Note: This movie is only available on Netflix as far as I know.
Michael's Movie Grade: C+
Charming, if very familiar Christmas romantic comedy.
What makes this movie work is that the two main characters are simply so likable. Much of this is thanks to the performances of Kat Graham and Alexander Ludwig. The two bring such charm to these characters. The character arcs for both them are believable and relatable. The story moves at an easygoing pace that perfectly suits the material. The story may be cliché but it never feels forced and the sweetness of the film feels completely natural as well. This movie is not only a movie that takes place at Christmas, but one that is just completely full of Christmas from beginning to end. Because of this the film is sure to give Christmas lovers like me their Christmas fix, which is just what its target audience is looking for.
Strangely the weakest part of this movie is the romance itself. There is nothing wrong with the chemistry between the two main characters but it just never feels like a love story. Instead these characters simply feel like good friends with nothing romantic between them. It makes one wish that the filmmakers could have simply made this a movie where the two leads simply become good friends, but sadly that is not how the cliché works, so that is not what is going to happen in this film. Also what the heck is up with the obviously CGI gecko?
This is not going to be anyone's favorite movie, but it has more than enough Christmas and charm to give its target audience just what it wants.
-Michael J. Ruhland
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