Common Sense Media Review
By Kat Halstead
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Warm chemistry and positive messages in holiday romcom.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
A Make or Break Holiday
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In A MAKE OR BREAK HOLIDAY, Liv (Hunter King) and Daniel (Evan Roderick) get into an argument in the lead-up to Christmas and decide to take a relationship break. But with both sets of families descending on them in a few days, they agree to fake a happy home until after the holidays. As they rush to create the perfect atmosphere and cater to their families' demands, they start to pull together and remember all the things that made them fall in love in the first place.
Is It Any Good?
A struggling couple forced into a high-pressure environment—hosting a family Christmas—is a great setup for this warm holiday romcom. King and Roderick have an easy chemistry at the center of A Make or Break Holiday, and various family members add some familiar dynamics: the demanding mother-in-law, the parents with high expectations, the sibling that won't seem to mind their own business. But all the relationships are played with a level of fondness and humor, and the struggles and miscommunications of the central couple don't need to be wildly exaggerated to create drama. Here they're realistic and understandable, which makes viewers root even harder for their eventual reconciliation. It's fairly mild stuff, and the stakes never feel particularly high, but the festive atmosphere and messages about love and the meaning of Christmas make this solid holiday entertainment.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Liv and Daniel's relationship in A Make or Break Holiday. In what ways did they struggle to communicate early in the film? What did they each learn about themselves and the relationship toward the end?
What did the movie have to say about the meaning of Christmas? What pressures did Liv and Daniel feel under while they were hosting Christmas? What did they and their family learn about what's important during the holidays?
Liv and Daniel showed empathy and communication as they tried to work through their problems. Why are these important character strengths?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : December 20, 2025
- Cast : Hunter King , Evan Roderick , Jennifer-Juniper Angeli
- Director : Martin Wood
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Hallmark Channel
- Genre : Romance
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Holidays ( Christmas )
- Character Strengths : Communication , Empathy
- Run time : 84 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : January 16, 2026
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