Movie: Christmas in the Pines
Starring: Jillian Murray, Dean Geyer
Network: UPtv
Synopsis: As Ariel, an up-and-coming magazine writer, and Mark, a successful architect, battle over ownership of an idyllic Christmas cottage, they soon discover that their cozy holiday getaway may not be the only thing they love.
⚠🛑 Disclaimer: This review may contain movie spoilers
Rating (out of 5 stars): ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Review:
Real life married couple Jillian Murray and Dean Geyer star in this UPtv movie together. I actually didn't know they were married until I looked them up after I watched this movie. It was very heart warming and included themes of grief, love and sacrifice. Most importantly we have a movie which highlights the spirit of this sacred holiday,
Plot
I actually enjoyed this plot even though it was hardly unique by any means.This was a guy/girl get stuck spending Christmas together theme movie. A common movie trope but fortunately one that I like if it is done well. This one hit that mark for me.
Here we have Ariel and Mark who each, separately of course, believe they have purchased a new cottage. It just so happens that it's the same cottage. Now each have purchased the cottage for separate reasons and due to this hiccup the only way the true owner can be determined is whoever steps off of the property boundary first. What follows is a pretty funny story of each of them trying to trick or persuade the other to leave first through various antics. To make things worse for each other they each invite their families up to try and get the other to leave. Well that plan backfires and the families actually get along splendidly and aim to spend Christmas together as one big unit. Feelings begin to grow, sacrifices for love happen, and true love wins in the end.
You know it's a good movie if it can make you laugh and cry and feel invested in the characters. I did all of that and more.
Chemistry & Performances
I thought the entire cast in this movie was great. The whole ensemble worked well together. I admit the sister of Ariel was super annoying and whiny in the beginning but even she grew on me by the end of it. I liked the parents, the brother and the relationships that developed between all of them as well.
I thought Jillian Murray and Dean Geyer were great together. They had a great dynamic from the beginning and were actually quite funny. As they were getting to know each other more you could feel the mood and emotion change from hatred to interest/love. They had some heart felt moments when sharing about their dreams, losses, and reasons for buying the cottage. By the end of it you were rooting for them for sure and saw how each truly loved the other. I absolutely loved them together and would love to see them in something more. I'm always intrigued to watch a movie with real life partners to see their on screen chemistry. This did not disappoint at all.
Final Thoughts
This is a good heart warming movie that lets you forget about all the busyness and challenges of the world around us for a couple of hours. It showcases family, Christmas and love. What more could you ask of a movie. This is definitely one worth watching at least once.
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