'Twas the Date Before Christmas

When Jesse (Amy Groening) learns that her family is planning to cancel her favorite traditions this year, she is devastated. Hoping to save the tradition, she tells her mom that she's got someone special to bring to the festivities. The trouble is, she doesn't. Using a dating app (who among us hasn't) she finds a guy, Bryan (Robert Buckley), willing to spend his Christmas Eve taking part in the Chamberlain Family Christmas Olympics. This movie doesn't fall into the expected trappings of every "fake boyfriend" Christmas movie you've seen before. In fact, they play it pretty loose, which is refreshing and rather enjoyable. The on-screen chemistry between Jesse and Bryan is very much apparent and believable as well.

This was a great movie to kick off the 2024 Countdown to Christmas, even if it's mid-October and my house is decorated for Halloween. It's sweet and funny, but there is one clear reason why: Amy Groening. I've seen her in Santa Summit, sharing the female co-starring role with two others and as a secondary character in several other Hallmark movies. But this is the first lead role I've seen her in. Forgive me if it's not the first. She's excellent. Often we have Hallmark female leads who are a bit-how do I put this nicely-stiff. Groening is anything but stiff. She's playful and funny, and easy to root for. Buckley too, is kind and sweet. Hallmark better get this dude a Christmas tree farm or a failing community center to save ASAP.

Loved it and would watch again.

Cast Kudos: Marcus the stepdad who rules the kitchen and wears a lot of aprons. He is hilarious, but unfortunately, IMDB doesn't even list him as part of the cast, so I can't find his name.

Alternative titles: Blind Date for Christmas; Saving the Christmas Olympics.