Christmas on Duty

In the latest Hallmark film, Christmas on Duty, Janel Parrish and Parker Young star as two Marines who find themselves paired together on Christmas Eve as a punishment for ruining a holiday party at their base. With a storm approaching, they must collect toys for local children. Along the way, they both come to terms with their past judgments about each other. It’s a typical Hallmark holiday story with military uniforms in the mix.

Opening scene: A group of Marines is seen preparing for an obstacle course during their training at Quantico. Here, two rivals, Blair and Josh (played by Parrish and Young), compete fiercely. After finishing the course, Blair, who excels in her training, announces her decision to join the infantry. Coming from a family of military tradition, Josh is enraged at the thought of Blair taking a position he feels should be his.

Key details: Fast forward six years, and Blair, now Captain Birch, has decided to work through the Christmas holiday. Although she’s managed to arrange some time with her father, this holiday marks their first together since her mother’s passing, and she seems very focused on her duties. Just days before Christmas, a mishap at the base’s Christmas party leads to a scene where Josh accidentally knocks over a cake. In a twist of fate, the Colonel gives them a joint mission on Christmas Eve—a day they must spend together facing the one person they can’t stand.

As the storm rolls in, all holiday deliveries are called off. On Christmas Eve, Blair and Josh take a weatherproof vehicle out into the snow, armed with a list of gifts from local kids, with hopes of playing Santa. They encounter various delays at every stop, but through their cooperation, they begin to realize their views of each other may have been misguided.

When they return to the base, they face disapproval from their fathers, who were once military rivals, but eventually, the fathers come to understand that their previous conflicts stemmed from misunderstandings. The story wraps up with reconciliation and blossoming romance between Blair and Josh.

Our take: There’s a moment early in Christmas on Duty where Blair’s father visits a booth offering freebies at a holiday fair, which raises some eyebrows. The setup feels a bit forced—the incorporation of a brand like USAA here seems out of place amid the holiday cheer. The film portrays military families and life on base but misses the harsher realities that come with it. The combination of Hallmark’s feel-good storytelling and the military backdrop feels unique, but perhaps too fluffy to be entirely believable.

Parrish and Young share a natural chemistry, making the film entertaining, yet their characters sometimes feel one-dimensional. The supporting cast, meanwhile, often borders on cliché, especially with the stern father figures present in the story. The ending, featuring a rendition of “Silent Night” as Jill sings to their families, seems to arrive rather hastily.

Final scene: Blair and Josh step outside for a rematch of their earlier obstacle course race. Just before they start, Josh pauses and unexpectedly leans in for a kiss.

Standout performance: Although his role is minor, Theodore Turner, who plays Josh’s nephew Tate, captures the audience’s attention every time he appears.

Notable quote: “Oh, I love this song!” exclaims Blair as she turns up the radio when “Silent Night” plays.

Our conclusion: While Christmas on Duty is filled with a bit of silliness and some generic characterizations, it offers a good dose of holiday spirit, though it might be one you can easily skip.