Grab some hot cocoa and get cozy because I'm going to spill the tea on Netflix's latest cheesy holiday romance, Falling for Christmas. I know what you're thinking - a Lindsay Lohan comeback vehicle with a super predictable plot? But hear me out...this might just be the perfect film to get you in the festive spirit.
Let me lay the groundwork real quick. Linds plays Sierra Belmont, a newly engaged hotel heiress with her sights set on the perfect snowy Christmas wedding. But uh oh...on the way to her family's holiday cottage, she gets into a silly skiing accident that leaves her with a bonafide case of movie amnesia!
All memory of her fancy lifestyle - gone. Next thing she knows, she wakes up under the care of Jake (hottie Chord Overstreet), the owner of a rustic lodge and single dad struggling to keep things running. We all see exactly where this Hallmark-style plot is heading! But let's break down the deets...
Narrative review description.
Okay, so Sierra wakes up in this super quaint lodge after her accident with zero clue who she is. She's suddenly living a cozy winter lodge life baking cookies with Jake and his precocious little daughter. It's all hot cocoa, snowball fights and Christmas carols!
Of course Jake figures out pretty quick that stylish Sierra doesn't quite fit in his lowkey world. But he takes pity and offers to let her stick around until she remembers something, anything about her probably fancy life. Sierra meanwhile gets glimpses of glitzy dreams with a mystery man. Could they be memories trying to break through?
So now we've got our central romance triangle - amnesiac Sierra caught between salt-of-the-earth Jake and the glam life calling her name.
But she can't remember her supes rich fiance. The only clues about her past are a monogrammed lipstick and a receipt from a swanky New York jewelry store.
As Jake tries helping trigger Sierra's memories, we get allll the classic holiday rom-com tropes! Tree farming montages, cookie decorating, snow angels - you name it. Sierra even winds up volunteering with Jake at the local homeless shelter. Through voiceovers, we hear her growing disenchanted with the fancy but lonely existence that seems to be hers.
Of course there's a makeover sequence with the requisite falling into his arms moment! But despite Jake clearly falling for this mysterious beauty in his midst, he tries giving her space to put the pieces together. All while the clock ticks down to Christmas and we know her actual life will come crashing in!
The drama amps up as Sierra's posh mother and sister barge into town trying to whisk her back to NYC, triggering full blown memories. Jake is crushed to lose his new girlfriend but wants her to reclaim the perfect life she'd lost. Sierra has her a-ha moment realizing the humble lodge life was what her heart wanted all along!
We get a fairly satisfying ending with Sierra turning down the big city fiance for good ol' Jake as they share a romantic kiss in the snow on Christmas eve. Santa's gift to us viewers? The reassurance that Hallmark endings can come true!
So look, the plot is 100% boilerplate holiday fare - we all called the beats from a mile away. But Lohan actually makes the character surprisingly plucky and endearing. Her comedic timing and physical humor hold up nicely. The chemistry and banter with Jake lands decently well.
For me, I found it a cozy guilty pleasure! While totally predictable, it still hit all the nostalgic holiday high notes. Falling for Christmas won't reinvent Christmas rom-coms. But with Lohan relishing her big comeback role, it makes the familiar formula freshly fun again!
Here's my take on Falling for Christmas
I've gotta keep it real with you guys - I was definitely side-eyeing the schlocky concept of this one at first. A newly engaged amnesiac heiress falls for a small town lodge owner before Christmas? It sounded like the most far-fetched Hallmark movie plot ever.
But I actually found myself sucked into the cozy cheesiness way more than anticipated! I settled in ready to mock the silly tropes. Yet along the way, I totally bought into the winter wonderland fantasy Lindsay was serving up. She infuses Sierra with enough heart and pluckiness to make you legit root for her happy ending with Jake and his little girl.
If I really break it down beat by beat, this is still 100% a formulaic addition to the holiday rom-com category. You can call every story arc a mile away. I knew from the opening ski slope scene that a crash was coming and amnesia would follow. Sierra trying on that lipstick? Oh yeah, a glam identity was waiting in the wings. Her posh mom bursting in to reclaim her? Duh, like she'd miss Christmas with her small town baby daddy!
But maybe I just really wanted to tap into that nostalgia this year! In the age of streaming replaceable Christmas flicks, Falling for Christmas scratched an itch. Watching Lindsay relish her big comeback and reignite that nostalgic glow felt special.
And look, Chord Overstreet is straight up Hallmark Christmas Prince eye candy too - I had some thoughts during those lumberjack chopping wood scenes! Their cute banter and simmering chemistry sold me enough on the central romance to just go with it. Were Jake's adorable daughter and their cookie baking montages a cheap ploy to tug my heartstrings? Totally! But I still found myself getting surprisingly invested.
So would I say this movie reinvents the Christmas genre? Heck no! If you're looking for groundbreaking art, keep scrolling Netflix. But Falling for Christmas absolutely delivers on festive feels! Sometimes you just need some warm fuzzy tropes, dazzling snowscapes and happy endings. For me at least, it hit the spot as my inner cynic took a backseat for some merry and bright life affirmation!
Final thoughts
Well folks, that about wraps up this dish sesh on Netflix's latest sugary sweet holiday romance! While Falling for Christmas might not go down in history for originality, I think it still makes for a super fun guilty pleasure watch this Christmas. Lindsay Lohan reminds us why we feel in movie love with her decades ago, even if the plot feels like a mad libs of genre cliches. But if you're craving some festive feelings with your hot cocoa this season, it definitely delivers the frothy, feel-good romance goods!
At the end of the day, I'd give this one 3 out of 5 candy canes. Not necessarily for cinematic brilliance - but for hitting my sappy holiday movie sweet tooth just right! The ending made me smile ear to ear right along with Sierra and Jake. And during stressful times like these, a healthy dose of that warm Yuletide optimism reminds us what the season is all about. Grab someone cute to snuggle with, leave your inner critic on mute, and let the happily ever after wash over you! Some cheese and cliches go perfectly fine with this particular holiday wine. Just don't expect Oscar worthy art, and enjoy!
Images from IMDB Gallery