A New Year's Resolution

6.5/10 · 1,524 ratings20211h 24mChristmasWeirdness 2/10Bingo card

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The premise

When a morning show producer makes a New Year's resolution to say yes more, she crosses paths with a confirmed Yes man who just might hold the key to her biggest story and to her heart.

How unusual is it?

Honestly? Not very — and that's the charm. It plays the hits, which is exactly the point for a cozy night in.

Who’s in it

Behind the camera

Show

Written by

Wait, what?

The quirks and curveballs that make this one a little weirder than your average Hallmark. No spoilers, promise.

  • Kelly's specific and intense phobia of magicians
  • A live TV segment where a producer is levitated by a magician named Eric the Magnificent
  • The 'Story Slam' finale where characters give long, scripted-sounding monologues to a live audience

Every trope, all in one place

Here’s everything this one has going on, from the setting to the way it wraps up. Tap any of the 29 to find more movies that do the same thing.

How it all plays out

Already seen it, or just can’t wait? Open this up for the whole story, ending included.

Full story (spoilers)
Kelly Leone is the dedicated producer of 'Wake Up Milwaukee,' a morning show she has helped lead to the top of the ratings. However, her professional success comes at a cost; she misses her friends' annual Christmas Eve party to finish an edit, leading her friends to stage an intervention about her stubbornness and constant refusal of social invitations. On New Year's Eve, she meets Tom Malone, a marketing executive for Imperium National Bank who claims he doesn't believe in resolutions because they are too restrictive. Inspired to change, Kelly resolves to say 'yes' to every invitation she receives until her 30th birthday on February 8th. Her boss, River, decides to turn this resolution into a recurring segment for the show, thrusting the behind-the-scenes Kelly into the spotlight. Kelly's resolution leads her into uncomfortable but growth-inducing situations, including a sub-zero Polar Plunge, a curling match, and even assisting a magician—her secret fear—on live television. Throughout these events, she repeatedly crosses paths with Tom, who is sponsoring many of the city's winter festivities. They begin dating, though Tom insists he won't officially ask her out until her resolution is over so that her 'yes' is genuine rather than mandatory. Their relationship deepens as they share childhood stories, with Tom revealing his loyalty to his family and his bank, while Kelly admits her fear of failure has kept her in a safe 'bubble.' The plot thickens when Kelly’s reporter, Casey, discovers that Imperium National Bank has been opening fraudulent accounts in customers' names to meet sales quotas. Kelly faces an ethical dilemma as she is dating the bank's marketing director. When she confronts Tom with the allegations, he attempts to handle the situation internally by reporting it to his boss, Glenn. However, the bank uses Tom's tip to close the fraudulent accounts and sweep the evidence under the rug. Kelly feels betrayed, believing Tom prioritized protecting his company over the truth and her journalistic integrity. She breaks up with him, stating she cannot trust someone who operates behind her back. In the aftermath, Tom realizes the depth of the bank's corruption when Glenn offers him a promotion in exchange for his continued silence. Choosing integrity over his career, Tom quits his job and provides Kelly with the internal documents needed to break the story nationally. The report is a massive success, and Kelly is offered her dream job at 'Good Morning Chicago.' At a 'Story Slam' event on her birthday, Kelly tells the story of her month of 'yes' and her realization that vulnerability is a strength. Tom appears at the event and reveals that he has also accepted a job in Chicago to pursue his own dreams. The film ends with the couple reconciling and looking forward to their new life together in a new city.

Beat by beat

  1. Opening

    Kelly misses her friends' Christmas Eve party for work, leading to a realization that her constant 'no' is isolating her.

  2. Inciting Incident

    Kelly meets Tom on New Year's Eve and resolves to say 'yes' to every invitation for a month, which becomes a TV segment.

  3. Midpoint

    Kelly and Tom's romance blossoms through various 'yes' challenges, including a Polar Plunge and a high-society gala.

  4. Conflict Escalation

    Kelly's news team discovers a fraud scandal at Tom's bank, creating a massive professional and personal conflict of interest.

  5. Climax

    Tom tips off his boss about the investigation, leading to a cover-up; Kelly breaks up with him for the breach of trust.

  6. Resolution

    Tom quits his job to become a whistleblower, Kelly breaks the story, and both accept new jobs in Chicago.

29 tropes in one movie

We counted 29 distinct Hallmark tropes packed into this one — a genuine greatest-hits reel.

How it stacks up

Where this one’s rating lands against every other rated Hallmark movie.

Rating 6.5 vs every rated Hallmark moviemedian 6.4This movie · 6.5567

Higher-rated than 55% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.

Where this one fits

The corners of the catalog A New Year's Resolution belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.

Lines worth quoting

The lines that stuck with us — the ones you’ll be repeating after the credits roll.

  • “I realized that the big stuff is made up of all these small moments, and I'm missing them.”
    — Kelly LeoneExplaining why she is making her New Year's resolution.
  • “I don't want you to say yes because of some resolution, I want a real yes.”
    — Tom MaloneExplaining why he won't ask her out until February.
  • “By the time you're real, most of your hair has been loved off, your eyes drop out, but none of that matters at all.”
    — Tom MaloneQuoting The Velveteen Rabbit during the Story Slam finale.

Meet the characters

Who’s who before you press play. Nothing here gives the ending away.

  • Kelly Leone

    Lead

    TV Producer

    StubbornOrganizedWorkaholicIntegrity-driven
  • Tom Malone

    Love interest

    Bank Marketing Director

    Romantic interest

    OptimisticLoyalSpontaneousFamily-oriented
  • Glenn

    Antagonist

    Bank Executive

    Tom's boss

    CorruptManipulativeCorporate
  • River Tamland

    Supporting

    News Anchor

    Boss and mentor

    CharismaticEncouragingAmbitious
  • Lisa

    Supporting

    Best friend

    PersistentLoyalFun-loving

Questions people ask about A New Year's Resolution

Where can I watch A New Year's Resolution?

A New Year's Resolution is available via fuboTV, Philo, and Hallmark+ Amazon Channel. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

How long is A New Year's Resolution?

A New Year's Resolution runs about 1 hour and 24 minutes, and was released in 2021.

Is A New Year's Resolution a Christmas movie?

Yes. A New Year's Resolution is a Hallmark Christmas movie, set during the holiday season.

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Data and sources

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Sources:IMDbTMDB