2023, David Mackay (Appetite for Love) -- download
i.e. cheated
Of note, as this is my first of the season, I was not at all annoyed by this one departing from tropes as much as I have been in previous seasons. I have decided to soften on my mental demands and maybe give them a shot at just fulfilling the generalized Hallmark idea of fun, light, romantic movies, without the need for the trope adherence.
I mean, yes that was primarily the "fun" in watching these movies to begin with (combined with some atrocious examples of "movie" making) but if they decide to change, I should allow that to happen. Also, I am not sure how many of this year's list will be current (as in, 2025 releases) so I might be watching as many "vintage" examples which do adhere. As previously mentioned in another post, I don't do much in the way of research, just go with the ease in availability flow.
The Draw: As I already said, it was included in a list of "Xmas in ______" movies, because I wanted to explore that. Every movie cannot be about baking. As to why did I add it to the list in the first place? Well, the number of movies in that list is in short supply, but really, should I need to explain the idea of exploring Xmas in Norway? Those Scandinavian countries must embrace Xmas like no others, right?
HERstory: We begin in a coffee shop in ... oh, some American city (Minneapolis, dude)... where a man is arguing with his GF while JJ waits to get her coffee. The call comes, "coffee for JJ" and the man grabs JJ's coffee, but his GF spits it out, "Can't you even get this right???" Turns out there were two JJ's in the coffee shop, and hah hah, one wanted black coffee and the other wanted a candy cane latte. "SCREW YOU !" yells Dick GF JJ and she breaks up with the man. Our JJ (Rhiannon Fish, A Royal in Paradise), or Jessica Johnson, excuses herself but the man, Henrik (David Elsendoor, Ted Lasso), chases after with a replacement latte. Except he stumbles and her papers going flying everywhere! Complication! Annoyance! Meet cute!
He collects her papers for her but after she is gone, he finds a last one. JJ is working as a substitute teacher at a local high school while getting her Phd and processing the grief over her recently passed on grandmother, the woman who raised her. Henrik, through some basic logic, tracks her down, giving a bit of stalker vibes, which JJ forgives, as Henrik has the whole kicked-puppy thing going on. On JJ's desk is a badly carved troll statue, which belonged to her grandmother, and which Henrik recognizes is from his home town of Bergen. That inspires him to offer her a free trip to Norway! Technically its because he already has a ticket in her name (well, actually the other JJ's name) and it Must Be Destiny! She declines, because... stranger danger!
P.S. There is that confusing toss-away line where Henrik explains, much later in the movie, that Other JJ was never his girlfriend at all -- she was his personal assistant. It rings as late stage retooling without thought, as there was no way that angry interaction ("you never remember my coffee orders!!") would be between a Boss and an Employee. They were canoodling; otherwise, why would he bring his assistant to Norway with him for his sister's wedding?
Later she has a chat with her doctoral consultant and he denies her another extension. While he is sympathetic to her grandmother's passing, he also knows JJ is dragging her ass on completing it and needs a boot in the bum. And then he hears about the troll doll and Bergen and offers her a lifeline -- take a trip to Europe with a complete stranger, go to the University of Bergen, which is renowned for its Weather Research (JJ's dissertation topic) and finish her paper while taking some time away, and exploring some of her grandmother's past. Dr. Paul (Paul Tylak, Harry Wild) is definitely her proxy-father. She reluctantly agrees, but gives Henrik some ground rules -- no chatting on the flight, then separate at the airport. He agrees. Its a weird request, especially given he sleeps the entire flight and she ... does not.
As soon as they land she starts getting her education into Bergen and Norway. The movie is rather charming in the way it plays against expectation where everyone caters to the American tourist. Henrik cautions her about talking to strangers, convinces her that the hotel sucks, offers a place in his grandmother's and tells her any hint of paying will offend her.
The next morning Grandma Astrid (Deirdre Monaghan, A Merry Scottish Christmas), or bestemor, is just lovely, kind and introduces JJ to a weird Norwegian not-cheese called Brunost which is, and we get our running gag, "An acquired taste." Thankfully, later on, when that terrible fish dish (lutefisk) comes up, they just skip right over it; taste not acquired.
