Nov 27

Nov 27 A Very Merry Mix-Up

Alice is meeting her future in-laws at Christmas, but getting to them is complicated when her fiancé is delayed, her phone dies, and her luggage is lost. The trip seems salvaged when she runs into her future brother-in-law, but all is not what it seems. Will the confusion (and some Christmas magic) help Alice discover her true destiny?

Christmas clichés:

Opens w/ City Scene
Alicia Witt
Evil Fiancé
Deceased Parent
Small Town Guy Works W/ Hands
Mistaken Identities
Playful Food Fight
Tree Buy & Trim
Sage Grandpa Figure
Ends w/ Kiss or Ring

Our Thoughts

It’s no mistake that we named our site after this made-for-TV movie perfection.

The movie opens with a story about the Bernkastel Christmas Clock: a tale of a “clockmaker who falls in love with a woman promised to another, which leaves an entire town frozen in time.”

While Matt Mitchum isn’t a clockmaker, it’s a pretty good metaphor for the movie.

We meet antique shop owner, Alice (Alicia Witt, at her most charming), excited to meet her future in-laws for the first time. But the airport’s lost luggage desk and a coffee-drenched broken phone leads to the Mistaken Identity that the attractive wood-worker Matt is her future brother-in-law.

Driving from the airport, Alice and Matt get in a car accident, leading to dual concussions and the need to stay up all night—Playful Food Fight, anyone?

While the plot device of a meet-cute is expected, the chemistry of the whole cast draws you in. The evil-ness of Alice’s fiancé is a slow build, and Sage Grandpa Mitchum’s stories about how he met his wife are the pinnacle of romance. You won’t be able to stop smiling when you watch Alice and Matt swap stories or walk through town, all underscored by a John Williams-esque melody. And the Mitchum family’s Tree Buy & Trim feels cozy and honest, truly representing the best parts of the holidays: tradition and togetherness.

The climax of the movie revisits the Bernkastel Christmas Clock story: people frozen in time so those truly in love can find each other.

“Timing is everything.” Take the time to watch our clichés at their finest.

Rob's Final Take: Very Merry
A cliché classic. And Alicia Witt’s fierce love of family and the magic of Christmas will melt the iciest of hearts.

Jess's Final Take: Very Merry
I can be a cynic…but not when I watch this movie. It reminds me how much I believe in romance, family, stories, and tradition.