Hallmark Channel
Two years after Three Wise Men and a Baby became the most watched cable TV movie of the year, Hallmark Channel has reunited the cast for the 2024 ‘Countdown to Christmas’ sequel, Three Wiser Men and a Boy, which follows the further exploits of the Brennan family — although the story actually takes place several years after the original as the baby in the first movie, Thomas, is now an elementary school student about to make his stage debut in the school’s holiday production … if his father and uncles don’t turn it into a complete disaster first.
Three Wiser Men and a Boy finds Luke Brennan (Andrew W. Walker), adopted father of Thomas, struggling to balance fatherhood with his work life as the Chief of the Spruce Grove fire department. Thomas is about to appear in his school’s holiday play and Luke is in the midst of training new recruits and organizing an annual holiday benefit, all while his significant other Sophie (Nicole Major) heads out of town for a week on business. The first thing Luke is supposed to remember is the Christmas cookies for the kids’ rehearsal. Which he forgets. Brother Stephan (Paul Campbell), is an author currently promoting his new self-help book which is a departure from his normal work, one that he hopes will be a success and help himself with his neuroses and lack of confidence. Other brother Taylor (Tyler Hynes) is a videogame developer on the brink of selling his latest project for what he hopes is a seven-figure deal. Unfortunately the company he usually works with now wants to own his game outright, which Taylor considers selling out so he refuses the deal. Not a great move since he’s broke and now has a week to vacate his apartment, but at least he has scruples.
The brothers are called to mom Barbara’s (Margaret Colin) house for dinner and the shocking — to them — announcement that she’s been dating a man named Roy for six months and she’d like for them to get to know him. Not the Christmas present they were hoping for, and Luke is especially upset that Roy seems to be taking over the brothers’ family responsibilities like putting the lights up on Barbara’s house. Taylor suggests they all stay with mom for the week to help get things done, an idea which thrills Barbara, but puts the other brothers on the spot. They have no choice but to agree, and all are completely unaware that this was all Taylor’s idea because he’s now homeless. In the meantime, Stephan has to deal with his issues which is pushing his girlfriend Susie (Fiona Vroom) away, and Luke has to find a way to be involved in both his work and his son’s life, hoping he can count on at least one of his brothers (Taylor, after they learn he no longer has a job), but it seems everything Taylor touches turns to disaster (well, except for the school play, which Stephan very nearly destroys with a domino effect of destruction in the rehearsal room). On the bright side Taylor finds himself attracted to the music teacher, Caroline (Erin Karpluk), but is she just a female version of him? And on top of everything else, the brothers have to deal with Roy, who seems to pop up everywhere and becomes their fall guy when the school nearly burns down after he volunteered to help them get the play on its feet, now putting their mother in the middle of things. And to make matters worse (or better depending on whose side you’re on), they bring in Mark Laclark (Matt Hamilton) to bring the show to life, but his manic intensity may be too much for everyone. Can this Christmas be saved?
Full disclosure — I have not seen the original movie, but it doesn’t seem to make a huge difference since the time between the two are at least five or six years. One character does pop up out of nowhere near the end that caused me to ask ‘who’s that, and it was easy to guess by the reactions that Mark Laclark was a key player in the original. So if you’re a first time viewer with this set of characters, not a lot of backstory is needed. And that’s a good thing (it also will make you want to go back and see the first movie to find out how Luke ended up with Thomas in the first place).
As far as Hallmark Christmas movies go, this is one of those that really represents what Hallmark is about. Most of these films are centered around two people who will eventually fall in love, and we have that here with Taylor and Caroline, but that romance is a very minor part of the story, although it is a fun one as we watch Taylor try to woo someone whom his brothers immediately recognize as just a female version of him, but with her act together just a bit more (she also lives with her parents, although it seems by choice rather than circumstance). This movie is more about the entire family dynamic, warts and all, and while it may be idealized a bit it still feels more authentic than a lot of the ‘meet cute’ romance movies.
Hallmark Channel
Why the movie works so well is the bond the main cast already has, not just from the first movie but from being part of the Hallmark family, with actors likely crossing paths over the years in various movies and TV series produced by the network. The brothers couldn’t look any different, far from biologically related, but they have chemistry like they’ve known each other their entire lives. After the previous week’s Jingle Bell Run, Walker seems more at ease here and has a genuine relationship with Sophie. It does not feel forced. He gives off big brother vibes (I have no idea if he is the big brother in the story), the one in control who begins to spiral a bit when he loses control of everything. He really is much more personable here, not saddled with the arrogance of his Jingle Bell Run character. Paul Campbell also gets to show a different side of his skills with Stephan, a completely different character than the one he played in Falling Together. There he was stand-offish and guarded with his emotions, while Stephan is a basket case of neuroses. There are times when he just teeters on going just a bit over-the-top, but he gets a moment to finally talk with his brothers and release all of those pent up emotions and fears that helps ground him again. Nice work.
The stand-out is Tyler Hynes as Taylor, a character that seems to be completely different from a typical Hallmark leading man. Taylor is snarky, Taylor has a devil-may-care attitude, Taylor is a bit of a horndog judging by his instant attraction to and pursuit of Caroline (although in the most charming and polite ways possible). Hynes has this growl to his voice that makes him perfect to deliver the most whithering lines of dialog but with a wink in his eye. This is the first Hallmark movie I’ve seen with Hynes, and I am curious to see how he does playing the fictionalized version of Travis Kelce in his next film within the week, Holiday Touchdown: A Chief’s Love Story. Here he is a pure delight and you look forward to whatever it is he’s going to say next.
Margaret Colin is wonderful as Barbara, also having great chemistry with the actors playing her sons, with the story giving her a nice ‘I’m always your mom, but I am a woman too’ speech when the boys nearly derail her relationship with Roy. Christopher Shyer’s Roy, who we find out midway into the story is also a pastor, always puts kindness first even in the face of adversity from the brothers … to a point when they push him too far. You can’t blame him, and Shyer plays the moment he seems to give up on them very well. We can feel his anger and frustration, but he never allows that rage become manifest. Erin Karpluk is a real delight as Caroline, serving as much snark as Hynes, totally reminding me of Lisa Ann Walter in all the best ways. Fiona Vroom is also wonderful as the seemingly scattered Susie. It’s too bad she disappears for the bulk of the story, only to return seemingly out of nowhere near the end. Matt Hamilton also has a fun manic energy in his expanded cameo as Mark. And Miles Marthaller couldn’t be more adorable as Thomas, a real natural for a child actor.
The teleplay by Paul Campbell, Kimberley Sustad and Russell Hainine keeps the story, the family and the dynamics of the brothers firmly grounded in reality. You can believe this is a real family dealing with real world issues, even with the bit of slapstick that sets a major part of the story in motion. Terry Ingram’s direction avoids being too flashy, just allowing the story to play out while the actors do their jobs expertly. Three Wiser Men and a Boy puts all of its elements together perfectly, making this one of the most delightful and heart-warming Christmas movies of the season.
Three Wiser Men and a Boy has a run time of 1 hour 24 minutes, and is rated TV-G. The film is available On Demand and is streaming on Peacock.
Preview – Three Wiser Men and a Boy
Hallmark Channel
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