Our Holiday Story
Writer: Joie Botkin
Director: Jason Bourque
Cast: Nikki Deloach, Warren Christie, Sydney Scotia, Gavin Langelo, Princess Davis
Sydney Scotia plays Joanna, a young professional on her way back home to spend the holidays with her parents and — ooooweeeoooo — her boyfriend Chris (Gavin Langelo). Unfortunately for Chris, Joanna's train gets majorly delayed, leaving him stuck having a lot of quality time with Joanna's parents. That's when these parents decide to tell Chris their holiday story.
Nikki Deloach (A World Record Christmas) plays Nel, the city of Ashford's new comptroller — and she means business. Warren Christie (Holiday Road) plays Dave, an impossibly handsome, like, woodworking guy with a head of hair that won't quit and a jawline that you could bounce a wrecking ball off of. If that weren't sexy enough, he's also a single dad (remember Joanna?), holiday enthusiast, and kind of a goof. 'Tis the season, and Hallmark got us a gift named Dave.
These two kick off a series of meet cutes with a chance encounter on the very train that Joanna will be stuck on a decade later. Nel and Dave exchange flirty banter and very few concrete facts only to be separated by fate. This happens on a loop, even as Nel and Dave have a meet-not-so-cute in their day jobs as government employee and local-man-trying-to-throw-a-Christmas-festival. If only Nel knew that the hunk of her dreams was also the codes-averse dummy in her email inbox! If only Dave knew that the woman killing his family tradition was the woman he cannot stop thinking about!
Despite those differences, something clearly goes right between Nel and Dave, what with the whole "happily married ten years later" thing that the entire premise of the movie is built upon. But what about Joanna and Chris? Will their holiday story have its own happily ever after?
Home For the Holidays: The movie kicks off on a train that I can only assume is running between New York City (where Joanna works in PR, of course) and Hartford, Connecticut. Joanna just so happens to board the train on the day of the 10th annual Ugly Sweater Convention, meaning the already old-timey (re: Christmasy) train is even more festive than usual. And Joanna's on her way back home for the annual Ammer Christmas Festival, which started as a holiday party thrown by her grandfather — or great-grandfather? Listen, it's hard to concentrate when Dave is giving exposition. Look at him.
'Twas the Night Before This Movie: No one gives exposition like the ex-wife of your lead character: "Dave. I've known you since you were 12 years old. You're a good guy to the core, but you are endlessly distractible. You're a great father and a great carpenter, though when it comes to running your business, you should probably be with someone who's more focused. Like, really focused. And probably really driven."
They Brought Presence: Let's hear it for Sydney Scotia, who has to play both the 16- and 26-year-old versions of Joanna. I think it's clear from the present-day part of Our Holiday Story that Scotia could handle a Hallmark movie of her own.
Ho Ho Ho: "You know what I love more than Christmas? Logic." It's the kind of dialogue you only hear in a Hallmark movie!
As Advertised: While Our Holiday Story is definitely about a couple's holiday story, a screwball rom-com like this could've used a little more old Hollywood pizzazz. Missed Connections in Connecticut? The Fruitcake Stand Around the Corner? Meet Me in Hartford? It Happened in Hartford?
The title really undersells the movie, which is not only classic Hallmark, but classic Hollywood Christmas. Never forget that TCM faves like Christmas in Connecticut and The Shop Around the Corner set the tone and established the tropes that Hallmark indulges every single year. Our Holiday Story is a fine example of that, with the deliciously rich dialogue between Nel and Dave and the over-the-top zaniness of their chance encounters.
With such a strong foundation of seasonal tropes to stand on, Our Holiday Story moves at a brisk pace and actually keeps you guessing, even though you know how the central love story turns out. And just when you think you have the movie figured out, we get a wrinkle in the modern day portions that add stakes to the whole thing. Granted, the contrivances needed for Joanna and Chris' story aren't as fun, nor as satisfying, as the ones in the titular holiday story. But hey — not everything can be as perfect as Warren Christie's everything!
