There are some years that we get a really sad Christmas movie. A movie so sad that I’m not sure why anyone would want to release it during the Christmas season. The Holiday Junkie just might make that list.

Andie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) ran a holiday decorating company with her mother. After her mother passes away, Andie is left to run the company on her own. With help from Mason (Brian Hallisay), Andie works through her grief as she plans some epic holiday events.

This movie was written and directed by Jennifer Love Hewitt in memory of her own mother, who passed in 2012. Keeping that in mind, you’ll understand why I say this movie is so sad. There are a number of scenes where Hewitt breaks down in tears and you can’t help but feel bad for her. I think she was able to feel this vulnerable on screen because Mason in played by her real life husband, who she has been married to since 2013. The feelings that you see on screen feel so real and so raw. Of course, this is good for the movie but it may be very triggering to some people. Especially this time of year.

While the acting and the story are both amazing, it is a little annoying that almost all of the main characters have some sort of big trauma. Sure, everyone has some sort of trauma but this is a Christmas movie. We don’t need 3 out of the 4 main characters being traumatized over relationships. To be honest, it would have been nice to have more than just best friend Darren (Greg Grunberg) as the comic relief. A little more levity may have made this feel a bit more appropriate for the Christmas season.

Rating: Bring a whole box of tissues with you