Christmas Unleashed (2019 Lifetime)
Cast: Vanessa Lachey & Christopher Russell
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Synopsis (via Lifetime)
While searching for their lost dog, exes Marla and Max are prompted to reconsider their relationship status as they revisit the places from their past holidays.
Thoughts
Becca has a dog, Henry, and adorable coffee mugs. She practices her presentation while her dog brings her briefcase. This dog is well trained. They are on their way from New York to North Carolina to visit her grandmother for the holiday season. When she arrives, they have martinis, and I want to be in Becca’s family. (Well, she lost her parents in an accident at the same time, so maybe not.)
Grandma’s house is old, and the front door doesn’t always latch. When winter storm Megan blows the door open, Henry runs outside and goes missing. Becca drives around town looking for her lost dog. In her desperation, Becca calls her ex-boyfriend, Max, an animal specialist. (Whatever that means.) Max is hot as hell.
The movie is broken down into scenes of Max and Becca searching around town for Henry, with viewers seeing flashbacks that explain why each location is meaningful.
Dolores Drake (My favorite!) is back again as the Christmas tree lot owner. It is the place where Becca and Henry first met when he was a puppy, and she adopted him. Henry also brought Max and Becca together, and they fell in love. They go back to the tree lot to look for the dog, but have no luck.
Next, they go to the horse stable and take a carriage ride because Henry loves horses. It was on the same carriage ride that Becca and Max celebrated their first anniversary. Someone sees Henry and tells them that he was heading downtown to Main Street.
Downtown, Becca and Max visit her dad’s old print store. A recently married gay couple now owns the store. Marianne also works at the store, and she is Max’s ex-girlfriend. Becca asks the gays about Max’s relationship, and they ask her if she is dating Lin-Manuel Miranda. (Since she lives in New York? Haha, okay, gays.) Becca overhears Marianne talking to Max and advising him to be careful not to get too close to Becca.
As they hand out “lost dog” flyers, they compare this small town to New York. Max gets a call from his mother, who invites him and Becca to a Christmas party. Max’s mom loves Becca and thinks that they are meant to be. Flashback to when Becca originally went over to the house for a party, and she had received an internship in New York. Max did go with her, and that is why they broke up.
After the party, everyone goes out to the flyer. Max and Becca play on the swings when they get a notification from his house camera. On the video feed, they see Henry. Could Henry be running around town trying to get his owners back together? Yeah, that is probably it.
At the house, Becca and Max cook dinner together romantically. (Sexy pizza dough rolling happens.) They talk about how they changed. Becca is less rigid than she used to be; she used to be so planned and organized to cope with her parents’ death. Max has done a lot of traveling. They wait throughout the night for Henry to come back. When he doesn’t, they go looking for him with flashlights and almost kiss. Then they have wine by the fire pit.
The next morning it is Christmas! They don’t find Henry, and Becca is upset that Max didn’t wake her up sooner. He gives her a ride home, and she tells him they could never work out because her life is in New York and his is in North Carolina. Becca is confused because she learns she has become a partner at a big law firm, but she also misses being home.
Cue a redundant montage of flashback scenes we just watched, set to Christmas music.
Max, in town, finds Henry. Max chases the dog to Becca’s house, and the whole town follows. Max and Becca decide to split their time between New York and North Carolina. They kiss as the town cheers them on.
One year later, they are married and expecting a baby. Henry also gets a present: some adorable puppies. Henry barks, and the movie ends.
Side Note
Vanessa Lachey’s weird side-mouth smile was not working for me in this film.
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Overall rating
🎄🎄(2 Christmas Trees)
🍷(1 glass of wine required)
*Photo Credit: © 2019 Lifetime
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