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Sweet Navidad (2021 TV Movie)
2/10
Unrealistic and utterly irrational
18 January 2023
Warning: Spoilers
If you've watched one, you've watched them all- this movie is a snapshot of most 21st century romance movies- written by a woman to validate all the things women don't want to accept are just plain bad behaviours.

How on earth I managed to sit through 30 minutes of this, is still a wonder to me. I couldn't even finish it and I'll tamper my ire to explain why.

In this movie, the female protagonist, an amateur chef is set up to be this paragon of Christmas and family tradition, who is always right and whose idiosyncrasies (ways of doing things) must be accepted by the male protagonist (an executive chef), who must also adjust himself to them, but cannot, dare not, expect the female protagonist to do the same for him. Sound any familiar? This has become a toxic prevailing theme among women, unfortunately. I know all about this being a woman myself. I will describe the scene that almost made me lose my dinner and finally give up on this farce of a movie.

The male and female protagonists are in the kitchen about to start work. She asks if she can play Christmas music as she works, because she is accustomed to doing so. The male protagonist agrees and says he'll adjust. She moves on to ask about his Christmas plans and he explains that he will not be able to travel to join his parents for Christmas this year because of the job they'd just landed and the other responsibilities holding him back. She immediately dismisses him and declares just how important her family traditions are to her and how her family would show up to wherever she was, if she wasn't in attendance of their Christmas party.

Are you for real? How much more high-handed could the writer have made this woman sound? She is so impolite, disrespectful and definitely not the kind of character that would be believable for the male protagonist (with his quirks) to fall in love with, seeing as this is a romance film.

All around, she was completely unprofessional. This was a detail that annoyed me the most. If you want to be treated equally then you'd best be as professional as your male counterpart. A workplace is not a playground.

This movie is unrealistic, nobody likes to be treated dismissively (no one is a masochist) and also irrational (no matter how beautiful you are, love needs respect to thrive).

Will the female protagonist's poor character improve in the next 60 minutes of the movie? I didn't stick along to check it out, disrespectful behaviour is a no-no for me. I won't accept it, and I won't be a hypocrite to give it to a man, woman or child.
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9/10
Emotive and heart-felt
12 January 2023
Rarely has a modern movie gripped my heart and my full attention, perhaps it is because I could almost insert myself into the position of the female protagonist.

Whilst this movie lacked in display quality, it is cram-full of emotion (well acted and brilliantly directed), boasts a simple but profound story line and uncomplicated, unadorned story-telling. This movie reminds me of high quality TV movies from the 90s.

The father, an emotionally absent retired professor and translator now comfortable with living alone (since the death of his wife) is suddenly visited by his daughter holding onto a heavy suitcase. As time goes on, it becomes obvious that there is an underlying, heart-breaking reason behind her seemingly spur-of-the-moment visit. After finding out the reason from his son-in-law, her father tries his best to discreetly meet her wishes while struggling to camouflage his feelings.

This was primarily a father-daughter story. One with a moral lesson underlying the storyline- to have no regrets when it comes to ensuring that our family members know that they are beloved. What a treasure in today's movie industry- a movie that actually teaches you something important.
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