Now, JJ is in town to find out more about her grandmother's past, so she has an agenda -- carry that strange carven doll around. Henrik's in town, after a long absence, for his sister's wedding. He has a past with the Norwegian ski team, an injury & ever present limp, and apparently the bitterness of the entire country -- there was a reason he was in the US for so long. Much of the movie is them alternating between approaching troll carvers/sellers and the preparations for the sister's wedding, on or near Xmas day. And, of course, Henrik being a gracious host to JJ, despite all the commentary about cold, emotionless Norwegians, everyone treating JJ with absolute tenderness, basically inviting her into their family, something she never had.
Eventually, the converging stories come to a head -- one carver finds a small AAA on the troll doll which is identified by Bestemor Astrid and she brings JJ to meet him -- its Henrik's Team Norway Coach Anders (Conor Mullen, Christmas in Notting Hill), whom Henrik has been avoiding, fearing the man's wrath. This fateful meeting explains when JJ's grandmother was in Norway and what happened -- let's just say there is a counting of months from when she suddenly left Norway and JJ's mother being born. The realization is actually quite moving, as JJ runs off into the wooded path down the hillside (not taking the funicular, as Astrid suggested) and the hobbling Henrik chasing up the hill to find her, to comfort her, no words needed between the two. As for Henrik, he comes to realize he has been in his head all these years, and no one in Norway is upset with him, just disappointed he never came home.
So yeah, Anders is JJ's grandfather, or bestefar. JJ has a new family. And a new love.
The Formulae: OK, despite this being an Xmas movie and them actually taking the time to show us Norwegian Xmas Traditions, it never actually feels like an Xmas movie. The tropes are there more in a background, passing manner. We get an Xmas fair, something the pair wanders through to ask about Troll Dolls. We get hot drinks. We get breakfast made. We get decorating of a tree. We walk through the tree lot, with a bit of chatting about best tree types. We get a Santa Lucia (Saint Lucy) Day event but that's more religion, than Xmas. We do get a dance, but that's for the sister's wedding, and JJ wears a flower pattern green dress. But we do get the interrupted kiss, which provides the greatest nod to the tropes as JJ halts some interrupting teenagers in their tracks, stating loudly that she is about to have a most spectacular kiss!
Unformulae: While yes, there is a PST (Bergen, where the movie is actually filmed, is breathtaking) and there is someone returning home and there is work work (JJ's dissertation) none of it plays out like they usually do. This is not about the challenge of JJ going home, nor is her work work every really an issue, just, again, background noise, beats in the movie to fill the spaces. What I am saying is that it makes use of the tropes but never really faithfully adheres to any of them, which only slightly annoyed me, especially the lacking of Xmas, giving over more to JJ's troll hunt.
True Calling? Well, it takes place in Norway and it was her unexpected holiday, so yes.
The Rewind: More of a pause and a, "Yeah, that isn't Minneapolis, that looks like... <googles> yeah, that's Ireland."
The Regulars: Fish herself has been in quite a lot of these, maybe third or fourth tear Hallmarkie royalty. I was hoping to click and see Elsendoorn was a regular in the Scandinavian versions of Hallmarkies, but no, really just Ted Lasso from our viewpoint. And he's Dutch, no Norwegian. The rest are more staples in British and European TV shows than Hallmarkie.
How does it Hallmark? I thought it did pretty good, in making me like the mains and letting the attraction build between the two more naturally than in most. I really liked how they never truly made goo-goo eyes at each other, the glossy "I just met but I love you" stares, but was more a realization of a growing admiration for each other --- they actually seemed to like each other, and like warmed into love.
How does it movie? It has a slightly better rhythm to it than most, and the humour and delivery of lines is a bit more effortless. I did my usual, after a few actual chuckles and smiles, "Yeah, I guess I am liking this one..." But to be true to this question, for me, its whether I would consider rewatching it -- no, liked but not loved.
How Does It Snow? OK this is where the movie falls down on its face. This is Norway! In December! In actual Bergen! And its about a ski-team captain! But never once, not even cotton batting, is there any fucking snow!!! The trek up a big hill should have banks of snow, and it should be cold cold COLD as the pair ogles the Aurora Borealis, but, it was likely late September. Boo. Angry boo!
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