Love at the Thanksgiving Day Parade
Emily Jones loves the classics: clothes, buildings, and especially Chicago’s annual Thanksgiving Day parade. But her world is shaken when the parade's organizers bring in Henry Williams, a wealthy consultant who’s been hired to make the parade more profitable. Can she teach him that the holiday tradition means more than dollar signs?
Christmas clichés:
PR/Event Planner/Decorator
Evil Corporation
Deceased Parent
Sleigh Ride
Charity Work
Hate Becomes Love
Ends w/ Kiss or Ring
Our Thoughts
Christmas Movie Season doesn’t begin in our household until the Thanksgiving meal has been digested. Hence our decision to kick off our viewing with “Love at the Thanksgiving Day Parade.”
Included in a 4-pack of Hallmark movies (Jess wanted to own a copy of “A Bride for Christmas”), the plot may leave you confused: the perky, quirky Emily comes head-to-head with financial consultant, Henry, who challenges her beloved Thanksgiving Day Parade. This simple plot device becomes quickly muddied with short-lived mantras about a “5-Date Rule,” “One Best Day Ever,” and the charming but fattening “Nutty Movie Night.” Far too late, we also learn of Emily’s fear of boats, which only matters because her slow-speaking, long-distance boyfriend studies whales. When you pay attention to how it unfolds, you realize how many unnecessary twists are included.
The movie checks off a solid 8 of our Christmas Clichés, the most important being Hate Becomes Love. Autumn Reeser’s love for vintage clothing becomes understandable as you warm to her passion for the parade, and Antonio Cupo’s Disney-prince gaze will soften your judgy response. Even so, the movie seriously lacks a Christmas flair. If not for an aside about Christmas movies or the romantic culmination that involves a Santa suit, this could easily be called “Love at the Rose Bowl Parade.”
This divisive movie in our household may be suitable for those who are also looking for a transition from turkey to Christmas goose.
Rob's Final Take: Not Very Merry
The season deserves a great movie to ease our transition from Thanksgiving into Christmas, but there's just not enough holiday spirit here.
Jess's Final Take: Merry
On paper, it’s a mess. But it works because of context: it’s the first movie of the season and lowers the bar for everything that comes after.
Details
Watch It On: Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
Buy It From: Amazon (Streaming), Amazon (DVD), and Hallmark
Starring: Autumn Reeser & Antonio Cupo
