Best.Christmas.Ever! review
Best.Christmas.Ever! understands the key rules of Christmas shoppers…and movies — get in early to beat the crowds. Especially before viewers get tired of the standard 12 deviations of Christmas movies.
That definitely helps for a sweet film like this that has more to offer then the same warmed-over scenarios played out in different snowy locations.
Charlotte (Heather Graham) isn’t in the mood for the usual brag-fest Christmas newsletter from her old friend Jackie (Brandy Norwood).
As Heather expected, Jackie drones on and on about her perfect life with her devoted husband Valentino (Marc Cedeño), their genius daughter Beatrix (Madison Skye Validum) and humanitarian son, Daniel.
It doesn’t help that Charlotte is in a career rut with a company that’s on the brink of financial ruin.
Her glass half-full husband, Rob (Jason Biggs of American Pie fame), helps Charlotte stay focused on what really matters namely their children. Grant (Wyatt Hunt) wants to be a ninja with his ever-present stuffed monkey Bob while Dora (Abby Villasmil) is an aspiring superhero once she discovers her powers.
Grant’s intrigued by Jackie’s newsletter and misunderstands Charlotte’s sarcastic response to seeing Jackie.
In screenwriters Charles Shyer and Todd Calgi Gallicano’s biggest leap from reality, Charlotte has Grant enter in the address for her sister’s where they planned to spend Christmas. That’s a pretty ludicrous means to get Charlotte to accidentally reconnect with Jackie. For those willing to play along, the rest of the script isn’t nearly as problematic.
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Jackie and Valentino are thrilled at the impromptu visit and are ecstatic to have company for Christmas. If nothing else, Charlotte now gets the chance to once and for all prove that Jackie’s idyllic newsletter life is all a big facade. But the more she probes, the less evidence she has that Jackie has exaggerated any of her good fortunate and seemingly perfect life.
Graham has underrated comic timing and doesn’t have any problem making Charlotte the butt of physical comedy gags and embarrassing situations.
Director Mary Lambert (A Castle for Christmas) brings just the right mix of Christmas magic, playfulness and heartfelt emotion. There are some shenanigans, but they never reach outright slapstick material.
The script does allow Norwood a few songs, but this role calls for her to be more nuanced with a kind approach to Jackie. Graham and Norwood don’t come off like old BFFs at first, but they make for a charming pair by the midway point.
It’s also refreshing that the plot doesn’t revolve around some long-lost love and a busy exec reconnecting with the old small-town folks. Sure, there’s a morale to the film, but it’s done in a sweet, earnest manner that it’s hard to resist.
Charlotte cracking through Jackie’s secrets would make for a tiring one note plot so there’s some mini-subplots to focus on some other characters. Beatrix is starting to question if Santa Claus is real and recruits Grant into her fact-finding mission. Rob is holding a secret from Charlotte with a quality payoff.
The best is saved for the big reveal with Charlotte and Jackie, which warrants the extended setup and is delivered sweetly.
Christmas can fall into the more, more, more trappings, but Best.Christmas.Ever! serves as a pleasant reminder that it’s also good to stop and appreciate what you have. This makes for a nice Christmas movie season kickoff.
Rating: 8 out of 10
Photo Credit: Netflix
Check out some of Brandy’s best hits on Full Moon on CD at Amazon.
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