Round and Round is airing on the Hallmark Channel and streaming on Peacock.
By Zachary Greenberg
For many movie-goers, the holiday season means one thing: Hallmark time. Hallmark movies are known for being fun, cheesy, and romantic, usually centered around Christmas. However, Hallmark’s latest special “Round and Round” (2023) is centered around a different religion’s winter holiday: the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah – the festival of lights.
The premise of the movie revolves around a young woman named Rachel (Vic Michaelis) attending her family’s annual Hanukkah party on the 7th night of Hanukkah. Hanukkah lasts for 8 days, and it was on this 7th night that Rachel’s parents first met and fell in love, 36 years ago. During the party, Rachel’s grandmother, Rosie (Paula Shaw), gives Rachel a special dreidel (a spinning top used in games throughout the holiday), a cherished family heirloom for generations, as a Hanukkah present.
In a peculiar twist of fate, Rachel wakes up the following morning only to discover herself trapped in a time loop, forced to relive the exact same day repeatedly. This situation bears a striking resemblance to the conundrum depicted in Groundhog Day (1993), also experienced being stuck in a time loop, reliving the same day for years. The movie is very self-aware of the similarities between itself and Groundhog Day, often referencing and quoting Groundhog Day, utilizing its storyline in attempts to resolve the predicament. While Groundhog Day delves into the experience of being trapped in an inescapable loop (leading to the main character even committing suicide multiple times to try and break free), Round and Round takes a more lighthearted approach and focuses on Rachel’s budding relationship with Zach (Bryan Greenberg).
Zach is a nerdy, handsome young man whom Rachel first encounters after he bumps into her, causing her to accidentally drop all of the sufganiyot (donuts) she had bought for the party. Initially, Rachel is appalled by Zach for having ruined the sufganiyot, but as her time loop predicament continues, Zach becomes her number one ally in trying to break the loop. Zach, who is a big comic book and Dungeon and Dragons enthusiast, uses his knowledge of time loops from fictional stories to assist Rachel in escaping the time loop.
Rachel’s and Zach’s chemistry carries the entire movie. Their dialogue and banter feel warm and natural. From the very beginning of the film, I found myself rooting for them to work out their romance, especially considering Rachel at first was dating someone else, Adam (David Attar). Adam missed the Hanukkah party due to “airplane sickness” – a made-up disease he used as an excuse to not attend his girlfriend’s family holiday party. Not a cool move Adam.
All of the side characters (mostly Rachel’s family or Zach’s comic book friends) truly shine in the film, aiding Rachel in recognizing what’s absent in her life and guiding her toward discovering her genuine purpose, both in her professional and romantic pursuits. The movie has some great one-liners that had me cracking up and it felt very well-paced. It didn’t drag at all and by the film’s conclusion, I felt like I learned a lot about all of the characters and Rachel’s growth felt well-earned.
Hanukkah is a story of overcoming obstacles and miracles. In the original story in around 164 B.C.E., the Jews, led by the Maccabees, overcame the powerful Greek army to regain their country’s independence. The miracle occurred after the war when the Menorah (a candelabrum used in Jewish worship) remained lit for 8 consecutive nights even though there was only enough oil for one night, giving the Jews enough time to prepare more oil. Round and Round delves into the essence of the Hanukkah narrative, which is really a story about overcoming obstacles and the miracle is more of a byproduct. Rachel’s miracle is that she gets stuck in a time loop, but the real lesson is about her overcoming her fears and uncertainties, ultimately rediscovering her passions. While the movie is certainly a cute love story, it is really about Rachel and Zach breaking conventional norms to pursue their dreams.
With the new year nearly upon us, now is the perfect time to reassess our own lives and focus on what’s important in our lives. I highly recommend giving Round and Round a watch – it’s an immensely enjoyable and heartfelt film.
I give Round and Round a B+.
TV and City 