2018, Gary Yates (A Dream of Christmas) -- Amazon
HERstory: This is unique to the Hallmarkie world, in that it is Based On Real Life, i.e. a real couple had a meet cute because he, a complete stranger, gave her a portion of his kidney.
So, yeah, Heather Kreuger (Aimee Teegarden, Star-Crossed) is a nursing student in the fictional Chicago suburb of _____. And she loves Xmas. The Fairy of Hallmarkie Xmas Movies has chosen that between the two leads, she will be the one that carries the Xmas Spirit. Sorry, that's not the plot, that's just me seeing how there always has to be one that carries the spirit, and one curmudgeons. We also meet Chris Dempsey (Brett Dalton, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), who is just recently discharged from the service and helping his buddy at the Xmas Tree Lot, and likely also at the hardware store the buddy runs, though we never see him anywhere but the lot. The two cross paths, but only in the background, i.e. they do not meet.
Then, Heather's Xmas Spirit is interrupted, quite early in the season, by a diagnosis with an incurable liver disease, at stage 4. So, she needs a liver transplant, like NOW, and from a live donor. Her family is devastated. She is devastated. Its actually quite heart breaking. But to keep her spirits up, they continue the family Xmas traditions, which kick off kind of early, as its ... probably a month until Xmas. Its at least just-after-Thanksgiving, as we don't see those trappings. Anywayz, they try the usual methods of checking with all family and friends, but no luck, so then they resort to putting up flyers, like she's a lost cat. And articles in the local news.
Chris, who is looking for something rewarding to do with his life, like building houses for starving orphans in war torn countries or something, picks up the poster and ... sure, why not. I can get tested! His buddy thinks is a big thing, his mom thinks its a bad idea, but he's got it in his mind, so his buddy suggests he meets Heather and they have The Best Hot Chocolate Egg Nog from a place in Chicago. Its on the family's Xmas Tradition List. But Chris is not there to tell her he will get tested, but to tell her he GOT tested and he's a match, and he will do it. Heather is overwhelmed, and confused, and flabbergasted. Why would a total stranger just do this out of the blue? Its cuz Chris is Just a Nice Guy. And not standard Nice Guy from IRL, though I bet the thought crosses her mind briefly, but a genuine Nice Guy who wants to Do The Right Thing.
The next day is cookie baking/ decorating/eating time. I will be honest, these scenes are starting to all blend into one giant cookie tasting montage in my head. Also I usually end up with kitchen envy because in the world of Hallmarkies, everyone is rich / has a giant house and a giant kitchen, in which to bake. Anywayz, they invite Chris (he's nice, you should meet him!) and he shows and everyone loves him, cuz he's such a Nice Guy. No really, despite the snark, he really is.
Up next, in the time usually relegated to Walking Around doing Xmas Things, they have good amount of time before the surgery so she wants to squeeze in more things from her dad's Xmas Tradition List and there is Xmas Wreath Making at the Cabin. Cabin. Not Cabin. The place is basically a chalet made out of linkin' logs. Its fucking massive. But the two get along swimingly as she explains how she likes to just make wreathes all year round as they represent a celebration of the season or seasonal event.
And then its surgery time. It was at this point in the movie that I realize we were still waaaaay before Xmas. This was not the usual "it all happens in the week before Xmas" but that they had to HAVE the surgery AND recover so they could do anything truly Hallmarkie Xmas. So into the hospital the two go, along with sad and moving supportive family scenes, that truly were endearing. As the podcasters say, All the Feels !!
Immediately after surgery she jumps up and runs into his room to see how HE is, along with a bag of cookies mom baked For The Nurses. Should she be up? I don't think so, but she really is feeling All the Feels, cuz... well, he just saved her life and they have both come through without a worry. The two are really cute together as they watch Xmas Movies in his hospital room.
Buuuut as soon as they are out of the hospital the requisite conflict begins, as she is ... ghosting him ?!?! WTF lady, this Nice Guy just literally saved your life and you won't return his messages or invite him out for cookies or ugly sweater contests or anything!! Turns out she is EXTREMELY conflicted because she really really likes him, in that way, and is worried she shouldn't because, is it just gratitude or is it actual connection? And can she ask even more from him? But eventually with lots of frowns from friends and family, she calls him and they reunite over hot chocolate. All is forgiven over hot chocolate.
Chris then comments that he knows she cannot go back to nursing school because between the bills and the interrupted year, she cannot afford to. So, time for Nice Guy to step up again and he arranges a Fund Raising Dance in very short order, and everyone in her family helps. She thinks she is just going out for the last of the Xmas Traditions, a dinner with family in Chicago, but it turns out to be the dance and the proper Xmas Event of the movie. And Heather in Red Dress dances with Chris and she confesses why she ghosted him and how she feels and he confirms he feels the same way, and they kiss and they will live happily ever after!
But, wait, we are not done! Actual final Xmas Tradition is Xmas Dinner at the Cabin and they invite Chris, and his mom !!
The Formulae: The structure of this movie was not all that Hallmarkie, so all the tropes have to be contained to the trappings of Xmas: hot chocolate, and ugly sweaters, and decorating of trees, and baking of cookies, and such things. There is an Xmas Event and a Red Dress, but that's about it.
Unformulae: The structure, very much the structure. This is not about PSTs and Big Cities, but there is a city, and its suburb. BUT the structure, as the movie starts with a voice over, as Heather and her family walk in the blowing snow (remember, Chicago has wind) through a very VERY nicely decorated Chicago downtown as she talks about Xmas Miracles and then... ONE YEAR AGO. The entire movie, being based on real life events, is not about Xmas in particular but about two people meeting during a trying time in her life.
True Calling? You know, despite them talking about it being miraculous, I disagree. While it might be miraculous these days for there to be actual decent people, this movie is not about Santa Magic or Angel Magic, but about just someone being a Good Person.
The Rewind: There was nothing really worth rewinding.
The Regulars: He's done only a couple, she's only done a couple. Even Chris's mom has only done a couple. Chris's friend Jack (Steve Bacic, Andromeda) has done more than everyone else combined, but he's been on Canadian TV forever.
How does it Hallmark? Despite it not following the structure, it was very very convincing of the chemistry between the two, and despite the Peanut Gallery yelling complaints from the kitchen about the way the two interacted, I found their cute dorky interactions entirely endearing. I was sold on this as a romantic movie, which is the heart of all Hallmarkies.
How does it movie? Its not quite well done enough to separate itself from Hallmarkie Land to become a proper Feels Good movie despite the subject matter.
How Does It Snow? I was all in for it being full of proper snow when they did that opening scene of people walking around in wintry Chicago to blowing snow (albeit fake blowing snow), but the rest of the movie just fell into Xmas Movie Shot in July by covering everything in cotton batting.
No comments:
Post a Comment