'Christmas Sail' Review: Feel-good film focuses on family bonds and friendship
Hallmark's 'Christmas Sail' revolves around the life of Liz Darling and her estranged father, Denis. When she returns home to take care of her father who was injured in an accident, she remembers the magic of Christmas and decides to pass on family traditions to her daughter, Hannah. Liz bonds with her dad and also reconnects with her childhood best friend.
A great addition to your ideal family Christmas movie list would be 'Christmas Sail', the perfect mix of romance and drama. What's not to love? The movie's protagonists are Liz (Katee Sackhoff) and Paul (Patrick Sabongui). They head over to the house of Liz's estranged father Dennis (Terry O'Quinn), just in time for the festive season. All is not lost as the father and daughter bond over good old times, as Liz recreates the meaning of Christmas with family for her daughter.
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'Christmas Sail' is what you'd call a typical and ideal feel-good, family-oriented movie. It's got everything a perfect Christmas movie should have; the joyous celebratory season, family gatherings, and most importantly, making up for the lost time between two family members in particular; a father and his daughter.
Although the movie is moderately paced, you won't find yourself getting bored, even for a second! Katee Sackhoff (as Liz Darling) along with her father in the movie, Terry O' Quinn (as Denis), make a fantastic father-daughter duo, and although their level of understanding may seem a bit sour in the beginning, it's mostly to shield the sadness and pain of being away from the other for so long, and not being in contact and thereby, estranged.
Paul (played by Patrick Sabongui) plays the role of the ever-supportive husband. The film starts by introducing us to Liz Darling, a single mom of one. She somehow finds out about Denis, her estranged father, who was involved in an accident and was injured as a result. Without a second thought, she returns home with her daughter, and this is officially her first Christmas back home, in years. The town of Portside is pretty much the same as Liz remembers from the last time she was here, boats with sails by the ports, curious children running along the coast and people setting sail.
We are now introduced to Paul (played by Patrick Sabongui), who is Liz's childhood best friend. The both of them have grown and changed so much since the last time they met, and Liz is totally taken aback by Paul's charm and sense of humor; totally not the boy she remembers being friends with! He also gets along with Liz's daughter, Hannah. As is the grind with movies, Liz and Paul's friendship starts to see sparks of something a little more.
Having said that Liz might not have had planned an elaborate Christmas, thinking it'd be just her and Hannah, but now that she's home, she decides to make the best of the opportunity and to show Hannah the kind of magical Christmas celebrations she used to once share with her own mother.
Liz tells Hannah that one of their favorite family traditions they loved growing up was taking part in their town’s Christmas Eve Sailboat Parade of Lights, which took place every year. Unfortunately, after her mother died, their family boat was put away for good, and sold as well, according to what Denis told Liz. Turns out that Denis lied to her about having sold the boat only because he wanted to spend time with his daughter as they did in the old times. Denis is aging as well, and a daughter, no matter how distant, cannot let go of her father's wishes.
Since Denis lost the Christmas spirit in him after his wife passed, heads mention that he may end up selling their family home as well, since it takes a lot to maintain the same. Once Liz is made aware of this, she decides to use Paul's help to refurbish the old boat to create a floating and luminous light display, which might even broaden their chances of winning the town parade's grand cash prize! Liz thinks that the money can be used to save her family's house and that all is not lost.
Amidst celebrations, Denis and Liz talk about the Christmases they used to have, how they celebrated when his wife and her mom were alive. They bond over walks down memory lane and things of the past.
