Jingle Belle
Stars: Cornelius Smith Jr. and Tatyana Ali
Listen to the Lifetime Uncorked Podcast here!
Synopsis (via Lifetime)
Every year, Isabelle (Tatyana Ali) and her high school sweetheart Mike (Cornelius Smith Jr.), rocked their small town’s annual Christmas Eve Pageant with a sweet Christmas duet. But after graduation, Isabelle left to study at Juillard in New York – leaving Mike behind. Years later, when Isabelle returns to her hometown to write music for the annual Christmas Eve Pageant, she is shocked to learn that Mike is the one directing the show. Can Isabelle and Mike put the past behind them and reunite on stage for another show-stopping duet?
Thoughts
High school Tatyana Ali is performing with her high school boyfriend and is KILLING IT. They are stars on the stage.
Flash to the present Tatyana Ali she is a jingle writer, hence the title. She is one of thee top names in the Jingle game but she is uninspired with the projects she has been given. Her sister Rudy Huckable, wants her to come home for the holidays and arranges for her to write the hometown jingle. Her boss (The always amazing Loretta Devine) agrees and sends Tatyana Ali to get over her writer’s block.
Mike has to work on the Christmas Concert and will be working with Tatyana Ali his former flame on the music for the concert. They are both not happy to be working together but their families talk them into it. Also, Dee Wallace is back for another Lifetime Movie and talks Tatyana Ali into working with Mike again.
Tatyana Ali is still uninspired until she sees and old VHS of her and Mike singing at the Christmas Concert from back in high school. Tatyana Ali goes to town cafe (Run by a Lesbian, thank God!) and she overhears Mike talking about still being in love with her but then he says they are only writing a song together.
Mike is working on a musical about A Christmas Carol from Tiny Tim’s perspective but he is worried to put himself out there. Tatyana Ali encourages him, even though it is a terrible idea. They fight over where the piano to stall on writing the song. They come up with some stuff and then go to the Christmas Tree lighting.
We get a working montage where Tatyana Ali and Mike are in really well lit rooms swaying by a piano. They have a really productive few days and are happy to be working together again and maybe are falling for one another again????
Tatyana Ali sends a clip of her and Mike’s town jingle to her friend in the city, who shows it to her boss. Loretta Devine get a clip and loves it! She wants Mike to sign a waiver for his rights to the song that he wrote.Instead of welling Mike, Tatyana Ali falls more and more in love with him.
When she finally breaks the news, Mike doesn’t take it well. He is upset he’s been sold out and tells Tatyana Ali he was considering moving to NYC, but won’t now if that is what the city and people in it are like.
Tatyana Ali and Mike spend the rest of the movie talking to family and friends and try to gain perspective.
It’s the night of the Christmas concert. Mike makes a romantic R&B song for Tatyana Ali. She jumps on stage and it turns into a duet. The town is loving it. Tatyana Ali and Mike are loving one another. Tatyana Ali keeps her job and Mike is going to be her new writing partner.
Side Note
Minority Report: The whole cast with the exception of Dee Wallace and Mike’s BFF.
Totally forgot about Tatyana Ali’s attempted singing career in 1998.
Don’t forget to listen to the Lifetime Uncorked Podcast available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts!
Donate to keep the blog and podcast going 😊
Overall rating
🎄🎄🎄(3 Christmas Trees)
🍷🍷🍷 (3 glasses of wine required)
*Photo Credit: © 2018 Lifetime
