Trivia at St. Nick’s (2024 Hallmark Channel)
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Cast: Tammin Sursok, Brant Daugherty
Director: Marlo Hunter
Writer(s): Christine Garver & Stephanie Jackson
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DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearlySynopsis (via Hallmark)
Pretty Little Liars reunion! When students all flee an elite university in Vermont for winter break, the locals and faculty hunker down for their favorite time of year – the annual Christmas Bar Trivia Tournament! For Celeste (Sursok), a Type-A astronomy professor, this event combines the magic of Christmas with her greatest comfort in life: knowing the right answer. But when her colleague drops out of the tournament to do a month-long lecture tour in Asia, Celeste’s team must adopt Max (Daugherty), the football team’s new offensive coordinator. To Celeste, Max seems like nothing more than a grown-up class clown – though he brings an undeniable knowledge of sports trivia (a category their team has always fallen short in). Initial clashes between the two eventually turn into mutual appreciation as the team enjoys scavenger hunts on campus, decorating the international house with Christmas lights, baking Christmas cookies, and advancing toward the championship trivia game. Celeste can’t help but delight in Max’s infectious enthusiasm, love for all things Christmas and perhaps most importantly, his comfort with the unknown. And after a romantic wintery night at the campus observatory with Max, Celeste starts to wonder if being open to life’s surprises is more important than knowing the answer to everything.
Recap/Wine Thoughts
The movie starts on a college campus; Astronomy Professor Celeste is super jazzed for Christmas break. She tries to recruit her TA to start a team and tells her all about the history of faculty and staff. The price for the six-round bar trivia at Nick’s bar is a trophy named Stan. (And bragging rights for the year.) She relies on the faculty, specifically a two-time Jeopardy winner named Richard, to come through and help her win.
Coach Max doesn’t usually stay on campus for the holidays, but his parents are on a cruise. He will be watching over the international jocks who can’t go home for Christmas.
Celeste and her BFF, Ashley, head to St. Nick’s bar to sign up their team. Freddie is Ashley’s gay husband, Sherry has the music trivia down, and Gary brings the good vibes. Richard suddenly books a gig in Asia and has to leave town suddenly. He apologizes and leaves Celeste his Trivia Almanac.
At the faculty/staff buffet, Celeste annoys Coach Max because he cuts the line. She tells him the rules of the buffet and thinks less of him because he coaches football.
Celeste enjoys a little montage of trying to recruit faculty to join the trivia team with no luck. When Coach Max shows up at Nick’s bar and tries to sit with them, Celeste tells him no until they hear the first catagory is sports! He is on the team and they end up in second play behind the TA team, We Came to Sleigh.
Ashley and Celeste’s mom, Sherry, tell Celeste to keep an open mind and not be too harsh on Coach Max. They all spend time watching Christmas movies, and Celeste tries to get everyone to study with her, but they are not interested and just want to have fun. She takes her controlling ways to the bar and sucks the fun out of Bar Trivia. The Quizmas Elves come in a disappointing place.
Coach Max steps up with a different; he puts on a tank top and has everyone rock climb for team bonding. Celeste is reluctant to go with the flow and tries to look up videos online about Rock Climbing. Max encourages her, and they actually have fun! Yay!
Instead of studying, Celeste goes with Coach Max to buy a Christmas tree. Coach Max is impulsive like her mother. Celeste relates more to her father, who recently passed away. Celeste thanks Max for joining the team, and they have a nice moment. Back at St. Nick’s Bar, the strategy works, and they go double or nothing and win first place for round three! Celeste and Coach Max share a hug and wonder if there could be something there.
Coach Max walks Celeste home and tells her he is about more than just football. He opens up about wanting to help others make their dreams come true.
The team does a Christmas campus scavenger hunt. Celeste loses and is OK with it!
Ashley tells Celeste that she is pregnant, and they are working on a way to surprise Freddie. Freddie thinks Ashley is acting strange and tries to think of the secret.
The trivia team decorates the international student’s dorm, and Sherry and Gary seem to be hitting it off, too.
The Quizmas Elves have a perfect trivia game at Nick’s Bar. It really boosts team morale. Coach Max walks Celeste home, but she is too excited to sleep, so they go star gazing together. Coach Max is impressed with Celeste’s knowledge and passion about space.
They make a Christmas village, have romantic moments, and lose track of time. They are late for Trivia. On their way to the bar, they almost hit a reindeer and had to wait for a lift. Celeste worries about missing Trivia and Coach Max’s flow attitude. The team drops to third place and loses their lead.
Celeste feels terrible for falling into her own patterns and talks to the stars to try and explain. Max avoids her calls, and she is embarrassed. Max finds Celeste and tells her he wasn’t avoiding her; his phone broke, and he had to get a new one. He accepts her apology, and they kiss before going to Trivia.
The final match of Christmas Trivia plays to their strengths and even includes Hallmark Movie Trivia. They tie for first and come down to a make-or-break question. Max knows the answer and wins it for the Quizmas Elves. They get the stan cup, and everyone makes out.
The provost speaks with Celeste. He tells her that her new telescope has been approved. This is thanks to the money the football team is bringing in.
Note/Stray Thoughts
Overall rating
Pour it up
Put a Cork in It
Christmas Feels
🎄🎄🎄 (3 Christmas Trees)
Enjoyment Level: 🍷🍷🍷 (3 glasses of wine.)
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*Photo Credit: © 2024 Hallmark
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