Movie Review: ‘Karen Kingsbury’s The Christmas Ring’

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Famous Hollywood collaborations include director-actor duos like Quentin Tarantino and Samuel L. Jackson, Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio, and Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. Well-established acting pairs include Robert De Niro & Joe Pesci, Paul Newman & Joanne Woodward, and Drew Barrymore & Adam Sandler. One partnership that puts them to shame, at least in terms of the number of collaborations, is that of Karen Kingsbury and Tyler Russell. They began as co-authors before transitioning to television and film, ultimately establishing Karen Kingsbury Productions. Oh, and they happen to be mother and son. Their latest project is the film adaptation of Kingsbury’s #1 New York Times bestselling novel “The Christmas Ring.” On November 7th, just one week after Halloween, “Karen Kingsbury’s The Christmas Ring” will usher in the holiday season at theaters around the country.

Military widow Vanessa Mayfield (Jana Kramer) is on the hunt for a missing family heirloom, The Christmas Ring. Whenever she has the chance, she will stop in at pawn stores, flea markets, and antiques shops, hoping to stumble across it. That search led her to a “Christmas in July” sale at an antiques store not far from her home in Georgia. While there, she meets Ben Miller (Benjamin Hollingsworth), who runs the store with his father, Howard (Kelsey Grammer), and the two form an easy connection. Five Months later, Ben is working in Vanessa’s hometown, scouring local shops for items to resell in his shop. Along the way, their new friendship is blossoming into something more. While they work together planning the big Christmas fundraiser and dance, Vanessa’s daughter, Sadie (Megan Ashley Brown), returns from her first semester of college with her own relationship drama with her boyfriend, Hudson, who is serving overseas. Back at the store, Howard has found his diamond in the rough. A ring presumed to be costume jewelry and sold in a collection turns out to be worth $25,000, enough for him and Ben to take the trip he never got to take with his wife before her death. With conflicting hopes, it will take a miracle for all of them to understand that where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.

Almost everyone loves a good Christmas movie. It is what qualifies as good that varies widely. Some only count the classics, such as “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Miracle on 34th Street.” While others gravitate to the films of their youth, like “A Christmas Story,” “The Muppet Christmas Carol,” or “The Santa Clause.” Then there is a group of people who love the abundance and consistency of the Hallmark-style Christmas films. That number is growing with Hallmark producing nine new movies in 2009, but upwards of 40 each of the past few years. “Karen Kingsbury’s The Christmas Ring” is essentially a Hallmark movie, good enough and with enough backing to make it to the big screen. These movies get by on being cute and charming, while being incredibly predictable; however, for the right viewers, that even enhances those initial elements.

Unlike the standard Hallmark movie, “Karen Kingsbury’s The Christmas Ring” is definitely a CHRISTmas movie. Every 10-15 minutes, the religious aspect of the holiday is brought up. Thankfully, it is done in a variety of ways, including prayer, music, and bible quotes. Even though I was able to pick up on the pacing, it didn’t feel overly repetitive due to the changing nature of the content. It would have been better if they had worked it in organically, rather than every few pages of the script. Unfortunately, depth is not the strong point of the film or the genre it belongs to. They also do their best to celebrate the military, but that also fails to go beyond surface-level adoration.

“Karen Kingsbury’s The Christmas Ring” does nothing poorly or exceptionally. It just exists as a threadbare story where you know the outcome before you buy your ticket or open a streaming app. They did a good job working with the budget. Still, it doesn’t stop it from occasionally resembling a large room that has been designed and redesigned to resemble different locations. It is the performances of Kramer and Hollingsworth that bring enough chemistry and charm to make the lackluster story palatable. The film may struggle to find its audience in part due to its template and the insertion of overtly religious tones, but when you take it all in, “Karen Kingsbury’s The Christmas Ring” is a solid 3 out of 5.

Director: Tyler Russell
Producer: Natalie Ruffino, Tyler Russell, Kyler Wilson
Screenwriter: Tyler Russell, Karen Kingsbury
Distributor: Fathom Entertainment
Production Co: Karen Kingsbury Productions
Genre: Holiday, Romance
Release Date (theatrical): November 6th, 2025
Runtime: 1h 43m