"Write Before Christmas" follows in the familiar vein of multiple microstories over a holiday. I suppose with its Christmas setting, the most likely comparison is "Love, Actually." That film featured many heavy-handed storylines over a two hour runtime. This film features fewer couples and the stories are more directly related.
A young woman decides to write five Christmas cards to people who have been the most influential in her life. They are: her aunt, her best friend, her brother, her elementary school teacher, and a boy band singer. These people are moved by her simple act of kindness and seeming open up to other possibilities, romantic or not, over the holiday season.
The primary story involves the young woman, portrayed by Torrey Devitto, meeting the son of her elementary school teacher. He is a photographer who is residing at his mother's residence while she travels overseas. They bond slowly over the course of several not-date interactions. The script implies that Torrey is only attracted to superficial money men who have more potential on paper than in real life. Her bff hated her ex as well as many others she's dated.
The Hot Guy is portrayed by Chad Michael Murray who has an aloofness about him. He seems shy and reluctant to commit to nearly anything. Despite this he has a big heart and visits the group home where he spent much time in childhood to comfort its current residents. As often as these films portray life in artificial perfection, it's nice to see an effort to acknowledge that mental illness exists.
All of these characters exist in a hyper Christmas world. Everyone's home is excessively decorated to the point it would impact practical daily life. The boy band singer even has ornate reindeer statutes! I wish they were made of ivory. These artificial elements don't bother me as much as in other films. This film's world assumes that Christmas is as essential to life as food and water.
The short running time keeps the film tight. None of the micro stories are interesting enough on their own, save the main one, to carry an entire film. Unlike "Love, Actually," I didn't grow tired of any of them. They are each just pleasant enough to enjoy in bite sizes. This film is a Christmas candy bar.
A young woman decides to write five Christmas cards to people who have been the most influential in her life. They are: her aunt, her best friend, her brother, her elementary school teacher, and a boy band singer. These people are moved by her simple act of kindness and seeming open up to other possibilities, romantic or not, over the holiday season.
The primary story involves the young woman, portrayed by Torrey Devitto, meeting the son of her elementary school teacher. He is a photographer who is residing at his mother's residence while she travels overseas. They bond slowly over the course of several not-date interactions. The script implies that Torrey is only attracted to superficial money men who have more potential on paper than in real life. Her bff hated her ex as well as many others she's dated.
The Hot Guy is portrayed by Chad Michael Murray who has an aloofness about him. He seems shy and reluctant to commit to nearly anything. Despite this he has a big heart and visits the group home where he spent much time in childhood to comfort its current residents. As often as these films portray life in artificial perfection, it's nice to see an effort to acknowledge that mental illness exists.
All of these characters exist in a hyper Christmas world. Everyone's home is excessively decorated to the point it would impact practical daily life. The boy band singer even has ornate reindeer statutes! I wish they were made of ivory. These artificial elements don't bother me as much as in other films. This film's world assumes that Christmas is as essential to life as food and water.
The short running time keeps the film tight. None of the micro stories are interesting enough on their own, save the main one, to carry an entire film. Unlike "Love, Actually," I didn't grow tired of any of them. They are each just pleasant enough to enjoy in bite sizes. This film is a Christmas candy bar.