Christmas in Tahoe: Our Hallmark Movie Review

Christmas in Tahoe is one of the more unusual movies in the Hallmark Countdown to Christmas catalog, and not just because of its cast. This is a movie that exists partly because a rock band made a Christmas album and decided to take things one step further. Megan and Wendy dig into whether this holiday talent show romance sticks the landing or loses the crowd before the final act.

Listen to Girls Gone Hallmark’s Review of Christmas in Tahoe

What Is Christmas in Tahoe About?

Claire is an aspiring talent booker who manages her family’s hotel and casino in Lake Tahoe and is on the verge of landing her dream job with a major Las Vegas entertainment venue. When the headliner for her family’s big Christmas Eve variety show backs out at the last minute, she has to go back to basics. Her best friend and the hotel’s concierge reminds her that she knows someone famous she could call: her ex-boyfriend Ryan, the lead guitarist of a now massively successful band that, years ago, let her go as their manager in favor of a bigger agency. Ryan is back in Tahoe for the holidays and agrees to help her find a replacement act. Old feelings surface quickly, and both of them start to realize that the act they actually need to save might be their own relationship.

The movie premiered on Sunday, November 28, 2021 as part of Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas. It was filmed in the Vancouver region of Canada, not at the actual Lake Tahoe, which straddles the California and Nevada state line.

About Christmas in Tahoe

Directed by Robert Lieberman. Robert had one of the longest and most varied directing careers in Hollywood, spanning 50-plus years and encompassing over a thousand commercials, television dramas, and feature films. His credits include the sci-fi cult classic Fire in the Sky (1993), Disney’s D3: The Mighty Ducks (1996), and episodes of The X-Files, Dexter, and The Expanse. He won the inaugural DGA Award for commercials in 1979. Robert passed away in July 2023 after a long battle with cancer. He was 75.

Written by Nina Weinman, Stephanie Jackson, and Zach Lewis. Nina Weinman shared with Girls Gone Hallmark that some of the script originated with her but that she “had to let go of this one since the production happened at the same time as two others.” She also thought the new writers did a great job.

Laura Osnes stars as Claire. Laura is a two-time Tony Award-nominated Broadway actress best known for originating the role of Sandy in Grease: You’re the One That I Want! and for her acclaimed runs in Bonnie and Clyde and the title role of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella on Broadway. She left New York and Broadway in 2021, relocating to Nashville, and has since focused on faith-based film and television projects, including A Dash of Christmas and Just in Time for Great American Family.

Kyle Selig stars as Ryan. Kyle is a Broadway actor best known for originating the role of Aaron Samuels in the Tony-nominated musical Mean Girls on Broadway, where he appeared for the show’s full run from 2018 until it closed during the pandemic in 2020. Since Christmas in Tahoe he has continued to work primarily on stage, taking over the starring role of Jacob Jankowski in Water for Elephants on Broadway in fall 2024, and performing in the Stephen Sondheim revue Old Friends on Broadway from March to June 2025. This remains one of his rare TV credits.

Pat Monahan plays Jackson. Pat is the lead singer and sole constant member of the Grammy-winning San Francisco rock band Train, whose hits include “Drops of Jupiter,” “Hey, Soul Sister,” and “Marry Me.” Train released a Christmas album called Christmas in Tahoe in 2015, and this movie is directly inspired by it. Pat served as an executive producer on the film, which explains a lot. He also plays a supporting role on screen as the rock musician Claire turns to for help, and two Train songs appear in the movie: “Shake Up Christmas” and “Mittens.” In November 2025 it was announced that Monahan is composing original music and lyrics for a new stage musical called Begin Again, set for its world premiere at The Old Globe in San Diego.

George Lopez appears as Ricki Page’s manager. You likely know George Lopez from The George Lopez Show, which ran for six seasons on ABC from 2002 to 2007. He shows up in a limited supporting capacity here.

Alex Gullason plays Ricki Page. The character made us wish that Hacks on Max had more screen time for comedic performers with her energy.

Lynda Boyd and Paul McGillion appear as supporting cast. Hallmark fans may recognize this pair from An Unexpected Christmas starring Tyler Hynes, which premiered the same Merry Thanksgiving Weekend in 2021. They played Tyler Hynes’ parents in that movie and popped up here too. A fun double feature if you want to spot them twice in one weekend.

News and Notes

The movie was filmed in the Vancouver region of Canada, not along the actual Lake Tahoe state line between California and Nevada. The snowy landscapes are pretty, but they are not Tahoe.

Christmas in Tahoe is technically based on Train’s 2015 Christmas album of the same name, which makes Pat Monahan’s executive producer credit make a lot more sense.

Cookie mug hangers are a real thing and this movie convinced us to look them up. You can find versions shaped like gingerbread figures or Christmas trees at most holiday home goods stores and online.

Did You See That?

Did you notice the text on Claire’s phone messages? White text on faded, translucent rectangles. We genuinely could not read what they said. A small thing but once you see it you cannot unsee it.

We’re Your New Hallmark Besties

Hey there! We’re Girls Gone Hallmark! Megan’s a longtime Hallmark movie fan, while Wendy – well, she used to be a Hallmark hater. Now, we’ve teamed up to share our (often very different!) takes on these films. Get ready for some lively, fun-filled conversations!

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