The last movie I reviewed on this blog was one to definitely skip. Today I have a must-see for you to balance things out. 12 Dates of Christmas stands apart from others in the holiday rom-com genre for a few reasons. First, you can tell they had more than a $300 budget for production, they can even afford real footage of New York City. Second, the lead actors have actual talent. Third, although it does have a whimsical magic to it, the plot holes are few and far between.
The movie opens on a Christmas Eve office party where we meet Kate Stanton (played by Amy Smart). She's a mild workaholic pining after an ex-boyfriend, Jack, and trying to get out of a blind date her step mother set up for her. Kate concocts a plan to see her ex-boyfriend on this Christmas Eve by asking to take care of their jointly-owned dog. After buying an expensive sweater for Jack she races through the mall and is spritzed in the face with perfume in the beauty department. She passes out and wakes up on the floor of the mall with a crowd of strangers standing around her. She hurries out of the store and to her blind date.
She barges into the bar to meet Miles Dufine (played by Mark-Paul Gosselaar- yes, it's Zach from Saved by the Bell). Miles is charming and handsome but in her haste to meet up with her ex-boyfriend, Kate comes off brash and inconsiderate. When her phone rings during the date she darts out the door to meet Jack and hopefully wiggle her way back into his life. She is disappointed to learn that Jack is going to propose to his current girlfriend that night. Kate is devastated and decides to hole up in her apartment instead of enjoying Christmas.
As the clock strikes midnight, Kate is transported back to the moment she was spritzed in the face and wakes up once again surrounded by strangers on the floor of the mall. Although not sure at first, she begins to see that she is reliving Christmas Eve. Each day for the next 12 days she experiences this same phenomenon. It's basically a Christmas version of Groundhog Day. She lives each Christmas Eve a little differently and learns that all along her path are people who she can help and learn from. She learns to understand those around her by taking time to really see them rather than hurry past them on her own agenda.
She learns to let go of her ex-boyfriend, understand her dad and step mom, get to know her neighbor, and take a chance on Miles. Although Kate was a likable character from the start, you really fall in love with her over her 12 Christmas Eve's.
To see how everything works out in the end and how Kate breaks the time loop you'll have to watch for yourself.
I give 12 Dates of Christmas a solid 9/10 on our holiday movie scale and maybe a 7 in real life. It is a must-see in my opinion.
12 Dates is available to stream on Netflix.
The movie opens on a Christmas Eve office party where we meet Kate Stanton (played by Amy Smart). She's a mild workaholic pining after an ex-boyfriend, Jack, and trying to get out of a blind date her step mother set up for her. Kate concocts a plan to see her ex-boyfriend on this Christmas Eve by asking to take care of their jointly-owned dog. After buying an expensive sweater for Jack she races through the mall and is spritzed in the face with perfume in the beauty department. She passes out and wakes up on the floor of the mall with a crowd of strangers standing around her. She hurries out of the store and to her blind date.
She barges into the bar to meet Miles Dufine (played by Mark-Paul Gosselaar- yes, it's Zach from Saved by the Bell). Miles is charming and handsome but in her haste to meet up with her ex-boyfriend, Kate comes off brash and inconsiderate. When her phone rings during the date she darts out the door to meet Jack and hopefully wiggle her way back into his life. She is disappointed to learn that Jack is going to propose to his current girlfriend that night. Kate is devastated and decides to hole up in her apartment instead of enjoying Christmas.
As the clock strikes midnight, Kate is transported back to the moment she was spritzed in the face and wakes up once again surrounded by strangers on the floor of the mall. Although not sure at first, she begins to see that she is reliving Christmas Eve. Each day for the next 12 days she experiences this same phenomenon. It's basically a Christmas version of Groundhog Day. She lives each Christmas Eve a little differently and learns that all along her path are people who she can help and learn from. She learns to understand those around her by taking time to really see them rather than hurry past them on her own agenda.
She learns to let go of her ex-boyfriend, understand her dad and step mom, get to know her neighbor, and take a chance on Miles. Although Kate was a likable character from the start, you really fall in love with her over her 12 Christmas Eve's.
To see how everything works out in the end and how Kate breaks the time loop you'll have to watch for yourself.
I give 12 Dates of Christmas a solid 9/10 on our holiday movie scale and maybe a 7 in real life. It is a must-see in my opinion.
12 Dates is available to stream on Netflix.
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