Let It Snow (2019 Netflix)
Cast: Isabela Merced, Shameik Moore, Odeya Rush
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Synopsis (via Netflix)
In a small town on Christmas Eve, a snowstorm brings together a group of young people.
Thoughts
Christmas in Laurel, Illinois, a midwestern woman (AKA Joan Cusak) is narrating as we get glimpses of teens in the town. One girl is lying in her bed looking at social media, some teens are shopping at a record store, and one is a recording artist named Stuart?
Julie is, maybe, our protagonist. She has was accepted into Columbia University in New York, but her mom is sick, and she doesn’t know if she should go. On a metra train, she runs into the musician Stuart. (who drops his phone.) When Julie tries to give it to him, he tells her it is not a good time photo. Julie doesn’t care if he is famous. When the train stalls for a few hours, the two trek through the snow to Waffle Town.
Keon and his friend Toben are throwing a party and trying to be cool; it doesn’t work out when his parents show up and spoil his plans. Also, Toben is in love with the New Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. Toben shaves his nipples and gets caught by Sabrina. (Or “The Duke” in this Netflix production.) This causes him to nick his nipple and bleed through his shirt, haha. She invites him to a college broomball game/party as a “buddy.” It doesn’t go well, and Toben gets beat up by other skaters. Later, they steal the keg from the party and run their car into a ditch.
Addie (who looks like Mila Kunis’ daughter.) and Dorrie are BFFs. Addie is worried that her boyfriend is going to break up with her. She goes to visit him, but he isn’t there, so she hitchhikes and gets a ride from the town weirdo, “The Tinfoil Lady.” (Played by Joan Cusack.) Dorrie works at Waffle Town with Keon and has a crush on another girl in town. (Who is rude as hell and pretends to not know her, despite hooking up before.) Later, in the woman’s bathroom, they makeout.
When people start to recognize who Stuart is, he makes his exit via the restaurant bathroom. Julie meets him outside, and they walk through the woods while talking about their families and getting to know one another. Then they go sledding, which is the first kind-of Christmassy thing to happen in this movie. (Besides the snow.) Next, they go to a holiday pageant with Julie’s mother. It is the most inclusive pageant I’ve ever seen.
After their car breaks down, Tobin and The Duke (plus cute college boy, JP.) They sing “The Whole of the Moon.” by Waterboys. They sing the whole song. It is terrible and way off-key. Thankfully, the song stops abruptly when JP and The Duke start dancing, and Toben gets Jealous. She calls him out on it. Toben goes back to his car and sits alone.
At Waffle Town, everything starts coming together. Keon decides that he is going to throw his party at the Waffle Town instead of at his house. Dorrie asks the girl she likes and her friends to stay for the party. Addie finds her boyfriend with another girl and pours a milkshake on her, while the bitchy girls watch on. Addie runs off, and Dorrie follows her. She tells her to start caring about herself and not what other people think of her.
Sad montage happens.
Addie is picked back up by the Tin Foil Lady and vows to make up with her BFF. Julie introduces Stuart to her family and has a dance party. (Her mom gets sick mid-dance party.) Stuart offers to help Julie and buying a live-in nurse for her. She argues with him and says she is not a charity case. I guess this fighting is foreplay because they almost kiss, but are interrupted by his publicist. (Who makes her sign an NDA and tells her that she isn’t unique.)
The Waffle Town party sucks. That is until Keon and his work friend spruces up with restaurant supplies as decorations. Addie brings Dorrie an apology pig. (Seriously!) She then gives Dorrie a pep talk, and they hug. Toben finally makes it to the party with the keg, and the party kicks off.
Wapping everything up. Julie tells her mom that she got into Columbia and isn’t going to take care of her. Her mother sets her daughter straight and insists she go to college. Julie then goes to the Waffle Town party and meets Stuart there, and they kiss. Toben tells The Duke that he has feelings for her, and she reciprocates them. They kiss as “Whole of the Moon Plays.” Dorrie and the rude girl get together, they kiss too! Addie meets JB; they do not kiss.
Everyone dances in the restaurant as a hipster Christmas song play. Joan Cusak’s voiceover happens again, bookending this bizarre movie. Her last line of the film? “You just got to let it snow!”
Side Note
This movie has a lot of 80’s music. Plus, they shelled out for The Rolling Stones? What up with that?
Minority Report: Stuart, Keon, Julie, and her family, Jeb (Addie’s boyfriend). Many many minor characters.
Not a lot of Christmas in this movie.
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Overall rating
🎄🎄 (2 Christmas Trees)
🍷🍷🍷🍷 (4 glasses of wine required)
*Photo Credit: © 2019 Netflix
