Join Lifetime for HOLIDAY SPIN

The new made-for-TV holiday movie Holiday Spin debuts on Lifetime today Sunday, November 18 at 8 PM. The film stars two familiar faces from the 1980’s – Ralph Macchio of The Karate Kid fame and Erika Eleniak of Baywatch fame.

Teenager Blake (newcomer Garrett Clayton) and his mother Roxy (Eleniak) live in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Roxy owns a small dance studio and Blake is looking forward to a career as a mixed martial arts fighter. On Thanksgiving Eve, they are the victims of a terrible car accident that takes Roxy’s life and leaves Blake seriously injured.

After Blake recovers, his finds a strange man – Ruben (Macchio) – at his bedside, who tells Blake that he is his father and is taking him to Miami. At 17, Blake cannot live on his own, so he has no choice but to go with the man who abandoned him as a baby.

In Miami, Blake learns that Ruben also owns a dance studio where he lives with his fiancée Emily (Karen Olivo from Harry’s Law) and boards one of his most promising dance students, teenager Pia (Allie Bertram from So You Think You Can Dance Canada). Blake soon learns that Ruben’s own career as a ballroom dancer came to an end years ago, and his studio has serious financial problems.

Pia and Rob, the top dancer in the state (who Pia is also currently dating), are preparing to compete in the Holiday Spin, a dance competition held every Christmas Eve with couples dancing to Christmas carols. The grand prize of $50,000 is presented to the winning couple’s dance studio, and Ruben and Emily are counting on Rob and Pia to win the competition, allowing their dance studio to flourish and Pia’s career to skyrocket.

But when romantic troubles between Pia and Rob cause a rift between the couple, Pia needs a new partner – FAST. After auditioning a number of replacements and with Blake insisting that he doesn’t dance, Ruben, Emily and Pia are concerned about their chances in the competition.

I won’t ruin the ending of this film (what fun would that be?), but suffice it to say there are plenty of good moments laced throughout this film and plenty of dancing. In fact, one of the taglines by Lifetime is that Holiday Spin is like Dancing with the Stars with Christmas music.

Ralph Macchio is believable as the man trying to make up for past mistakes with his estranged son while Garrett Clayton has the good looks of Zac Efron from his High School Musical days and the fancy footwork of Patrick Swayze from his Dirty Dancing days. The chemistry between Clayton and Bertram is more than satisfying and the newcomers were clearly cast for their well-honed dancing abilities. Some viewers may find Holiday Spin to be a bit too predictable and cheesy, but it is more than entertaining for what it is: a decent holiday movie that the entire family can sit down and watch together.

Holiday Spin premieres on Lifetime today Sunday, November 18 at 8 PM. Check it out!