On the one hand, filmmaker Christin Baker had previously made 2021's 'Christmas at the ranch,' which was a pleasant sapphic holiday romance but so soft and gentle that it barely had any substance (or romance). On the other hand, this 2022 TV movie opens with a delightful over the top song, in the style of a Broadway musical, making fun of people obsessed with coffee. On the other other hand, not only does this flick show itself to be full of tropes from the very beginning, but the writing immediately feels forced as every supporting character indicates their intention to reunite the high school sweethearts, and every opportunity is taken to shoehorn kitsch into the proceedings. True, none of this is particularly out of character for the genre; TV movie holiday romances are so formulaic that only a scant few details ever need to be modified or rearranged to fashion a "new" iteration. Be that as it may, at the outset Baker and co-writers Maggie Cummings and Megan Ullrich really seem to be reaching for the cheesy, ham-handed supremacy, and before even one-third of the runtime has elapsed it seems that Baker and his cast are having difficulty summoning sincerity. Thankfully 'Christmas with love,' also known as 'Merry & gay,' does improve, and it's increasingly enjoyable as the length progresses. Early scenes especially are a rather mild variety of entertainment, and I can't really begrudge anyone who views it more harshly, but for those who are open to the style, I think this is a small step up from some kindred fare.
While the concatenation can be a little taxing at points, the least that can be said is that the actors are charming, and infuse slivers of personality into their roles to the extent that they can. Moreover, there's gratifying diversity in the casting, and while the characters are predominantly wonderfully queer, some other swell considerations went into their writing. Leads Dia Frampton and Andi René Christensen stand out most as Becca and Sam, certainly, and they're lovely, but even those in supporting parts - Mary Marguerite Hall, Shawna Mclaughlin, Cheyenne Puga, Sterling Victorian, Janet Ivey, Hayat Nesheiwat, Jon Lee, Andrew Brennen, and so on - inject some welcome spirit into the proceedings. In fact, I don't think it's unfair to say that the ensemble might represent the most substantial strength of the feature, providing an anchor no matter how much Baker's direction has to work to unify the production, or how strained the screenplay at large may sometimes be. In fairness, once 'Christmas with love' gets past the somewhat clunky first act, the narrative, scene writing, and dialogue do improve; the foundation was laid, and the film can move on to its prime material. Underneath and woven among the abject silliness and tackiness are more honest (if also extra light) notes of warm, funny joyfulness, and ultimately one does get swept up a bit in the cute, glad tidings. Just as much to the point, it's readily apparent how much fun the cast is having as the story advances, and that energy is definitely a boost. Happily, I really am of the mind that this gels over time, and its value is more firmly cemented.
All along the way this is well made in other capacities: swell original music courtesy of Andrew Michael Tarr and Everett Young, nice cinematography from David Y. Chung, excellent hair and makeup, fine costume design, and so on. It seems that Baker learned from her past mistakes, because the romantic element is distinctly stronger in this picture than it has been elsewhere, and for that matter the storytelling is more robust and meaningful. We still get the tried and true pattern of the genre (conflicts, constant push and pull between the romantic leads), and the clichés, but there's just enough earnestness and slightly different flavoring to help the end result to stand a tad taller than its brethren, and stand out in some measure from the crowd. 'Christmas with love' remains troubled, not just for the gawkiness of the first act, but also for the heavy-handed drama that arises in the third act; would that we could get the lesbian holiday romance we want and deserve without discrete weaknesses or shortcomings. Still, I can really say that this turned out to be better than I expected. There may not be anything here to change the minds of those who already have a hard time engaging with the genre, but if you're sitting to watch you must already be open to the overcooked gaudiness - which is good, because this truly may be the utmost example thereof. It's ridiculous, predictable, overdone in some ways and underwhelming in others, and less than perfect, but when all is said and done it's just as blithely enchanting, pleasing, and lighthearted as it wants to be, and no one can say that it has tried to be anything it's not. Maybe I'm being overly generous, but despite myself I actually quite like 'Christmas with love,' and for those who are receptive to the holiday romance genre I think it earns a reasonably solid recommendation.
