A Date by Christmas Eve (2019 Lifetime)
Cast: Vanessa Lengies, Evan Williams, Katherine Bailess
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Synopsis (via Lifetime)
When Chelsea Simms, the good-hearted brand strategist for the popular dating app The Nice List, discovers the app has granted her magical powers, she uses her newfound ability to make all of the ‘naughty’ people in her life learn how to be good again. But when her plans go awry and Fisher, the kindly neighbor who has always carried a torch for Chelsea, is magically added to the naughty list by mistake, Chelsea must race against time to set things right before Christmas Eve.
Thoughts
Three weeks till Christmas and Chelsea has been dating a guy named Rod. She owns a dating app and is disappointed when she learns her boyfriend has an account then breaks up with him. It seems like she doesn’t need Rod because her neighbor, Fisher, appears to be filling the boyfriend role. He helps her decorate, bounces pitch ideas with her and encourages her.
At the pitch meeting, Chelsea is surprised to learn that a co-worker, Blythe, has the same interface design as her. The app is a Tinder knockoff and you can put dates on the nice/naughty list. They are partnered together and Chealsea accuses Blythe of stealing her idea. Chelsea recruits Fish to help her in the office.
Morgan Fairchild shows up claims to be Mrs. Claus. I’m not sure what is happening because my nephew is watching train videos next to me and “choo chooing.” Maybe she is playing an actress who is shooting a commercial for the app? Either way, she is in full makeup and has some Christmas magic going on. Then Morgan Fairchild makes Chelsea’s phone have Christmas magic too.
The next day, Rod has come around and is treating Chelsea like a KWEEN. Chelsea is so delighted about the turn around that she has to tell Fish. He talks her through her options and tells her to use her Christmas magic for good.
Two weeks till Christmas, Blythe, and Chelsea continue to work on the app while passive-aggressively taking jabs at one another. When Blythe gets a new fancy office, Chelsea uses her app to make Blythe only able, to tell the truth. In a meeting with their boss, Simone, Blythe admits to stealing Chelsea’s idea from the recycling bin and is super condescending. Pretty sure she gets fired or at least demoted.
To thank Fish for helping her with her app, Chelsea agrees to go with him to his family Christmas party. At the party, his parents want their son to find a nice girl like Chelsea or maybe Chelsea. Then we get a montage of pin the nose on the reindeer.
One week till Christmas, and Blythe does get fired, and her office goes to Chelsea. Fish starts acting weird around Chelsea, so she puts him on the naughty list. Also, the app upgrade goes viral. (Whatever that means.) Chelsea starts to feel guilty that she has been using the magic.
At a random house party, Chelsea comes clean to everyone. Rod proposes to her, and she turns him down. Maxine is mad at Chelsea for thinking she would date Fish. Her blonde friend realizes her newfound confidence is because of Christmas magic, and Fish has different feelings. With no one else to turn to, Morgan Fairchild comes back. Chelsea asks how she can change everyone back. It is merely putting everyone back on the good list.
Just like that and a little green special effect, everyone is magically back to their old selves. (Pretty comically directed, I might add.)
The app launch finally happens! Chelsea’s BFF uses it as a chance to sing. (Naturally.) Fish shows up and makes up and then makes out with Chelsea. These two were so obviously right for each other. Then they delete their dating apps, which is a modern-day engagement.
Side Note
Minority Report: Chelsea, Maxine, Simone Scott, Judy, Zane, Dane (So many POC’s with actual names and backstories.)
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Overall rating
🎄🎄🎄🎄(4 Christmas Trees, added an extra tree for Morgan Fairchild’s make up artist.)
🍷🍷🍷 (3 glasses of wine required)
*Photo Credit: © 2019 Lifetime
