Looking for a Christmas movie to watch on Netflix this holiday season? Let us offer some assistance in our first roundup of this year’s Netflix Christmas film offerings.
Falling for Christmas marks the return of Lindsay Lohan in leading roles and in the romcom genre while also being dubbed the beginning of the Lindsay Lohan renaissance by many. If the film didn’t have Lohan in the lead role, this most likely wouldn’t have even made its way on Netflix and instead probably would’ve debuted on the Hallmark channel. The premise is more or less the same as the 1987 film Overboard in which a wealthy heiress loses her memory in an accident and is taken in by a single dad as sparks begin to fly between the two. Only this version is way less problematic and is set during Christmas time. It’s the exact type of film one would expect it be based on its premise and trailers which for some will be either a ringing endorsement or a sign to avoid it like the plague.
Falling for Christmas is cringey, cheesy, and predictable beyond belief but that’s par for the course and exactly what most viewers are probably looking for anyway. Lohan is every bit as charismatic as she was in her prime and she gets a good opportunity to show off her comedic abilities here as Sierra Belmont. Lohan and Chord Overstreet, as Jake Russell, are honestly really cute together and share sweet chemistry that adds to the enjoyment and charm of it all. While one can see everything coming a mile away and a lot of the humor falls flat or is unintentionally funny at times, it doesn’t make the film any less heartfelt or enjoyable. Above all else, it is definitely full of Christmas spirit.
Though Falling for Christmas isn’t exactly a good film, it is a cute and perfectly harmless watch. For audiences who enjoy a lot of cheesy Netflix Christmas romcoms, this will probably be their new comfort film and a new season tradition. Either way, happy to have Lindsay back.
Score: 65/100
Those who have seen just about any romcom or Christmas film, then they can likely predict just about every single direction Christmas with You is about to go in. It’s one of the more predictable and cliched films of the entire year and has a striking number of similarities to this year’s Marry Me from the character dynamics to the central storyline but that being said, it’s also just as enjoyable, heartfelt, and entertaining. Either way, it is really nice seeing Freddie Prinze Jr. in a leading role once again as Miguel and this honestly might be one of the finer performances of his career. He’s never been the best actor in the world, but he plays a single loving father very well and this might open the door to a whole new phase of his career.
Aimee Garcia is great as the film’s other lead, Angelina, and hopefully she gets a lot more roles following this film. While the chemistry between Garcia and Prinze Jr. is never quite as strong as it should be, they make for a cute pair and definitely sell the romance well enough. Christmas with You isn’t the most well-made film in the world and the sitcom looking cinematography isn’t the most pleasing to look at but just like Falling for Christmas, which this also shares some very similar plot points with, fans of those types of films will also have a good time watching. Meanwhile, it also has a pretty good soundtrack and a lot of heart which makes a big difference in Christmas romcoms. However, it is sort of weird how quickly all of these Netflix Christmas films wrap up in their endings.
Score: 63/100
The third and final film covered here, The Noel Diary is by far the weakest and most forgettable which is strange considering how it was helmed by Charles Shyer who is by far the most accomplished director of the three and is no stranger to helming feel good romances like this. While there isn’t really anything all that bad or offensive about the film, it’s just pretty bland and middle-of-the-road with little that stands out as good or bad. Justin Hartley gives a really solid lead performance as Jacob Turner, proving he can lead a film on his own while Barrett Doss is equally as good as Rachel. They aren’t the most likeable lead characters to root for, but they sell the romance between their characters and have good enough chemistry to back it up. Meanwhile, there are some nice supporting turns from the likes of James Remar as Hartley’s absent father Scott who is trying to make amends with his son and Bonnie Bedelia as Jacob’s old neighbor Ellie.
Where this film falters is ultimately in it’s script and story. Apart from being predictable and fairly generic, the story just isn’t all that interesting and it doesn’t have enough meat on its bones to sustain its near 100-minute runtime. Unlike Falling for Christmas and Christmas with You which are romcoms, The Noel Diary is much more of a straightforward romantic drama which might not have been the smartest route to go because a lot of this lends itself pretty well to comedy which clearly paid off better with those aforementioned films. It also has a very abrupt ending that leaves viewers with several unanswered questions and with a very silly freeze frame that might have some wondering if their screen accidentally froze.
While The Noel Diary is completely harmless and inoffensive to watch around Christmas time, there are so many better options out there that viewers would be better off choosing over this. Either way though, if these types of films are for them, they will still probably love this one in all its melodramatic glory.
Score: 53/100
stills courtesy of Netflix
If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter or Instagram or like us on Facebook.
You must be logged in to post a comment.