Best. Christmas. Ever! (2023 Netflix)
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Cast: Heather Graham, Brandy Norwood, Jason Biggs, Matt Cedeño
Director: Mary Lambert
Writer: Todd Calgi Gallicano, Charles Shyer
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DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearlySynopsis (via Netflix)
Every year at Christmas, Jackie sends a cocky newsletter to her friend Charlotte. Fate brings Charlotte to Jackie’s doorstep. As a result, Charlotte tries to prove that her friend’s life is not perfect.
Recap/Wine Thoughts
The movie begins with a holiday newsletter being written by Brandy herself! She is that annoying friend who sends a letter every holiday season bragging about how amazing her family is. All I heard was that her hot husband has a dojo. (They are taking solar-powered hot air balloons around the world.)
Heather Graham is a down-to-earth mom. (Except for the fact that she is HEATHER GRAHAM! Jeans and Fannel can’t fool me.) She is married to Jason Biggs, a house flipper, and they are a total mismatch. They decide to take a family road trip back to their hometown to see her sister and surprise Brandy and her family.
There are kids in this movie, but who cares!
Brandy is thrilled when she sees Heather Graham and invites them to spend the night in her immaculately decorated home. The following day, they wake up to a blizzard and are snowed in.
Brandy’s husband, Valentino, makes fresh-squeezed orange juice, and Heather Graham watches him in slow motion while his muscles bulge in his tank top. Brandy makes elaborately shaped pancakes for everyone. She seems to love Heather Graham and apparently used to date Jason Biggs in college. Brandy invites Heather Graham to stay for Christmas, and they reluctantly agree.
Heather Graham is determined to prove that Brandy’s letters are fake. She finds Photoshop for dummies and looks for inaccuracies in Brandy’s story.
Since Brandy has a heated driveway, they all hit up the Christmas tree lot to find the perfect tree. Brandy and Val make out the whole time, and Heather Graham and Jason Biggs try to keep up.
More snooping ensues, and Heather Graham is locked out on a balcony and has to jump into a snow pile. She kicks over a fake snowman, just cause.
Val directs the Christmas pageant while Brandy eats Cheetos. Heather Graham is a wannabe inventor and gives Brandy gloves that are Cheeto dustproof.
We are halfway through the movie, so that means Brandy needs to SINGGGGG! She does a rendition of “Let it Snow” with Jason Biggs on guitar and harmony. (They were in a No Doubt tribute band back in the day.)
Heather Graham sneaks up into the attic, looking for more proof. Val catches her and karate kicks her in the stomach, causing a commotion. She doesn’t find anything and just ends up running a replica of Brandy made of Val’s mother’s dream home. Brandy asks Heather Graham what her problem is. Jason Biggs comes clean; he has been sending out a holiday newsletter, too. He asks her not to be embarrassed by her family.
Brandy forgives Heather Graham and asks her to stay for the original plan to spend Christmas together. They sit down and read all the letters Jason Biggs wrote over the years; Brandy saved them all.
The new friends go to a bank to buy Jason Bigs his dream home as a Christmas surprise. Brandy’s daughter negotiates the price in a cute scene.
Heather Graham loses her job and revokes the deal for the house she bought. Brandy tells her friend that things aren’t perfect with her. Later, while driving, Heather Graham learns that Brandy’s son Daniel passed away. She goes into his room and sees everything is left as it was. The solar power balloon was his idea.
Brandy didn’t send a newsletter the year he died and started a foundation in his name. She couldn’t bring it up in her most recent newsletter because she felt like his dreams did come true. Then, they ride in the solar power hot hair balloon. IT IS ABSURED!!!!!!!!!
To keep their kids believing in Santa, Heather Graham climbs into a sleigh, and they fly over the town square during the Christmas Pagent.
Then, the REAL Santa shows up and helps them. Unhook the sleigh so Brandy can take the balloon back over the square and be the North Star in the Christmas Pagent.
Brandy closes out the movie with her version of “Santa Clause is Coming to Town.”
Side Note/Stray Observations
Netflix usually comes with the budget, but it seems like they spent all the production money on the stars and nothing else.
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Overall rating
Pour it Up
Put a Cork in It
Christmas Feels
🎄🎄🎄🎄 (4 Christmas Tree)
Enjoyment Level: 🍷🍷 (2 glasses of wine.)
What did you think of the movie? Let me know in the comments or on social media @LifetimeUncorked
*Photo Credit: © 2023 Netflix
