Sealed with a List

From the start, I liked this Hallmark romantic comedy set at Christmastime because the female lead was different. Katie Findlay plays Carley Kincaid. Carley is not glamorous but cute and bright and likeable. Her best friend is leaving the country, and makes Carley promise to make a list of things she is going to do to change her life for the better. Almost a year later, Carley finds herself still stuck without having made the changes on her list.

Evan Roderick plays Wyatt Redmond, Carley's coworker. He is a spoiled rich kid, son of the owner of the company, and also feeling stuck and unfulfilled. He wakes up late and is late to work every day. He puts zero effort into doing his job. Carley does not like or respect him. Then something happens that requires the two of them to help each other and work as a team.

The movie draws the viewer in because of the likeable, relatable characters. Refreshingly, it does not follow the traditional pattern of a Hallmark romantic comedy. The only thing that I didn't like about it, is that it was too short. I would like to see more develop between Carley and Wyatt. Perhaps Hallmark can make us a sequel?

7.6 stars.

If I had to describe this movie in one sentence, I'd say: 'Sealed with a List' is quirky and original'. You have two young adults who are forced to work together. He has been given everything in his life on a silver platter by his rich father and she has earned a coveted position in his father's company. Some unfortunate things occur and lives are altered and now the pieces don't fit in the puzzle of her life. So now she is focusing solely on self-improvement and he is trying to find his place in his own life. They boost each other over the holidays and everything works out in the end.

How is this different than most UP, Family, or Hallmark films? In every single way this is original, fun, and just...fresh. She doesn't fit the norms for lead females, he is new to the scene (as is she) and they totally bring out the best in each other. This is what real friends would look like if I were on the outside looking in. And somehow these true friends turn into more than friends, but the transition is so natural and unnoticeable and feels so genuine. Great way to tell a story, so different, so entertaining, so fun, yet laid back and authentic.

I, too, am a husband that unwittingly gets involved in watching these Hallmark type rom-coms. While I try to occupy my attention elsewhere, some of these movies actually attract my attention. For the third time this season I have found another entertaining holiday movie (this one goes through the month of December to the new year). Also, the characters look different. This time the main characters didn't involve a tall, handsome man and a perfectly made up blonde leading lady (no disrespect to blonde actresses but that's all that seem to show up most times). There was a short haired brunette with a cute , quirky smile and laugh and a male lead that wasn't so big that he took up the whole scene. And they could act! It was one of the more fun movies to watch this season for sure.

It's Feb 4th and I was searching for a comedy to watch. This title pops up and I check out the reviews. This looks promising and even though it's no longer Christmas season, I absolutely enjoyed this movie. The lead actors were fabulous. The only plot line I didn't quite get was the best friend that when she comes back, is only seen a few more times. My best friend that I haven't seen for a year would be with me at all times. But I get it. Carly need boy time.

This movie had heart and warmth with a little bit of humor sprinkled on top. I mean even though you knew what the ending was going to be...I still loved it.

This wasn't one of the cookie cutter Hallmark scripts, although in a romance there are only so many tropes.

Here we start off with an antithetical romance when a capable young woman is overlooked for promotion to put the boss's lazy son in charge of her QA department. She suffers through doing his job while he gets the credit for almost an entire year.

Then when he screws up and almost loses an important account, she decides she's had enough and takes the blame, and also takes up a list of resolutions she neglected for that (almost) entire year.

Oddly the young woman and the son wind up making a pact to each help the other one attain goals they could not face alone. Thus the antithetical relationship begins to break down and this script does something so few accomplish ... provide a steady and believable set of scenes for solid relationship building.

There is no "sudden turn", no "mistaken sighting" or "half hidden conversation", just the gradual realization that something more is happening than either had planned ... and on to an entirely believable and satisfying ending.

Well done.