Write Before Christmas (2019 Hallmark)
Cast: Torrey DeVitto, Chad Michael Murray, Grant Show, Lolita Davidovich, and Drew Seeley
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Synopsis (via Hallmark)
The movie centers around a recently single Jessica (DeVitto) who sends Christmas cards to people who have impacted her life — the aunt (Lolita Davidovich) who raised her, her younger brother in the military, a pop star (Drew Seeley) who was part of the soundtrack of her life, the music teacher who inspired her, and the best friend who always tells the truth.
Thoughts
Jessica is obsessed with the holidays. She wakes up to a Christmas ringtone, has Christmas PJ’s and does horrible photoshop on Christmas cards of her and her boyfriend Wes. Jessica plans the holiday season for her and her optometrist honey to do while she is not running her music store. On her way to work, she bumps into Chad Michael Murray or Luke in this movie.
We get snippets of people’s lives around the country. A pop star who sings “Christmas in Love” and is over it, her brother in military named Carter, Jessica’s Aunt Lilia and her handsome neighbor, and finally, we see Luke doing a photoshoot at a restaurant where Jessica is meeting Wes.
Wes and Jessica have been dating for three months, and he is about to break up with her when she stops him because she thinks he is going to propose. Wes gives Jessica a bag of her stuff, which is so rude! Broken-hearted, but not really, Jessica gets out an old box of Hallmark cards that her family sent her over the years. Her parents passed away, but she sends cards to everyone in the random opening, establishing scenes. The cards bring people together; it is the power of greeting cards! (Carter talks to the girl he has a crush on, Aunt Lilia meets her hunky neighbor Tom, Jax, for writing her fav Christmas song inspiring him to write more, and Luke gets a card meant for his mother.
Luke visits Jessica to thank her for the card. He lets her know that his mother is in Kenya for a year, and she remembered Jessica. They are happy to meet one another and keep running into one another now. (You could say he is stalking her.) He watches her play the cello, which is very strange. He then invites Jessica to join him while he visits children dressed as Santa. While leaving the event, Jessica sees Wes and asks Luke to kiss her to make Wes jealous. (It makes Luke fall for her.)
Checking back in with the multiple storylines. Craig and Angie’s truck breaks down, and they throw snowballs and build snowmen. Jax continues to write music, and his manager brother is trying to help get the band back together, Aunt Lilia is getting close to Tom and his dog.
Jessica sees Luke doing a photoshoot with another attractive girl and gets jealous of storming off before talking to him. (This trope is so tired and LAME.) Wes shows back up and admits that he made a mistake and wants Jessica back. She turns him down but asks for a discount on glasses. Luke walks in and sees them hugging. Then HE gets jealous and storms off… Cool, Hallmark.
Luke watches It’s a Wonderful Life, Craig and Angie write each other Christmas cards and kiss, Jax reunites with his band, Aunt Lilia decorates a tree with Jessica, the dog, and Tom. They have a nice dinner.
At the concert, Jax and his bandmates perform a new Christmas song and dedicate it to Jessica. (Thanks to the Christmas card she sent.) Luke sneaks into the sold-out venue and finds Jessica. He gives her a Christmas card with a picture of them when they were kids. They clarify the misunderstanding and are happy that they can be together now. They kiss while Jax watches creepily from the stage.
All the b-storylines wrap up in a mini montage. Luke and Jessica look at the moon and kiss.
Side Note
This movie was a very long and tedious ad for Hallmark Christmas Cards.
Minority Report: Ruth and Joshua. Primo, Waitress, cafe worker, the Orphanage director.
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Overall rating
🎄 (1 Christmas Tree)
🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 (5 glasses of wine required)
*Photo Credit: © 2019 Crown Media United States, LLC
