We’re back on U.S. soil, more specifically San Francisco for my next easy watch, A Bride for Christmas. This 2012 flick from director Gary Yates follows Aiden (Andrew Walker), who makes a questionable bet with his dumb buddies that he can convince a woman to marry him before Christmas. Hilariously, he sets his sights on Jessie (Arielle Kebbel), an interior designer who has literally just sworn off serious relationships after breaking off her third engagement, jilting her fiancé at the altar. Oops.
The film is brave in asking us to get behind Aiden because, really, only an asshole would that bet. However, Walker’s natural charisma shines through meaning he just about gets away with it. Kebbel too is sweet and affable, but you also have to wonder what’s wrong with a woman who’s broken off this many engagements.
If I have a grumble, it’s that the movie really isn’t all that festive. Christmas day is the deadline for this awful bet, but there’s no snow, no presents, no tree decorating or any of that good stuff. It feels like ‘Christmas’ was tagged on here as a way of sneaking the film in front of a bigger audience and it doesn’t gladden my spirit in the way I’ve come to expect from these movies.
Still, it’s the first film I think I’ve seen where a woman realises she’s in love with a guy after watching him argue about a dog, so at least there’s that. It’s a cool little moment that captures the idea that we all experience those romantic ‘butterflies’ in our own unique ways.
This is also the first Hallmark movie I’ve seen to feature a homosexual character in the form of Jessie’s sister. However, not much is made of her gayness – she gets no story arc, no love interest, nothing. They just mention that she’s gay at one point and move on, nothing to see here. I guess it feels like some sort of progress in these films.
Despite the odds, the two leads do make a good pair, but the ending stretches the limits of believability. What is it with girls in the movies agreeing to marry guys they’ve known for five minutes? Especially after learning the guy was going out with you for a bet? I guess the message is that true love wins in the end, or something?
I’m beginning to feel some cynicism developing towards these films now. It’s weird – the transparent schmaltziness that initially made me welcome these silly little stories into my life has started to grate on me. It’s like junk food – you know it’s not the best, and it’s alright in small portions, but when you supersize it, you’re inevitably going to end up with a tummy ache and feel some remorse. Thing is, I’m in deep now and there’s no turning back…
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