Christmas At The Golden Dragon: Finally, A Hallmark Holiday Flick That's Not A Love Story
'Tis the season when Hallmark rolls out its annual bevy of holiday movies that many fans look forward to for months. This year is no exception, and with films like "A Cozy Christmas Inn," "Inventing the Christmas Prince," and "A Fabled Holiday" (starring former "General Hospital" star Ryan Paevey), there are plentiful films to behold. According to Screen Rant, most of these movies have several things in common including taking place in small towns, following the exploits of modern businesswomen, holiday spirit, and of course, romance. Films like "The Christmas Train," are considered modern classics, per Today, and can often be considered comfort food in an age where everything tends to be demanding and fast-paced. Hallmark holiday films are also known for having quite a few familiar actors in them, a large portion of which are soap stars or simply fan-favorites in Hallmark films.
In "Christmas at the Golden Dragon," director David I. Strasser has quite the cast. With such talented actors like Kara Wang, Barbara Niven, Sara Canning, Antonio Cupo, and Osric Chau, Strasser and writers Melynda Bissmeyer and Emily Ting put together a feel-good Christmas movie in grand Hallmark tradition.
While some of the tropes in "Christmas at the Golden Dragon" are familiar, the movie is a uniquely different Christmas tale this season that's sure to entertain even the most bah humbug feeling viewers.
'Christmas at the Golden Dragon' is a unique Hallmark film
Fan-favorite actor Osric Chau, who is well-known for playing Kevin Tran on "Supernatural" as well as the Atom on "The Flash," leads a great cast as Rick in the new Hallmark Christmas film, "Christmas at the Golden Dragon." Rick and his sister Romy — played by Kara Wang of "Top Gun: Maverick" fame — find out that their family-owned restaurant, The Golden Dragon, is being closed by their parents after decades of service to the community, as well as being a place of happy memories for the family, per SK Pop. Not only is the family affected by the closing, but also many of the loyal customers to whom the restaurant has become an important part of their lives. Romy and Rick must figure out what to do moving forward, and so do many of the eatery's patrons.
What sets this film apart from the typical Hallmark holiday fare is that it is focused on family. There are several subplots going on at the same time involving frequent customers of the restaurant who relied on it always being there, especially during the holidays (via TV Shows Ace). The patrons as well as the owners are ultimately one big family. Initially, unaware of the restaurant's fate, Romy agrees to spend the holidays with the family of her boyfriend, Blake (Markian Tarasiuk), and hilarity ensues as she tries to fit in.
The film delivers on holiday cheer
In the new Hallmark film, "Christmas at the Golden Dragon," while the setting may be in a small town as in most of the Hallmark movies worth your time, the focus is about the closing of a Chinese food restaurant and how it not only affects the family but the extended family of its customers. Such actors as Barbara Niven, Antonio Cupo, Genevieve Buechner, Sara Canning, Bobby Stewart, and Jason Fernandes are all involved in subplots as their characters are affected by the restaurant's imminent demise. While the stories within the main arc seem unconnected, as the film unfolds we realize they are far more interconnected than we were led to believe.
As the International Business Times explains, some of the characters' stories involve the Golden Dragon's delivery driver trying to get a college scholarship, a widow coping with her first holiday season without her husband, and a single dad attempting to give his daughters the perfect Christmas. Rick and Romy, as well as their friends and customers, must come together to realize the importance of family in the Christmas spirit.
"Christmas at the Golden Dragon," with its focus on family, delivers the feel-good spirit audiences have come to love and embrace.