A Very Merry Bridesmaid

I loved how deep the story went into the background relationship between Leah and Drew. It was fun to see them making alfajores and Emily Osment looked great in all the blue comfy-looking sweaters. I really don't think they needed to explain what a milestone birthday is three times, but whatever. Also, who would have their wedding on their sister's/future sister-in-law's birthday? That said, they did a good job not making Julia seem like bridezilla (for example, she apologizes very quickly when she thinks she may have offended the family and is not quick to blame or yell at the airline associates on the phone). I thought the line about someone putting the ornaments on the tree before the lights was pretty funny!

Leah Taylor (Emily Osment)'s birthday is Christmas Eve. For this year, it's her 30th and it's also her brother Paul's wedding. Her childhood neighbor and crush Drew Vaughn (Casey Deidrick) is back in town as the best man and more importantly for him, her birthday. The wedding plans get changed and Leah's birthday takes a backseat. It's often the case that her dreams take a backseat like traveling the world.

Emily is adorably cute and this is a very sweet couple. It has all the elements of a Hallmark Christmas romance and not much more. This is perfectly fine and probably better than most.

Despite the lost wedding dress, this movie is mostly upbeat. No one is about to lose their job or under pressure to achieve something for a promotion. There are no great highs or lows or tension. As a result, the movie is about the relationships, and it does a pretty good job there.

I thought the chemistry between Emily Osment as Leah and Casey Deidrick as Drew was quiet but good. Also, Emily shines in her unselfishness kindness toward Julia.

There were some nice moments, some sweet and some funny. The reveal moment by the brother Paul to his bride was nicely done. The first presentation at the wedding dinner was a little different and also sweet. The car driving up to the house after the wedding was a cute touch. Some or all of these things may have been predictable, but they were still nice.

All in all, many little things added up to an enjoyable movie. I will probably watch this again when it comes around next year.

Leah's "milestone" 30th birthday is coming up on Christmas Eve, the same day her brother is getting married. She is a little down because she thought that by now, she would have made more of a success of her life like the rest of her family. In particular she has never acted on her life long dream of travel. In addition, she has a feeling that her family is going to forget this most important birthday because of all of the excitement over her brothers wedding. Holy Molly Ringwald in Sweet Sixteen!

When she confides in her childhood friend and former crush, Drew, who is also visiting town, he decides to do something special with her almost daily to help her celebrate. In the background we learn that the reason why she hasn't done more with her life is that she is afraid to leave her Dad, who has had a few health scares. The airline has lost her brother's fiance's wedding dress, sending it to all the wrong destinations. "Her dress is better traveled than I am!". The fiancé is a type A personality and though nice, is a little picky and difficult. Her brother has decided to "surprise" her by buying back her beloved childhood home and changing the wedding venue to there from Leah's parent's home behind her back. So there's some cloak and dagger going on while the fiancé is getting more and more anxious that her wedding won't be perfect and something is being kept from her. Also, Drew has decided to sell his Nana's home because he no longer has ties to the community and that makes everyone sad, including Drew.

In summarizing the plot, it sounds like there is a lot going on, but there really isn't. This one doesn't aim for high comedy or drama. It is gentle and low-key, yet I wasn't bored. There were a lot of layers to the story and doesn't always take the obvious path. Drew and Leah's love story takes center stage and it is sweet. It develops slowly and tentatively but was engaging and romantic. The chemistry ended up being very strong. I felt the uncertainty and the emotion. The climax is touching and I loved the ending which wound everything up in a creative and upbeat way instead of with a lone chaste kiss. I must add, parenthetically, that Hallmark and the clones have really jazzed up the kisses this year.

This film had Sixteen Candle vibes all over it, brother's wedding...forgotten birthday. But instead of a sweet sixteen birthday it's a thirtieth birthday. Shockingly they picked someone as handsome as Jake Ryan.... I love Casey Deidrick! (Any Driven fans out there?)

Leah's brother Paul and his fiancé, Julia, plan her dream wedding...on Christmas Eve, which just happens to be Leah's thirtieth birthday. Julia has real ideas about her wedding and Paul is trying to create her dream and he needs his friends and everyone in the family to help. In all the commotion everyone had forgotten about Leah's birthday (sound familiar?), except Paul's best friend Drew...who just happens to be Leah's childhood crush.

Drew takes it upon himself to make Leah's birthday special, while respecting her wish not to bring it up to anyone else. Through the process...they get to catch up and relearn what makes the other one tick.

Leah hasn't done all of the things she had hoped to do by the age of thirty...and is a bit melancholy about it. Drew on the other hand has done the traveling that Leah missed out on and they both share a great fondness for his Nana who used to live across the street from Leah and Paul's childhood home in Roselake.

"Not gazebo in winter crazy."-Drew.

I really liked the familial love and sacrifice. I also love the friendships and the brother warning off his friends and warning his friend to not hurt his sister.

This was sweet and romantic...with lovely throwbacks to one of my favorite films of all time, Sixteen Candles. I highly, highly recommend seeing this over the holidays!