Review: “Falling for Christmas” (2018)

A figure skater’s injury leads her to rehabilitation in a mountain town where she meets a handsome former hockey player turned handyman and his daughter. It’s a premise ripe with holiday romance potential, but sometimes even the sweetest recipe can fall flat in execution thanks to an uneven leading performance.

The supporting cast actually proves my point — in scenes without Claire, the movie suddenly transforms into the charming holiday romance it could have been. It’s like watching two different Christmas movies spliced together!

And let’s discuss that final kiss — because in romance, like gymnastics, you absolutely must stick the landing. The technical issues here create what might be the most awkward romantic payoff since mistletoe was invented.

If there’s one thing I consistently enjoy about Christmas movies, it’s the winter wear! And this film definitely delivers on that front. You know what I mean — those cozy knitted caps and scarves that make you want to curl up with hot cocoa, classic winter boots and coats that actually look appropriate for the weather (unlike some holiday films where the heroine’s apparently immune to freezing temperatures!). I particularly enjoyed Lisa Whechel’s ensembles — someone in wardrobe clearly knew what they were doing with her styling.

The story follows those holiday romance beats we’ve all come to expect — and let’s be honest, secretly love! We get the obligatory snowbank meet-cute (seriously, what is it with cars and snowbanks in these movies? They’re like magnets!), our reluctant heroine meeting her helpful hero, and, of course, an adorable child playing matchmaker because kids in Christmas movies have better matchmaking skills than professional dating services.

Throw in the classic interrupted kiss trope (because Heaven forbid our leads actually kiss before the finale), and wrap it all up with a resolution just in time for Christmas. It’s like Romance Writing 101, holiday edition!

The content stays firmly in family-friendly territory throughout — no need to keep your finger hovering over the mute button or worry about unexpected awkward scenes when watching with the kids.

The language stays clean, situations remain modest, and romantic elements are wholesomely handled. Even that notably tepid final kiss, which normally I’d criticize, actually works in favor of the family-friendly vibe.

Sometimes what doesn’t work for romance actually works for the parental rating system!

Falling for Christmas presents us with a tale of two movies: one featuring a charming supporting cast in a delightful winter setting, and another struggling with an affected central performance. It’s like looking at a beautiful Christmas ornament with a crack down the middle — you can still see the potential for beauty, but the flaw is impossible to ignore.