My wife loves Christmas movies. She starts right in as soon as they get dropped on Netflix, Hallmark Channel, and the rest. I have, on occasion, been sucked in to watch these movies of various levels of “good.”
I have several favorites in this genre. I’m rather fond of Christmas at the Plaza and A Royal Christmas. Among the more recent entries, last year’s The Merry Gentlemen and Hot Frosty were exceedingly silly and, more importantly, fun.
So, when my wife says you must watch this new Christmas movie on Netflix just for this one scene, I was totally game. We settled in with blankets, and I had absolutely zero expectations other than an hour and a half of heartfelt Christmas nonsense. One of the first movies of this season, A Merry Little Ex-Mas, stars ’90s icons Alicia Silverstone and Oliver Hudson as Kate and Everett, a divorcing couple attempting one final family Christmas. I knew exactly what I was signing up for. It was going to be predictable, probably silly, and perfectly light holiday fare. And honestly? That’s exactly what I needed.
The setup is simple: Kate gave up her architectural dreams to settle in the impossibly charming town of Winterlight (I love the town name trope in these movies…) with Everett, a workaholic doctor. Years later, they’ve drifted apart and are “consciously uncoupling.” Shout out to Gweneth Paltrow. However, when Everett’s sophisticated new girlfriend Tess (Jameela Jamil) unexpectedly crashes their family Christmas, Kate scrambles and starts dating the much younger Chet (Pierson Fodé), who is a hunky, sweet-natured himbo who apparently works every job in town.
Within the first fifteen minutes, I could map out the entire plot. This isn’t a criticism. It’s part of the deal with these movies. I knew where we were heading, and honestly, there’s something comforting about that predictability. It’s like rewatching your favorite holiday classic. We will always watch Elf, Holiday Inn, and The Family Stone. It’s the same warm fuzzy feeling.
Alicia Silverstone lights up the screen, and I was reminded why she was so good in Clueless thirty years ago. She’s still got that sparkle and effortless charm that makes you root for her even when her character’s making questionable decisions. I wasn’t sold on the chemistry between her and Hudson as it felt more “friends” than “lovers,” but Silverstone carried the emotional weight the script was trying to convey beautifully. Both Silverstone and Hudson brought depth to the, not unsurprisingly, light characters on the page.
If there was a surprise, it was that the supporting cast stole the show. Pierson Fodé’s Chet had me laughing out loud multiple times. This lovable goofball accidentally sets the Christmas tree on fire and then strips down to his underwear to fight the flames because, and I’m not making this up, his pants are flame-retardant for his exotic dancing side gig. It was the scene my wife was talking about. It’s peak absurdist comedy in what’s otherwise a very safe movie, and I was here for every ridiculous second.
I expected Jameela Jamil as Tess to be the typical ice queen villain, but she played Tess with such warmth and self-awareness that I actually felt bad for her. She knew immediately that Everett was still in love with his not-quite-yet-ex-wife and watching her navigate that awkwardness with grace made every scene she was in feel more grounded and real.
I also loved how naturally the film incorporated Kate’s two dads. They run the local hardware store, shower her with unconditional love, and clearly adore their grandchildren (one of whom is played by Hudson’s real-life son). It never felt forced or like the movie was patting itself on the back for inclusion. It was smartly written as a matter of fact. These are the moments when I appreciate how far we’ve come in representing different kinds of families on screen. It reminded me of why we love the raucous yet loving family in The Family Stone.
One quick note, the Harry Potter-obsessed boyfriend of the daughter had a wonderful arc from one-joke, cringe character to fully embraced by the family as they eased off his Potter-fanatic-ness in every subsequent scene he appeared in. I loved how it was handled and resolved. Nicely done.
It’s a Hallmark-style Christmas movie, so, of course, the core problems in Kate and Everett’s marriage are paper-thin. I kept thinking, “Just talk to each other like real-life, long-time married couples do.” Their issues seemed easily fixable long before the inevitable happy ending rolled around. Kate’s abandoned dreams get mentioned but never really explored in any meaningful way, and when the reconciliation came, I couldn’t shake the feeling that nothing had actually changed. The ending was sweet, sure, but it rang a bit hollow considering the years of neglect that brought them to the whole “crisis” to begin with, but it is always this way with these kinds of movies. You really don’t want to think too hard about the plots.
It was also odd that Melissa Joan Hart didn’t have more scenes with Silverstone. Cher and Sabrina together should have been a nice pull at the nostalgia string, but Hart barely registers beyond a few scenes as Kate’s best friend. Such a waste of comedic talent!
Winterlight, of course, is straight out of a J. Crew holiday catalog with twinkling lights, cozy interiors, and perfect snow. Sure, it’s artificial, but it’s the kind of beautiful artificiality that made me want to crawl inside my TV and live there. As a way to make you feel warm and fuzzy, it worked perfectly.
Sitting in my chair, I knew I wasn’t going to get groundbreaking storytelling or complex character development. I wanted to laugh, feel Christmas-y, and not think too hard about anything. This movie delivered entirely on that front. Did it change my life? Absolutely not. Will I remember it next week? Well, I’ll definitely remember the tree on fire scene. However, for ninety minutes on a quiet evening with my wife, I was able to soak in some holiday cheer.
Hallmark (and Netflix) Christmas movies are comfort food for the season. These movies are not for cinephiles, those looking for intricate plots or desperately flawed character studies. They all feature a tried-and-true formula that ushers in the Christmas season with a light romance and often a lighter story. If you watch it, you might even find yourself smiling despite yourself. I know I did.
Be seeing you.
