The Christmas Retreat (2022 TV Movie)
5/10
It's Not Heavy Lifting
30 December 2023
If you're lonely during the holidays, it isn't a bad thing to be watching these things.

In my case, I had a nervous system issue that kept me bedridden for a few days with enough energy to click on this through Amazon Prime.

It could've been some of the pain medication. But the haziness of the flick and the simple format was inviting.

The story is about Kim Jones (Rhiannon Fish) who is very consumed with her work, and whose boyfriend/potential fiance recently dumped her. She is whisked away by her Mother to relax during the holidays to this "special" retreat. The place is run by Rae (Carly Fawcett) whose big city brother Mark (Clayton James), just lost his job and is going up to the retreat to re-evaluate his life. The retreat is Christmas themed and the two big city folk are stripped of their electronics to do Christmas-y stuff.

Yeah, you see where this is going.

Rae is on the retreat because she wants to prove to her boyfriend that she can change. Mark's intentions are just to figure out what he wants to do in life.

We also discover that the lodge/retreat is going through financial hardships (dun dun DUN!). Call me a nut, but maybe it's because they can only take 8 people at a time, in a one week span. Logistics aside, we go through the rudimentary Christmas tasks that the retreat gets these people to do.

Baking cookies in movies have got to be dullest thing ever. Regardless of how you try to spice it up, it's mind numbing to watch any form of it. Including a predictable flour fight. Bah!

Mark and Rae obviously grow closer to together. What I do like about this flick is the very distinct personalities between the two. Though Mark is rigid and stern, Rae acts more like the Tasmanian Devil at life. One of the more convincing romantic chemistry in Christmas flicks. Credit to the actors

Overall though, the tone of the flick is upbeat. There's nothing offensive about it. Unless you're an atheist, in which case, they lean on God here a lot. I mean a bunch. Of course this is faith based funded. And, guys in Hollywood, faith based people do have a ton of money. It's just not spent for all the fun stuff. Sex, drugs and rock and roll.

It's spent on corny flicks like this.
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