Mom’s Christmas Boyfriend (2023 Lifetime)
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Cast: Jeananne Goossen, Zach Smadu,
Director: Graeme Campbell
Writer: Victoria Rose
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Synopsis (via Lifetime)
Single mom Emma always puts others first, especially her daughter, Lily, whom she adopted on her own. But when the precocious Lily wins a contest to have her Christmas wish granted, Emma’s life gets turned upside down.
Recap/Wine Thoughts
The movie starts in the Chicago Suburbs with a mother and tween adpoted daughter decorating for Christmas. Lili seems more organized than her mother, Emma, with a folder that includes a SEATING PLAN FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER?!?!
Emma’s best friend, Britt, owns a match-making business and talks about cuffing season. (In the most PG way she can around a 10-year-old.) Lili asks Britt to set her mom up for the holidays.
On their way home, Lili and Emma stop at a department store and shop for some last-minute gifts. Lili writes a note for a Christmas Wish Contest. She wishes for her mother to find their penguin, AKA a man for life! Lili also plans to donate the prize money to an adoption company that helped with her adoption.
Zach works at the department store and has a very busy-looking shirt. He is in charge of picking the Christmas wish, but he hasn’t come across a good one yet. (Dumb kids wish for giraffes and reindeer.) Then Zach and his co-worker come across Lili and decide to roll with it. They mainly come up with a dating show that will be marketing for the department store. They make a pitch to Lili and Emma, and they agree! (For the charity!)
Emma is VERY nervous. She picks an outfit from the department store with Britt and confesses to Zach that she isn’t used to attention. Britt is there for moral support but can’t help but flirt with Zach’s co-worker, Brady. The new story goes well, but Emma is caught off guard and embarrassed by the national dating search on air.
The story goes viral, and sales go up by 5% nationwide. Emails and messages come in for Lili and Emma to review. Lili picks a handsome man named Clark Winters. They agree to do a photo shoot. Cue a PHOTO SHOOT MONTAGE. (My BIG takeaway from this segment was that Emma has The Frame TV!!!!)
At the airport, Zach picks up Clark Winters, who seems more interested in the PR opportunity than finding love. He IS hot, though. Clark brings flowers for mother and daughter. He orchestrates picture-perfect moments for the press.
Instead of gushing about Clark, Emma talks about Zach and how good of a friend he is. Britt wonders if Zach getting along so well with Lili has something to do with how much Emma likes him. After talking to Clark more at a Christmas festival they are not on the same page about Christmas traditions. With the cracks starting to show, Clark is more focused than ever on the pictures.
Zach stops by Emma’s house and helps them bake. They knead the dough, and it is horny. Then, they do a family puzzle, and Zach gives Lily a meaningful gift. (A penguin ornament.) Clark shows up just as the cameras arrive with a gift for Emma: a heart pendant. Then carolers arrive, and Clark takes selfies. He asks Emma out for a romantic date, and Zach offers to babysit Lily.
The department store goes all out for the date. They provide outfits, and Zach even helps Emma pick out hers, telling her she would look great in a paper bag. Clark gets a stretch limo that is giving prom, and they are off!
The dinner doesn’t go well. Clark takes more selfies, and when the food comes, he says, “CAMERA EATS FIRST,” and takes pictures of everything. Emma tries to open up, but he shuts her down. They aren’t even on the same page about having kids. Clark thinks being a stepdad would be cool because he can have a kid without the responsibility of it being his. Emma doesn’t know that news leaks about Clark being cast on a Bachelor-type reality show and a match-making business.
Zach catches feelings for Emma and listens to her after the date. Zach is sure that Clark is wrong for Emma. He rushes to tell Emma the truth about the business. Emma tells him that she already knows all that. Zach tells her that she deserves more.
Emma tells Clark that the connection isn’t real and she has feelings for someone else. Zach! They kiss, and it is pretty hot!
Side Note/Stray Thoughts
This is the end of the 2023 Christmas Movie Season! I’m thankful for only 12 Lifetime movies this year and to everyone who checks out my recaps for laughs, by accident, or to see what happens because you fell asleep.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Overall rating
Pour it up
Put a Cork in It
Christmas Feels
🎄🎄🎄🎄 (4 Christmas Trees)
Enjoyment Level: 🍷🍷🍷 (3 glasses of wine.)
What did you think of the movie? Let me know in the comments or on social media @LifetimeUncorked
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*Photo Credit: © 2023 lifetime