2023, Ali Liebert (Spotlight on Christmas) -- download
I am not sure Hallmarkie producers would wear purple suits, more like bright red, with white fur fringes. No, that's far too forgiving -- more likely Crampus costumes.
The Draw: One, as part of the "Christmas in ____" collection I started in the last few years, to see a few Hallmarkies set in other countries. And two, because Notting Hill is one of my favourite fish-out-of-water romcom's.
HERstory: Georgia Bright (Sarah Ramos, Midnight, Texas) lives in the US. She is a teacher to kids with special needs. Immediately we flip to a soccer football game in the UK. And flip back to learn Georgia is off to the UK to spend Xmas with her sister Lizzie (Joelle Ray, Get Even). Back to the UK and the game is at AFC Newborne and Graham Savoy (William Moseley, Medieval) is the captain of the team. Except he's down with an injury and considering retirement. Do we have a Roy Kent in the house? Likely not as swear-y.
Georgia arrives, and FLIP. I guess we are doing this back n forth until the two meet. Anywayz, he's at a pub cuz can't have a UK based movie without a meeting in a pub. Graham is meeting up with his little brother Henry (Peter Rothwell), an investment banker, who confesses he's about to propose to his new GF. They also discuss Graham's disillusionment with football right now.
Back to Georgia and her sister Lizzie, who is behind on her Xmas shopping. There is a coming dinner with Lizzie's BF's family and she has to pick up traditional Xmas things, which of course she is getting all wrong. "Christmas Crackers" are not saltines with Santa's face. But off to the Xmas Market where we see Graham's mom selling Graham Schwag out of a very cheesey booth. Georgia is confessing she got into the master's program she has been heading towards but is not ... sure about it. But she's the Reliable Type so... expectations!
Ooooh, Graham's also at the market, trying to avoid the attention, but everyone knows him. Maybe he's more Jamie Tartt ? I know I know, I don't know anything real about football apart from Ted Lasso so I realize he's probably more an analog to a real person I don't know about. Anywayz, Georgia finds the perfect Xmas tree ornament that reminds her of her Dead Mom, but immediately afterwards a stressed out Graham bumps into her and smashers it. She's less upset than I would be, considering the sentimentality, but there we have it, the Initial Meeting with Tension -- its been so long since I saw this trope, I don't remember my snarky tag for it. Also, he spilled hot chocolate all over her -- she needs some cleaning up so he invites her back to his family place nearby -- bow chicka wow wow. Hee! A nod to Notting Hill except he's famous, not her. Also, she has no idea who he is, and Graham kind of likes that and wants to keep it that way. Also, the house is HUGE -- Graham obviously comes from MONEY and not just football fame money. Anywayz, three dabs of a napkin on an expensive wool coat and she's (PING!) clean. Pssst, googley eyes.
This is when I notice that while the city is uber-decorated for Xmas, there is no snow to be seen anywhere, but... its London, so that is not unexpected.
Note: I am writing this post from the notes I made in my "especially made for hallmarkies" notebook and I see that is likely to expand the recap significantly.
Next day, Lizzie's brunch with BF's family and ooooo, look who he is -- Graham's brother! But Graham has ducked out on the event, like he always does, so no meet-cute reveal. Later on the girls hear from their father, who is on his way to the UK with his collection of Hawaiian shirts, just because. The call is followed by ice cream sundaes and some "get to know them" and xmas tree decorating ending in terrible, and I mean TERRIBLE, sister karaoke. If I hadn't been focused on writing notes, I would have been painfully bored. In the meanwhile, I was just normal level bored.
Next day, while the boys are shopping for an engagement ring and Georgia is on her own, as her sister is called into work at The Museum of Britain (as opposed to The British Museum ?) so... yep, she bumps into Graham. This is where she learns Christmas Crackers aren't Santa Saltines. BUT just as they are about to escape, a fan comes running along behind him with the engagement ring. Why does Graham have it? I dunno, didn't make a note, but Georgia is finally noticing that ALL women are going googley eyed for Graham and its not just because he's cute. But we get more Getting to Know Each Other, as the both confess being at crossroads, wondering whether the should choose reliable paths or what's in their hearts. And then, while eating Xmas Cookies (as opposed to Santa Saltines) she sees his face on a bus... OH, that is why they were being followed by a paparazzi -- Georgia isn't very observative. Buuuut he lied through omission and she is pissed.
