Ashley Newbrough and Franco Lo Presti lead a warm Hallmark story about returning home, revisiting old memories, and discovering how the places we leave behind can continue shaping who we become.
Courtesy of Hallmark Media
Written by Christopher L. Antie
Some places never completely leave us. They stay tucked inside childhood memories, family traditions, and moments we may not realize mattered until years later. Hallmark Channel’s Winter Wonderlanes builds its holiday story around that idea, using an old-fashioned bowling alley, a family legacy, and a second-chance romance to explore what happens when the past suddenly becomes part of the present again.
Ashley Newbrough stars as Audrey Bell, a globe-trotting pop-up restaurateur who returns home for Thanksgiving and learns that her late grandfather’s beloved bowling alley, Wonderlanes, is facing an uncertain future. What initially feels like a temporary visit gradually becomes something much more emotional as Audrey reconnects with the place, the people, and the memories she once left behind.
Newbrough makes Audrey believable as an independent woman accustomed to movement and change. The movie respects her ambition rather than presenting her career as something inherently wrong, which gives her internal conflict more weight. Her return home does not feel immediately transformative; instead, the emotional connection develops as the story unfolds.
Franco Lo Presti is equally well cast as Jason Miller, Audrey’s former high-school boyfriend and now a local reporter. His performance feels natural and confident, and the chemistry between the two leads develops without feeling forced. Their history is believable, although Will and I would have liked more detail about what originally separated them. The film gives us pieces of that story but never quite enough to fully explore their past.
That is one of the few areas where Winter Wonderlanes leaves us wanting more. The romance works, but the deeper emotional connection between Audrey and Jason could have benefited from additional time. Their shared history feels genuine, and Lo Presti gives Jason enough personality to be more than “the former boyfriend.” Still, some of their most important personal history remains just outside the frame. The movie truly succeeds with Wonderlanes itself.
The bowling alley feels authentic, cozy, and full of decades of history. It becomes much more than a setting for the romance. It represents family, community, memory, and the generations who have passed through its doors. Even viewers with no particular interest in bowling can understand why the place matters, because the film makes the sport less about competition and more about the people gathered around it.
The Winter Wonderlanes youth tournament adds another layer of community and tradition. It is emotional, festive, and admittedly somewhat predictable. Still, it works because the larger story is not really about who wins. It is about how traditions survive when they continue to mean something to the people carrying them forward.
Audrey’s grandfather provides much of the film’s emotional foundation. Flashbacks and family memories keep his presence in the story, and the movie handles grief with surprising warmth. Rather than treating him simply as a plot device, his legacy becomes part of Audrey’s struggle to understand what Wonderlanes means to her now. For us, that nostalgia was one of the movie's strongest elements.
The retro bowling alley, Christmas decorations, lights, costumes, and familiar holiday imagery create a fully festive atmosphere. The visual style feels comforting, almost as though the film asks viewers to revisit a Christmas memory rather than simply watch one being created.
That emotional connection worked especially well for me. Will enjoyed the film too, although the slower beginning lost his attention at times. I found myself more connected to the memories—the way holidays attach themselves to particular places and how returning years later can suddenly bring those feelings back.
The movie does have a few weaknesses. The opening takes time to find its rhythm, the threat surrounding Wonderlanes could have carried greater tension, and Audrey and Jason’s shared history deserved more depth. Jason’s reporting storyline also doesn't always feel completely authentic visually, particularly in how some of the news footage is presented. Yet once the film settles into its story, those issues become easier to overlook.
What remains is a warm reflection on family businesses, inherited traditions, and the complicated relationship between moving forward and holding onto the places that helped make us who we are.
Winter Wonderlanes also makes an important distinction: honoring the past does not always mean preserving it exactly as it was. Sometimes legacy survives because the next generation allows it to adapt.
Chris & Will give Winter Wonderlanes 9 out of 10 smiles for its natural chemistry, heartfelt storytelling, nostalgic holiday atmosphere, and ability to turn a bowling alley into something that feels much larger than a building.
The film left us excited for Christmas, but perhaps more importantly, it left us thinking about the places and traditions that quietly become part of our lives. Sometimes going back to where your story began is exactly what helps you understand where it may be heading next.
Winter Wonderlanes premieres tonight (October 23, 2026) on Hallmark Channel and tomorrow on Hallmark+
Source: ChrisWill Media
About the Authors: Christopher L. Antie and William Antie are podcast journalists and media personalities covering entertainment, travel, culture, events, and stories from across a wide range of industries. Together, they bring a conversational and experience-driven approach to the stories they share. Follow more from Chris & Will through their podcast, What About Our Life?, on iHeartRadio and at chrisandwill.com.