Christmas With A Kiss
A Christmas Love Triangle
But for real, as in, the triangle persists through almost the whole movie. Normally these get wrapped up pretty early on in the plot so that the protagonists can fall for each other, unencumbered.
Also - this, my 41st review of the season, is the first movie this season with racially diverse leads. FORTY-FIRST! And minus two or three non-Hallmark or older movies, this is the 2023 slate. So for everyone complaining that the Crown Corp is “too woke…” feel free to enjoy any of the 40 movies this year that preceded this one.
But I digress…
Morgan is home in her small town (Milton, ON - and in what HAS to be a first, they actually kept the real town name!) to help her parents run the Christmas Carnival. She isn’t back in town for two minutes before she runs into her high school boyfriend, Fletcher. Sparks Bonfires fly. Seriously - it takes them one glance and they look like they want to go full Jackie Collins romance novel on each other. But this is Hallmark, not HBO.
And when she gets to her parents place she is met by Dez, a photojournalist sent to cover the carnival. And the third prong in our little love triangle.
Generally the plot follows the expected trajectory, but I wasn’t entirely sold on Morgan and Dez in the end. It just didn’t seem like quite the right match.
Overall a decent watch though and entertaining, though debatable if it’s actually a Christmas movie. I do enjoy the idea of a Christmas Eve dance though! Not to plan one, or necessarily even attend. I just like to think of them happening.
Classic Christmas movie tropes:
Home from NYC to her small town (Milton)
Need to save the Christmas Carnival
Love triangle
Filmed in Canada
Christmas Eve dance
You’ll like this if…
You enjoy a bit of a different spin on the standard Hallmark plot, and want to see diverse casting!
SCORE: 6/10
Tell me more!
A woman (Morgan) returns home to help with her family’s Christmas Carnival and romance ignites. A photo journalist (Rowe) curates a surprise reunion. Starring Mishael Morgan, Ronnie Rowe Jr. and Jaime M Callica.
