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Snowstorm threatens both Lina’s and Max’s holiday plans. They are forced to work together to figure
out a way home – without taking it out on each other.
Lina talks to her family while walking to a happy hour with friends. She
has an early flight for Denver to be with them for the holidays. Max is
also at the same restaurant on the phone with his mother, planning a trip
out of town as well.
The next day Lina and Max continue to run into one another in the airport.
On the plane, they are seated next to one another, and they finally notice
each other. They went to the same high school and are heading to the same
town. Their flight is re-routed due to weather. Lina tries to book a bus
ticket, but they are sold out. Lina and Max decide to share a rental car.
Max is reluctant, but it doesn’t matter because they are out of rental
cars too.
Lina starts asking strangers for help but gets nowhere until she talks to
an Elf who is driving to Chicago. Lina talks Max into joining them. They
quickly make it out of Ohio and ditch the Elf after giving her some love
advice. Lina asks a Christmas tree farmer for a ride. He offers to provide
them with a ride if they help him deliver Christmas trees. They get
dropped off at the train station and get tickets.
Over some lunch, Lina and Max realize that they live in the same
neighbourhood and get to talking about home. They, of course, almost miss
the train and jump on a cargo train instead. (WITH COWS) Lina also loses
her phone. They fall asleep on the hay and wake up the next day to a
farmer and his kids… in Missouri.
The farmer invites them to his house, and the kids show them around. They
are adorable and helpful. Lina and Max look up the bus schedule and have
to stay the night for the nativity play, which takes place in a barn.
Little do they know that they will be playing Mary and Joseph. It goes
well and is adorable. (But seriously, can Lina and Max get away from barn
animals?) Then they sleep in bunk beds, which is better than they hay… I
guess.
The next morning, they borrow a dog grooming truck and hit the road. They
sing along with the radio and eat car sandwiches. (Sometimes they are the
best!) The van begins to rattle and then breakdown. Lina gets angry and
storms off with her umbrella. Max saves the day with a tractor ride to his
cousin’s house, who happens to live close by. They hang out by a fire pit
and dance to “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree.”
Max and Lina stay in town for the night to spend time with his cousin and
his wife. They all sing Christmas carols (“We Three Kings”) and drink
cider. Max and Lina hit the road again. Lina brings up Max’s family
situation and lets him know if he needs to talk; she is there for him.
(Which is nice!) Lina’s family doesn’t even seem to care that she isn’t
there.
They stop at a gas station that also has a beautiful gazebo in the middle
of a forest. They take a selfie with reindeer antlers and are interrupted
by Max’s mom calling. The mother/son relationship is tense.
Back in the van, Lina asks Max what is up. He opens up about his father
recently passing away. He is extremely vulnerable and almost child-like as
he speaks. I’m glad Lina was there for him to talk things through before
heading home. She drops him off and gives him a big hug before he sees his
family.
When Lina sees her family, they are surprisingly welcoming, given their
indifference to her the whole movie. Greg is there, Lina’s ex, and
everyone tries to set them up. The spark isn’t there like it is with Max.
Max, his mother, and his brother have Christmas dinner for the first time
without his father at the table. Max makes a toast “to dad.” (Keep it
simple!” I’m glad Hallmark decided to depict the effects of losing a
family member rather than having it be just another plot point. Very
touching and important to talk about.
Max shows up at Lina’s house with her luggage. He tells her that he has
her back and will be there for her too. Then he takes her to a tree
outside where he placed gifts in stockings that he collected during the
road trip. It is very sweet. They kiss and spend Christmas Day together
with their families combined for a holiday. |
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