Parents' Guide to

When Calls the Heart: The Heart of Homecoming

By Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Christmas comes to Hope Valley in wholesome, feel-good tale.

Movie NR 2018 84 minutes
When Calls the Heart: The Heart of Homecoming Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 6+

Based on 1 parent review

Kristina P.
Kristina P. Parent
May 27, 2019
age 6+
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Christmas is coming to Hope Valley in WHEN CALLS THE HEART: THE HEART OF HOMECOMING. Everyone is busily engaged in preparing for the holiday joy and the Christmas parade. The festivities have been made extra special this year with the addition of a Christmas Wishing Tree. Each person will make an ornament announcing his or her Christmas wish and place it on the tree. Those ornaments will be taken by others whose mission it is to make that wish come true. And stories abound. Schoolteacher Elizabeth (Erin Krakow) is longing to see Jack (Daniel Lissing), her beloved fiancé who is working in Canada's Northwest Territories as a Mountie. Mayor Abigail (Lori Loughlin) is awaiting daughter Becky's arrival when a snowstorm interferes with her plans. And Abigail is hoping to give a brief second chance to ex-mayor Henry Gowan (Martin Cummins), who is awaiting a long prison term. Others in the valley have uncertainty as well: an expectant couple, an elderly woman, and a young man faced with sudden temptation. For everyone involved, surprises and miracles are only a heartbeat away.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (2):

Nice people in a picturesque setting with solvable problems and a true sense of community find new ways to express their hope and faith in this holiday entry from the ongoing Canadian franchise. Brighter teeth, wider smiles, and loving affirmations have all found a true home in Hope Valley. It all goes down easily in When Calls the Heart: The Heart of Homecoming, and even the few twists meant to surprise viewers aren't terribly unpredictable. Conflict comes from acts of nature, hurt feelings, old sorrows, and miscommunication rather than villains. It's always wholesome, always good-hearted, and one can forgive the sometimes wooden acting, lack of nuance, and prettified view of a time long gone.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how the world has changed since the time period shown in When Calls the Heart: The Heart of Homecoming. What lessons still have meaning for us more than 100 years later? Do the concepts of teamwork and kindness ever change? There's an expression that goes "the more things change, the more they stay the same." How does the When Calls the Heart franchise prove this to be true?

  • Were you familiar with the When Calls the Heart series on The Hallmark Channel before you saw this? What is it about the characters and stories that keeps you coming back? If you hadn't seen this series before, did watching this film encourage you to see more of it?

  • How do the characters in this film demonstrate teamwork and gratitude? Why are these important character strengths?

Movie Details

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