‘Hanukkah on the Rocks’ offers Hallmark’s usual holiday joy but with a menorah
As a lifelong enthusiast of heartwarming holiday films, I must say that “Hanukkah on the Rocks” has certainly found its way into my favorites list. Growing up, it was always Christmas movies that dominated the airwaves, and while I’ve always enjoyed the jolly charm they bring, it’s refreshing to see a story set during Hanukkah.
A while back, when there were only a handful, I’d occasionally critique Hallmark or Lifetime holiday movies. However, by 2024, with an additional 44 films added to their lineup, it feels redundant. Truth be told, you could almost script them yourself. Aside from serving as a form of relaxation, watching them seems unnecessary, even for entertainment’s sake.
Occasionally, something catches my attention, both personally and professionally. In this case, it’s Hallmark’s uncommon Jewish-themed movie “Hanukkah on the Rocks.” This film, written by Julie Sherman Wolfe (who also penned this year’s Hallmark movie “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story”), will premiere on Friday. As a Jew myself, I am intrigued to see how this production portrays my community.
We are currently in Chicago, but it’s not Canada. Tory, portrayed by Stacey Farber from “Virgin River,” is a corporate lawyer who unexpectedly loses her job due to a merger. Despite her aspiration to become a partner, she had grown to despise the job. She appears to embody the stereotypical workaholic woman as depicted in Hallmark productions, often neglecting important moments like breakfast with her grandmother, Bubby (Marina Stephenson Kerr), at the slightest sound of a phone notification.
Television
This holiday season, Santa remains a beloved tradition, while you can look forward to a diverse range of special programs featuring artists such as Sabrina Carpenter, Nate Bargatze, Jimmy Fallon, and iconic Motown acts.
In a nutshell, character named Jay (Daren Kagasoff) is a radiologist, who’s back in Chicago from Florida, sent by his parents to persuade his granddad, Sam (Marc Summers), to move to Florida due to his age and a past fall incident. Despite appearing robustly healthy, Sam is the one who had the mishap. In an amusing twist, Jay and Tory cross paths over a single remaining box of Hanukkah candles in all of Chicago, as they were both sent by their respective grandparents to buy these specific candles.
Although the box indicates there are 42 candles, sufficient for seven Hanukkahs, the filmmakers assume you might not have noticed and they plan as though there is only enough for one. Consequently, when Tory and Jay divide the candles after she follows him to the bar where Sam resides, some form of divine intervention or less extraordinary plot device will likely be essential to celebrate Hanukkah for eight nights. “I am certain we have enough candles for all eight nights,” says Sam, echoing the oil from the traditional Hanukkah tale. If you’re unfamiliar with it, feel free to research it.
At Rocky’s bar, the atmosphere is so warm and welcoming that it seems like a character from “Cheers” has stepped into “The Iceman Cometh.” Tory, who radiates sunshine with her fiery red hair, adds even more cheer to the place. After the regular bartender leaves for a trip to Cabo, Tory steps in as a temporary replacement and quickly finds herself spending more than just one night there. Over the course of a week and a day, she transforms Rocky’s into a haven for Hanukkah celebrations. She creates new drinks with creative names like “bourbon shamash” (a play on the candle that lights the other candles on the menorah) and “gelty pleasure” (served with chocolate Hanukkah coins). Tory also encourages everyone to bring out their best selves, while she too will find her own way to shine brightly.
Television
The actor discusses establishing a regular presence on Hallmark, with ‘This Time Each Year’ being his 30th movie to air there, which will debut this coming Thursday.
Inside the bar, along with Sam, there’s Lottie (Lauren Cochrane) who manages the place and serves top-notch food. Stacy-Lynn (Verity Marks), a waitress preparing for an audition at Second City, is also here. Then there’s Anthony (Dan De Jaeger), a former accountant writing a novel on cocktail napkins who harbors feelings for Lottie, though his attempts to express them are clumsy. Outside this cozy “historic lounge,” as Sam calls it, besides Bubby, are Tory’s sister Becca (Cora Matheson), whom she seldom sees, and Becca’s son Parker (Braden Blair), who doesn’t recognize Tory during her rare visits. Tory’s parents will also be present, and if I manage to find their names, I’ll let you know who portrays them.
Sam calls everyone over as he prepares to light the menorah on the first night of Hanukkah. Anthony questions, “What if we’re not Jewish?” Sam responds, “I meant everyone, regardless.” He explains, “The menorah symbolizes hope, something beneficial for all.” The evening will continue with latke bean bag toss and Hanukkah trivia. In addition to the sentimental card messages (“Simply listen to your heart; everything else will fall into place”), the movie is rich in Jewish references (mah-jongg, Hebrew school, summer camp, dreidels) and Yiddish expressions: schmendrick, punim, putz, bubbala, mensch, gornisht, schlep, beshert, tsuris, chutzpah, altercocker, mishigas. It’s pleasant to hear such things.
Food is essential, as you need to eat. Tory’s mom inquires, “Aren’t you having something to eat?” The menu includes black-and-white cookies, lox and bagels, brisket, latkes, babka, and kichel for those present. Lottie, who is not Jewish, prepares Manischewitz-braised short ribs with horseradish sauce, fried dill pickle spears with everything bagel dressing (if I’ve heard correctly), challah bread pudding with vanilla glaze. Grandpa Sam remarks, “Food has always been a unifying factor among generations, and it’s heartening to see that tradition being upheld here as well.
It appears that this content is tailored towards Jewish fans of Hallmark who might appreciate something more relatable, given their background. While we all enjoy a classic Christmas movie – the one filled with trees, gifts, and the jolly man in red – it’s important to note that these themes are shared by many. After all, we did compose some of your favorite Christmas tunes, such as “White Christmas,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “The Christmas Song” (the one about fireside roasting chestnuts), “Santa Baby,” “Silver Bells,” and “Santa Claus Is Back in Town.” There are more, but I won’t bore you with them all.
Television
In December, you’ll find three special episodes celebrating Hanukkah on “Mickey Mouse Funhouse”, “Spidey and His Amazing Friends”, and “SuperKitties” on the Disney preschool channel.
Could it function in reverse? In an indirect nod to the movie itself, when Rocky’s Temporarily Named Hanukkah on the Rocks gets started, Stacy exclaims, “People are saying they’ve witnessed this type of thing for Christmas before, but never for Hanukkah. It’s already trending all over Instagram!
In this story, there’s hardly any significant conflict, even less than what you’d expect in a Hallmark movie. The main issues are Tory’s reluctance to inform her parents about losing her job, which she eventually must, and Jay’s daydream of returning to Florida, an idea that won’t materialize. A minor spat between the developing couple occurs briefly, but quickly resolves with apologies. However, their major predicament is that the script doesn’t allow them to kiss until the end of the movie, a fact this sentence won’t ruin for those yet to watch it.
As for the candles, it seems you may be misunderstanding their significance. In fact, their conspicuous presence is intentional, not accidental.
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2024-12-13 14:34