Holiday enthusiasts looking for a break from reality can now expand their options beyond the Hallmark Channel. In recent years, streaming platforms have joined in on the festive fun, offering movies like FALLING FOR CHRISTMAS on Netflix and SPIRITED on Apple. Peacock, known for its extensive collection of holiday-themed TV episodes from NBC shows of the past, has delighted audiences this year with the early Christmas gift of GENIE Afdah, featuring the talented Melissa McCarthy.
A new version of the 1991 British television movie, BERNIE AND THE GENIE , it narrates the tale of Bernard Bottle, a beleaguered British art dealer for Flaxman's, a prestigious auction house in Manhattan owned by the wealthy and snobbish Charles Flaxman. On the evening of Bernard's daughter's birthday, Charles coerces Bernard into working late, leading to tension between Bernard and his wife, Julie. Upon finally arriving home that night, Julie reveals that she's taking their daughter to her mother's for some time while she reevaluates their marriage. Feeling downcast and now alone, Bernard picks up a worn, jewel-encrusted box from the bookshelf and begins polishing it. Unbeknownst to him, this action inadvertently releases a genie named Flora who informs Bernard that she will grant his every wish. With Christmas just around the corner, Bernard desperately needs all the assistance he can get to reunite his family swiftly.
