The Christmas Cure

6.2/10 · 1,919 ratings20171h 23mChristmasWeirdness 4/10Bingo card

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The premise

A doctor returns home for Christmas to find that her father has decided to retire from his own practice. After reuniting with her high-school sweetheart, she wonders if she should stay and take over her father's practice.

How unusual is it?

Middle of the road, with a twist — Santa himself and a second-chance romance keep it from being totally by-the-book.

Who’s in it

Behind the camera

Show

Wait, what?

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

  • The intense focus on a German Christmas cake called Baumkuchen as a plot device for grief and memory.
  • The protagonist's brother attempting to bake 'guilt cookies' to apologize for a book spoiler.

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 36 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)
Vanessa Turner is an overworked ER doctor in Los Angeles who manages to secure a 'Christmas miracle'—time off to visit her family. Upon arrival, she is surprised to find her ex-boyfriend Mitch is her ride from the airport. Mitch, who Vanessa remembers as a struggling student, has become a successful local contractor. At home, her father, Dr. Bruce Turner, announces that he is retiring and closing his community clinic on December 23rd, intending to turn the space into a guest house. Vanessa, though up for a major promotion as Head of Trauma at her hospital, offers to help her father during the clinic's final week. Throughout the week, Vanessa witnesses the deep personal connections her father has with his patients, such as Mrs. Willis, a widow who values the doctor's company as much as his medical advice. A subplot involves Vanessa's younger brother, Kyle, who has a crush on a patient named Shelly; Vanessa and Mitch help Kyle bake 'guilt cookies' after he accidentally spoils the ending of a book Shelly was reading. The romantic tension between Vanessa and Mitch builds as they reminisce about their past, and Mitch reveals he has kept a Christmas gift for her for ten years. The conflict intensifies when Vanessa's hospital schedules her promotion interview for December 23rd, forcing her to choose between her career and her family's final days at the clinic. When Mitch is injured in a fall from a ladder, Vanessa realizes how much she values her life in the small town and postpones her interview. On the clinic's last day, Vanessa treats a young girl named Casey for an allergic reaction, mirroring her father's compassionate bedside manner. After a surprise town celebration for her father, Vanessa heads to the airport but realizes her true calling. She returns to the clinic, opens Mitch's gift—the star ornament from their childhood pageant—and announces she is staying to take over the practice, ensuring the clinic remains open.

Beat by beat

  1. Opening

    Vanessa returns home for Christmas and discovers her father is retiring and closing the family medical clinic.

  2. Inciting Incident

    Vanessa reconnects with her ex-boyfriend Mitch, who is the contractor hired to renovate the clinic into a guest house.

  3. Midpoint

    Vanessa assists her father with patients and realizes the profound impact a small-town doctor has on the community's well-being.

  4. Rising Action

    Mitch is injured in a ladder fall, causing Vanessa to postpone her high-stakes job interview in Los Angeles.

  5. Climax

    On the clinic's final day, Vanessa treats a child's emergency, proving she has the 'Turner touch' for community medicine.

  6. Resolution

    Vanessa decides to decline the LA promotion and stay in her hometown to run the clinic herself, reuniting with Mitch.

36 tropes in one movie

We counted 36 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 6.2 vs every rated Hallmark moviemedian 6.4This movie · 6.2567

Higher-rated than 28% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.

Where this one fits

The corners of the catalog The Christmas Cure 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.

  • “Sometimes you just get so caught up in what you're supposed to do, that you miss what we're meant to do.”
    — Martha TurnerVanessa's mother giving her advice about her career choices.
  • “There are many different ways to save a life.”
    — Bruce TurnerExplaining the philosophy of community medicine to Vanessa.
  • “I was the star. Of Bethlehem. I had no lines. It was perfect.”
    — Bruce TurnerRecalling his role in a childhood Christmas pageant.

Meet the characters

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

  • Vanessa Turner

    Lead

    ER Doctor

    AmbitiousCompassionateOverworked
  • Mitch

    Love interest

    Contractor

    Ex-boyfriend

    SentimentalHandyPatient
  • Bruce Turner

    Supporting

    Doctor

    Father

    WiseCommunity-orientedHumble
  • Kyle Turner

    Supporting

    Student

    Brother

    AwkwardSweetHelpful

Questions people ask about The Christmas Cure

Where can I watch The Christmas Cure?

The Christmas Cure is available via fuboTV, Philo, and Hallmark+ Amazon Channel. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

How long is The Christmas Cure?

The Christmas Cure runs about 1 hour and 23 minutes, and was released in 2017.

Is The Christmas Cure a Christmas movie?

Yes. The Christmas Cure is a Hallmark Christmas movie, set during the holiday season.

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Talking Hallmark

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Data and sources

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Sources:IMDbTMDB