
Christmas Together (2020 ION)
Cast: Vivica A. Fox, Anna Marie Dobbins, Marc Herrmann, Jensen Atwood,
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Synopsis (via ION)
A brokenhearted New York painter, Ava, and a West Coast widower, Mason, have their lives collide when Mason’s young daughter, Mia, rents out his guest house to Ava for Christmas, without her dad’s knowledge, in an attempt to convince her dad she is responsible enough to earn a dog for Christmas.
Thoughts
Ava is precocious and lives in NYC with her little dog, and works as an artist. Her boyfriend, and his eyebrows, are supportive. (Well, not really, he thinks her art is trite. Which it is!) Dean is getting promoted and has to go to Vegas for Christmas, leaving Ava behind. She takes a solo trip to the most Christmas town she can find…
Ms. Vivica A Fox lives in the town of Tinsel and has an amazingly hot husband named Charles. (Who sadly isn’t in this movie enough.) The town celebrates Christmas year-round. She decorates the town with a little girl whose father is recently widowed. (Well, seven years ago.) The little girl, Mia, wants her father Mason to find love for the holidays.
Mason and his best friend Ben drink beer and talk about women. They are both dead sexy. I can’t imagine how Mason or Ben have trouble finding love. Mason is a smartypants with a Ph.D. (He also wears glasses with no lenses and has a center part in an attempt to make Marc Herrmann look like a nerd.)
When Mia lists the guest house for a holiday rental, Ava stumbles across the listing and falls in love with Tinsel, CA. They chat online, and Mia books the guest house without her father knowing. Cue a packing/travel montage.
Mason looks at the stars with a telescope and is even sexy doing that? Even with COVID Quarantine hair. What gives?! I want to be that handsome. He is surprised when Ava shows up at his doorstep and reluctantly lets her stay in the guest house. Ava feels like she is putting Mason. (Which she is.) Mason lectures his daughter while they decorate the Christmas tree.
In the middle of the night, Ava barges into the main house looking for Mia to help her with a heater. Mason shows her his telescope. (Not a euphemism.) Ava, in return, shows Mason a sketch she made of Mia. (He is VERY impressed with her art. Way more than Dean and his eyebrows.) Ms. Vivica A Fox, who lives next door, watches them knowingly. Mason fills Ms. Vivica A Fox in on Ava and pushes him to pursue the new relationship.
Ava goes out on the town to experience everything Tinsel has to offer. A shop owner is INCREDIBLY nosey but knows all the hot goss in the city. She falls in love with the town and tells Bean about it, who isn’t impressed. Dean breaks up with her.
Ben and Mason have some more beer chats. Ava talks to Ms. Vivica A Fox. Ava decorates the guest house, much to Mason and Mia’s delight. The three then do a Christmas scavenger hunt. Ava rethinks her life plan and might want a family. Then they look at Christmas lights while driving around in their car. The vibes are interrupted by Dean, who calls and wants Ava back. Ava considers staying in town and opening an art gallery.
Ms. Vivica A Fox plans a matchmaking Christmas dinner and works with Mia to bring Ava and Mason together for a Christmas meal. They all get dressed up, and sadly don’t look THAT festive. Ms. Vivica A Fox calls Charles and pretends to be his boss. They leave “for a work emergency.” Leaving Ava and Mason to dine together alone. Mason calls Ava a “neat lady,” which isn’t really romantic. After dinner they look at the stars and a re interrupted by Dean who is moving to Denver and got a promotion for triple the salary. Ava is overwhelmed and goes for a walk. Dean chases after her and they argue. Ave tells him that she isn’t in love with him anymore and they breakup again.
A quick sad montage happens reshowing all the scenes we’ve seen in the movie. Then Ava and Mason kiss. They decide to move into together and kiss again under mistletoe held by Ms. Vivica A Fox.
Side Note
ION movies feature disarmingly attractive people. Wow. Good for them!
Minority Report: Deb, Stephen, Dean, Mrs. Hungerford, Shop Owner, Broker, Worker,
Anna Marie Dobbins & Marc Herrmann starred in Deadly Mile High Club this summer. I like them together.
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Overall rating
🎄🎄🎄 (3 Christmas Trees)
🍷🍷🍷 (3 glasses of wine required.)
*Photo Credit: © 2020 ION
Always fun reviews. Clever!