NEXT ! Xmas Pantomime, with a cute explanation for us non-Brits -- what if Rocky Horror Picture Showed married a Disney Movie but everyone is in drag! All of Henry's family is there, and the sisters, and even Graham shows up and .... all the dots are connected, but for some weird reason, they briefly pretend they never met instead of having a fun anecdote about having already hung out.
Later back to the pub. Yes, at least according to pop culture, all social gatherings begin or end at a small local pub, but this is where Lizzie and Georgie have a spat. Lizzie is all "I only met him 8 months ago but I really love him and I hope he's gonna propose" and Georgia is all "you only met him 8 months ago" but cannot tell her she KNOWS he's gonna propose because she talked to Graham about it. Georgia is kind of pissed that since her sister left the US they are not the close loving know everything sisters they used to be. She storms out and Graham follows to console. They do some more longing looks and heart 2 heart chatting -- he's got a Dead Dad and Henry and he are half-brothers.
Wait, I have a note, "He's no Jamie Tartt." I think that was the Peanut Gallery, but I hope it was in the movie.
ANYWAYZ, next day the sisters are still grumpy at each other but American Dad is arriving so they soon after have to make up. We get a brief glimpse of Graham at physical therapy, adding more to the "his football career is ending" side-plot, and then its back his mom's place where Lizzie is learning to Baking Montage, British-style --- separating eggs for a custard, to make trifle and a mincemeat pie!
American Dad arrives and we get a reminder that yes, the movie IS shot in the UK, cuz American Dad buys terrible British souvenir hats and the sisters do a visit notable scenery montage with him. After we get a heart 2 heart between Georgia and Dad about her Dream Job which is NOT the Reliable University Master's Degree but no matter, he supports her in whatever she wants to do. Cuz American Dad is a Nice Dad. Later, Dad goes out with Lizzie while Georgia stays home and eats take-away (as opposed to take-out) spicy chicken -- Nando's? THEN Graham shows and wants to share something with her --- his pitch (shaddup you) and they talk about expectations vs dreams vs doing what's in their hearts and then they kiss over kicked soccerballs... do they call them footballs? Either way, THEY KISSED and not in the final scene --- oh these modern Hallmarkie sensibilities!!
Next day! Some American Xmas Cookie Baking and ... off to the pub!! And then off to the Winter Carnival which I assume is the British version of the Xmas Fair, cuz there are booths and food and games and gifts to buy. American Dad calls Graham ROY KENT !! Its not just me!! And the Georgia sees her face on an unappealing tabloid story and is upset, cuz she doesn't know that tabloids are always horrible to people, but to top it all she has lost her mom's necklace. They head back to the pub where she last remembers having it, and Graham offers tons of booze to whomever helps them find it, but HE actually finds it. Still, Graham is nice, so he buys booze anyway!
Next day! Back to the p... no, actually its back to Lizzie's flat for a Secret Santa that has been workshopped so that Henry can present his ring as if HE got her name in the game. Happy Happy proposal and everyone is nice and they eat around the table and everything is British Xmas Traditions like the Santa Saltines Christmas Crackers and party hats and trifle and the two kiss again.
Bing, its one year later (?!?!?!) and Graham is winning the last game so his team can ... move onto something or another... I dunno, three rewatches of Ted Lasso and football is still just a sports ball kick things around thing to me. Either way Georgia is there and... not at her Dream Job? Wait, wasn't he also summing up last year by thinking he should retire? I think the movie forgot an act. THE END !
The Formulae: Misunderstandings and miscommunications and tensions between the two mains. Lots of British versions of the tropes including the British Baking and Xmas Event (but no red dress). We also get a decent Xmas Tree decorating scene. We definitely have Future Expectations but neither have them impact by the growing relationship between the two. There are a few Dead Parents.
Unformulae: No PST and the trip-somewhere-for-Xmas is all Big City, very Big City as London is one of the Biggest Cities of Them All. There is no dancing in a red dress (boo!) and no Xmas Sweaters (I mean, they are not British-y at all).
True Calling? I mean, it says its Notting Hill and I am sure a lot of stock video is actually from Notting Hill but do we actually know that? I mean, I wouldn't know Notting Hill as far as I could throw Hugh Grant.
The Rewind: None really.
The Regulars: None really. Surprisingly, even The Americans were not Hallmarkie regulars.
How does it Hallmark? (How does it fare as a Hallmark movie?)
How does it movie? No, not even remotely. There are already some more decent British romcoms to fill that bill.
How Does It Snow? Not very much, and it makes a point that the minor scenes of falling snow are a Big Deal in the London That Rarely Sees Snow.
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