Audiences who click play on Netflix’s “Falling for Christmas” will be the ones doing most of the falling over Lindsay Lohan’s much-anticipated comeback vehicle. Director Janeen Damian’s light-hearted feature, centered on a spoiled hotel heiress tumbling into a character-enriching circumstance, isn’t necessarily served up as the average cup of holiday cheer and rom-com charm. There’s a lot more to it than that. Its subversive spirit, female-forward smarts and sweet sentimentality remix the formulaic and festive, making all things merry and bright.
Wealthy, pampered heiress Sierra Belmont (Lohan) plans to spend a snow-blanketed Christmas at her father’s (Jack Wagner) exclusive ski resort with her narcissistic, social media-obsessed beau, Tad Fairchild (George Young). She anticipates being offered a job by her dad as the property’s “Vice President of Atmosphere” to give her something to do rather than spend her days idly drowning in champagne, caviar and couture. But she’s unsure of the position, because deep down she knows it’s not her purpose. She considers becoming an influencer like Tad, who pressures her to be yet another one of his accessories — leading her to say yes to a mountaintop marriage proposal.
However, fate intervenes in the form of a catastrophic fall, leaving Tad knocked out on one side of the mountain and Sierra with a concussion on the other. Lucky for her, widowed single dad Jake Russell (Chord Overstreet) passes by and rescues her. Suffering from severe amnesia with no ID, Sierra’s in a bind. Being the kindhearted guy he is, Jake volunteers to shelter this lost soul at his modest family inn — along with his mother-in-law Alejandra (Alejandra Flores) and precocious daughter Avy (Olivia Perez) — until someone comes to claim Sierra. His business is struggling due to his competition and a desperate need for repairs. His personal life needs fixing, too, since he’s still grieving the loss of his wife. As her hotel magnate father and Tad search for her, Sierra is determined to be a blessing not a blight, and winds up transforming the place in more ways than one.
Damian and screenwriters Jeff Bonnett and Ron Oliver (working from a story by Bonnett) have figured out how to deliver an unproblematic twist on “Overboard,” a genre staple whose premise amounts to blatantly gaslighting someone with a traumatic brain injury. Even its 2018 remake had trouble untangling that. Here, because the subjects don’t recognize each other from their disastrous meet-cute, there are never any deceitful shenanigans afoot. Still, while he provides some comic relief and Young adds delightful depth to his shallow character, the material struggles to incorporate him properly, and the audience isn’t sure whether to love him, loathe him, or love to loathe him.
Despite its first act telegraphing too much via expository dialogue, the rest of the script weaves together subtleties that light up magically throughout. Sierra’s journey from selfish to selfless takes poignant turns. From the start, she exhibits a modicum of humanity and self-awareness — though not entirely, so we sense her ensuing arc will be gentle, yet still meaningful. Her character’s internal and external stakes are well-defined and motivated from within, and she doesn’t need much encouragement from the male protagonist to change. Jake experiences a complementary change in that he’s tasked to let go of grief and pride. Their shared trauma, bonding over their respective families’ deceased matriarchs, is sincere and moving, with an angel tree-topper symbolizing grief: once shoved into a dark drawer, but inevitably brought into the light.
Lohan gives her character, who in lesser hands could have been one-note, a soulful sense of humor, vulnerability and verve. She’s hilarious when tasked to play completely insufferable, flexing her comedic muscularity when pratfalling over a Barcalounger or down a slick set of stairs. Yet she’s also delicately faceted when melancholic moments arise. She has terrific chemistry with Perez in scenes that unlock the material’s resonant tenderness and heartfelt sentiments. Overstreet turns in subtle, understated work, nimbly leaning into the jokes as well as the affecting aspects.
Clever homages to Lohan’s oeuvre, referencing “Mean Girls” (where she sings “Jingle Bell Rock”) and “Just My Luck” (where her attempt at doing laundry leads to washing machine hijinks) are used sparingly, so it’s her new, snappy and vibrant work that excels. It’s a promising step for a possible “Lohanaissance” — this is the first of two Lohan projects Netflix has greenlit — and it feels like the perfect seasonal gift, seeing her wield the skill and wit for which she’s widely known whilst craftily fashioning a character whose journey
Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Netflix
Viewers of Lindsay Lohan’s romcom, much anticipated Netflix comeback movie “Falling for Christmas” will do the most of the falling. The jovial movie by filmmaker Janeen Damian isn’t always given up as the usual cup of holiday happiness and rom-com charm; it’s about a rich hotel heiress who runs into a predicament that deepens her character. There is a lot more going on than that. Its cheeky attitude, female-forward intellect, and charming tenderness remix the predictable and celebratory, making everything happy and brilliant.
Rich and opulent heiress At her father’s (Jack Wagner) opulent ski lodge, Sierra Belmont (Lohan) plans to spend the holiday season with her egotistical, Instagram-obsessed lover Tad Fairchild (George Young). She hopes her father will give her the title of “Vice President of Atmosphere” at the resort so she won’t have to spend her days lounging about in champagne, caviar, and luxury clothing. But she has second thoughts about taking the job since she knows in her heart that it is not what she wants to do. She fantasizes of wielding power like Tad, who forces her to become one of his accessories and convinces her to say yes to a marriage proposal on a hillside. Sierra sustains a concussion and Tad is out cold on one side of the mountain, but fate intervenes and precipitates a terrible fall. Fortunately, widowed single father Jake Russell (Chord Overstreet) who is walking by saves her. Due to her severe amnesia and lack of identification, Sierra is stranded. Being the generous guy that he is, Jake offers to lodge this lost soul at his modest family inn with his mother-in-law Alejandra (Alejandra Flores) and feisty daughter Ivy (Olivia Perez) until someone comes to claim Sierra. His business is having trouble because of his rivals and the pressing need for maintenance. Damian and “Overboard” screenwriters Jeff Bonnet and Ron Oliver have figured out how to offer an unproblematic twist on the genre cliche, whose premise essentially involves brazenly gaslighting a person who has suffered a severe brain damage. Even its 2018 replica had trouble untangling that. Since the characters don’t remember one another from their disastrous meet-cute, there are never any stealthy pranks taking on here. Even though he provides some light relief and Young lends his shallow persona amazing depth, the storyline struggles to handle him, and the viewer is unsure of whether to love him, loathe him, or love to adore him.
When directed by Lohan, a character that may have been one-note develops a rich sense of humor, sensitivity, and life. She is entertaining when compelled to play someone who is completely unpleasant; she flexes her comedic skills by prancing over a Barcalounger or down a straight set of stairs. She does, however, have a kind side when the mood is low. She and Perez have remarkable chemistry in sections that convey the content’s resonant warmth and profound sentiments. Overstreet creates calm, understated work while skillfully incorporating sentimental and amusing aspects. Only a few clever allusions to Lohan’s body of work are used, such as in “Mean Girls,” when she sings “Jingle Bell Rock,” and in “Just My Luck,” where her effort to do laundry leads to amusing escapades with the washing machine. It seems like the perfect holiday present to see Lohan utilize her skills and wit to construct a character whose journey to a second chance at life actually delivers the goods. This is the first of two Lohan projects that Netflix has authorized. It’s an encouraging beginning to what may be a “Lohanaissance.”
