When Jessi sees the social media posts shared by her peers, she begins to feel she is falling behind in life. While she has a fairly steady job at a movie theater, she wants a family and the expensive material items that her friends seem to have. After a series of bad luck, toxic comparison, and painful memories, Jessi must come to terms with her current life situation and is forced to see just how blessed she actually is.
Hashtag Blessed is a Christmas film with a wholesome message: Life is what you make it. The execution, on the other hand, seems to lack composure. In the beginning of the movie, Jessi is a cynical young woman who seems to be jealous of everyone around her. Her character lacks depth as she only focuses on very superficial aspects of life. The film is also predictable — nearly everything that can go wrong does and it seems unrealistic. Additionally, the introduction of Santa Claus seems out of place as he only appears a handful of times.
Parents should be advised that Hashtag Blessed includes content that could be triggering and may prompt difficult conversations. First, viewers see flashbacks of the car accident that killed Jessi’s parents. While nothing is explicitly depicted, there are multiple scenes that show young Jessi sitting on the rear bumper of an ambulance while two fully covered individuals — Jessi’s parents — are wheeled away on gurneys. Even more unsettling is the scene in which Jessi decides to “leave.” She is seen pacing around her home, packing a bag, crying, and writing an apology note to her grandmother. Even as she drives away, it’s unclear what her intentions actually are until she swerves off the road and imagines her friends and family finding out that she had died. At this point it is clear that the note was intended as a suicide note and that she had planned to commit suicide. After this moment, however, Jessi decides to jump out of the car (which isn’t damaged) and run back to her house to start cleaning and decorate for Christmas.
Hashtag Blessed does a good job relaying the importance of being thankful. Jessi’s character develops throughout the movie as she realizes what she has and stops comparing herself to others. However, the audience should be aware of scenes that may be difficult to watch and be prepared to discuss confusing scenes with any younger viewers. Despite elements that could have been better explained, Hashtag Blessed tells an impactful tale of how comparison can easily overtake one’s thoughts and steal their joy.
Hashtag Blessed is Dove-approved for ages 12+.
The Dove Take
Jessi, a young college graduate, must learn the importance of making the best of her situation as she is faced with bad luck and painful memories.
