Hallmark Package
The 2023 Rom-Com Can Also Be Rented Or Purchased On Multiple Platforms
2023’sThe Santa Summitis a solid Christmas rom-com that would be a worthwhile addition to seasonal viewing plans, even for those who don’t usually include Hallmark movies in their festive film lists. While it isn’t found on any of the standard packages for major streaming services,The Santa Summitis available to stream on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+ with the Hallmark Movies Now add-on, which costs an additional $7.99 per month on Prime and $5.99 with Apple.
For viewers who don’t want to take out an additional subscription,The Santa Summitis also available to rent and purchase on the same platforms. The 2023 Hallmark movie can be rented on Amazon Video and Apple TV for $4.99, or purchased outright for $9.99.
