Review

Movie Review: Five More Minutes: Moments Like These
Subtitle: “When Second Chances, Love, and Way Too Many Sentimental Moments Collide in the Most Predictable (But Totally Heartwarming) Way.”

“Five More Minutes: Moments Like These” is Hallmark’s latest emotionally charged holiday flick where the plot is mostly about finding love in the most predictably heart-tugging ways possible, with a side of very dramatic snowy landscapes and a lot of very heartfelt monologues. If you’ve ever watched a Hallmark movie and thought, “What if they had just five more minutes of pure, unfiltered emotional overload?”—this movie is your answer.

The plot follows Claire (played by Nicole Gale Anderson), a woman who is recovering from a very traumatic breakup and trying to find her way back to both love and the holiday spirit. She returns to her small town (because where else would she go when she’s trying to heal?), only to find herself literally stumbling into her ex, Logan (played by Luke Macfarlane), who just so happens to be in town for the holidays and still looks ridiculously attractive, making it way too hard for Claire to pretend that their “perfectly amicable split” was totally fine. You can practically hear the "I can't believe I still have feelings for you" sighs from both of them.

Naturally, these two exes definitely shouldn’t be in the same room together—and yet, they keep accidentally bumping into each other at every turn. Whether it’s in a bakery, during a holiday party, or while fighting over who gets the last slice of pumpkin pie—the tension builds slowly. Every time they look at each other, you can almost hear the classic rom-com soundtrack, and every awkward moment makes you cringe... and laugh... and definitely root for them to just kiss already.

The humor? Oh, it’s pure, unadulterated Hallmark magic. Watching Claire try to navigate her feelings while also managing way too many town Christmas activities is like watching someone try to bake a Christmas ham while juggling a Christmas tree and holding a cup of hot cocoa in one hand. The classic "I'm definitely not falling back in love with you" banter mixed with the "Let's work together to organize the town's Christmas parade" moment is everything you need in a rom-com holiday film. And, of course, there’s the inevitable cookie-baking disaster (because, yes, every Hallmark movie must have one), followed by the cutesy "Let’s decorate the Christmas tree together" montage that’ll have you smiling and cringing at the same time.

The best part? The entire movie seems to be built around this concept of “five more minutes”—you know, those little moments when you want time to stop so you can savor the warmth of the season, the love that’s still there, and the perfect snowflakes falling on your head. Claire and Logan get five more minutes to figure things out and decide if they want to risk their hearts again—in front of a giant Christmas tree, of course. If it sounds cheesy, it’s because it absolutely is, and yet, you can’t stop watching because you’re in way too deep by now and invested in whether or not these two will share a kiss under the mistletoe—or maybe just awkwardly trip over each other’s feet again.

The small-town setting is pure Hallmark perfection: snow-covered streets, twinkling lights on every corner, and everyone in town having way too many opinions about Claire and Logan’s love life. It’s the kind of town where you’re pretty sure the local baker knows exactly what you need to feel better, and the local diner has a secret stash of Christmas cookies just waiting to fix your emotional state.

The grand finale is exactly what you’d expect: the tension between Claire and Logan boils over, there’s a very dramatic confession of love, and of course, they end up together, standing in front of the Christmas tree, sharing a kiss that’s so sweet you’ll need an insulin shot afterward. And don’t forget the snowstorm—because no Hallmark movie is complete without it.

“Five More Minutes: Moments Like These” is the perfect holiday movie for anyone who loves predictable romantic storylines, holiday magic, and a whole lot of teary-eyed sighs. It’s funny, it’s heartwarming, and it’s exactly the kind of feel-good Christmas movie that reminds you that sometimes, five more minutes is all you need to make everything right. Grab your tissues, a cozy blanket, and your best "I’m definitely not crying" face, because you’re in for an emotional, holiday-filled ride. 🎄❤️🎅