Fix: Mildly Christmas-y Christmas Movie, CW Nostalgia
Platform: Prime Video
Prime Video Summary:
When Graham decides to surprise his family by traveling home for Christmas, he is shocked to discover them already celebrating with an unexpected guest of honor, his ex-fiancée, Ali. The two exes battle it out to see who the family will pick to stay through Christmas Day and who must go. Let the holiday chaos begin!
FYA Summary:
Some people might stay on good terms with their ex’s family, but Ali really take it to another level. It’s the first Christmas since she and Graham broke off their engagement, so Ali joins her ex-almost-in-laws in Minnesota. But it’s totally cool, because workaholic Graham is supposed to be in Los Angeles! Emphasis on SUPPOSED TO BE.
For holiday movie quirky occupation scorekeeping purposes: Ali is an accountant whose real passion is baking, and Graham is a video game developer.
Familiar Faces:
Leighton Meester as Ali Moyer and Robbie Amell as Graham Stroop
MY QUEEN BLAIR WALDORF. Society collectively does not appreciate Leighton Meester as much as we should. While Ali is nowhere as vicious and witty as Queen B — this is a Christmas movie, after all — she does get to engage in some light enemistry.
Similarly although not as enthusiastically, I do appreciate the better Amell when he gets to play fun and flirty (see: Upload, and I suppose The DUFF). Also appreciated: gratuitous hockey to uphold the Canadian stereotype.
(I did initially wonder how this movie would incorporate minorities, and there are actually four characters: Graham has a sister who’s a lesbian, and his brother and the decoy love interests are not white.)
Couch-Sharing Capability: Know Your Audience
I mean, it’s a Christmas movie lol. Not an overly Christmas movie — no one gives a speech about the spirit of Christmas, even though a life-size nativity scene does feature prominently — but a Christmas movie nonetheless. If your viewing pal is already into festive fare, this is not going to be a hard sell. For everyone else, this is more like a rom-com set at Christmas rather than a Christmas rom-com.
Recommended Level of Inebriation: Medium
There are some cringe-y hijinks when Ali and Graham are trying to make each other jealous or look bad, but fairly inoffensive otherwise.
Use of Your Streaming Subscription: What the Hell, Sure
Look, we are careening towards Christmas and the liminal space existing between it and New Year’s, and the threshold for holiday viewing is low. EXmas might not be your new holiday classic, but it’s also not a bad way to spend 93 minutes.
