Healing Hands

6.1/10 · 387 ratings20101h 30mWeirdness 5/10Bingo card

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The premise

A near death experience gives a young man, engaged to be married, the ability to heal people.

How unusual is it?

Middle of the road, with a twist — supernatural twists and an actual miracle keep it from being totally by-the-book.

Who’s in it

Behind the camera

Show

Directed by

Wait, what?

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

  • The protagonist survives a 105-degree fever that 'burns' the injury out of his brain.
  • A literal supernatural healing touch in a contemporary setting.
  • The biological mother is revealed to be a 'retired' supernatural healer.
  • The protagonist falls into a coma to save his fiancée, only to be woken by a magical mother-reveal.
  • A dog is one of the first characters to receive magical medical treatment.

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 26 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)
Buddy Hoyt is a simple, hardworking man in the town of Hartley who is deeply in love with his girlfriend, Alice. After proposing to her, Buddy learns that his beloved Uncle Norman has advanced cancer. While attempting to fix Norman's roof, Buddy suffers a devastating fall that leaves him in a coma with severe brain swelling and a mysterious fever of 105 degrees that baffles doctors. He miraculously recovers, but soon realizes he has changed. He first heals a dog's injured paw, then instantly cures his friend Mike's infected finger. When he saves a young girl named Callie after a car accident—instantly closing a deep wound—the town labels him a miracle worker. A reporter named Natasha Kling begins documenting his 'miracles,' and Buddy embraces his role as the 'Healer of Hartley,' despite Alice's concerns about the physical toll it takes on him, including debilitating headaches and dizziness. The conflict intensifies when Uncle Norman refuses Buddy's help, believing the gift is unnatural or a burden. The public's adoration turns to scorn when Buddy is unable to save a dying woman, Mrs. Ferguson, who tells him she is ready to go to God; her grieving husband publicly accuses Buddy of being a fraud. The emotional climax occurs when Alice is struck by a vehicle and placed on life support. Buddy chooses to use the last of his strength to heal her, successfully bringing her back but falling into a terminal coma himself. In a supernatural twist, a woman named Leah Gardner—whom Buddy had previously sought out—appears at his bedside. She reveals she is his biological mother and a fellow healer who gave him up to protect him from the burden of the gift. She heals Buddy, allowing him to wake up. Buddy seemingly loses his public powers, but after marrying Alice and settling into a normal life, the film ends with Buddy secretly using his touch to heal Uncle Norman's cancer, proving the gift remains but is now a private blessing.

Beat by beat

  1. Opening

    Buddy proposes to Alice, but the joy is dampened by the news that Uncle Norman has terminal cancer.

  2. Inciting Incident

    Buddy falls from a roof and survives a medically impossible 105-degree fever, awakening with the power to heal.

  3. Midpoint

    Buddy heals a girl hit by a car, becoming a local celebrity known as the 'Healer of Hartley' while his health begins to decline.

  4. Climax

    A woman dies under Buddy's care because she chooses to pass on, leading the town to brand Buddy a fraud.

  5. Turning Point

    Alice is critically injured in an accident; Buddy sacrifices his own life force to heal her, falling into a coma.

  6. Resolution

    Buddy's biological mother, also a healer, appears and saves him, revealing his true heritage.

  7. Final Beat

    Buddy marries Alice and secretly heals Norman's cancer, keeping his gift a secret from the world.

26 tropes in one movie

We counted 26 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 6.1 vs every rated Hallmark moviemedian 6.4This movie · 6.1567

Higher-rated than 22% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.

Where this one fits

The corners of the catalog Healing Hands 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.

  • “Buddy's life is with the almighty now. He who has faith shall be embraced by god.”
    — Reverend CollinsPraying over Buddy while he is in a coma.
  • “I think Leah would... Tell you to figure out if you want the gift, and if you do, why.”
    — Leah GardnerSpeaking to Buddy about himself in the third person before revealing her identity.
  • “There's a thin line between a blessing and a curse. Sometimes, that line gets blurred.”
    — Reverend CollinsAdvising Buddy on his healing powers.

Meet the characters

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

  • Buddy Hoyt

    Lead

    Handyman/Janitor

    SelflessHumbleDeterminedGifted
  • Alice

    Love interest

    School Supervisor

    Fiancée

    SkepticalProtectiveDevoted
  • Norman

    Supporting

    Retired Farm Worker

    Uncle

    StubbornTraditionalProud
  • Leah Gardner

    Supporting

    Healer

    Biological Mother

    MysteriousWiseSacrificial

Questions people ask about Healing Hands

Where can I watch Healing Hands?

Healing Hands is available via Xumo Play. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

How long is Healing Hands?

Healing Hands runs about 1 hour and 30 minutes, and was released in 2010.

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Data and sources

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Sources:IMDbTMDB