A California Christmas
Who lives out here anyways? It’s a whole lotta nothing.
Joseph
Summary:
Joseph Van Aston is rich and good with the ladies. He lived a carefree life up until this point. His mother had been trying to close a deal for property to expand her company, and as the offers kept getting rejected, Joseph was sent to convince the owners to take the deal, due to his skill with women. At first, Joseph is skeptical, but after he is offered a proper position in his mother’s company, he takes the job. When Joseph arrives, he witnesses the birth of a calf and ends up assisting. Before he can explain himself, he is now Manny, the ranch hand who will help on the dairy farm. Here, Joseph meets Callie, a strong and stubborn woman, and all his plans and world have been turned upside down.
Characters:
The main protagonist is Joseph Van Aston. His mother is the head of the family’s company, and they have more than a lot of money. That side of life has never been an issue for Joseph, and that is reflected in his character. He is well known for his lack of commitment to many things, including women and his work.
Manny is a ranch hand that accidentally ends up very involved in the Van Astons’ business. A simple man with very little to his own name, Manny is happy with what he has. He needs very little to survive and can be satisfied with a gaming console and a place to sleep. He is the comic relief throughout.
Callie has gone through a lot in the past 3 years, and as a result, has a very full plate. Between running the ranch, working 6 nights a week, and caring for her mother and sister, she doesn’t have much time for sleep or herself. She is strong-willed and hardworking. She is also dedicated to her father’s vision for the ranch, and a thorn in the Van Astons’ side.
Leo is Joseph’s “assistant” and friend. He is a connoisseur of wine, and nothing makes him happier. Although Joseph is his boss, they are closer than either one of them wishes to let on or admit at times.
Austin: 9.0/10
I really enjoyed the way this movie flowed from point A to point B. It has a really great mix of characters and I thought the writers did a good job of balancing the emotional ups and downs. This rom-com has a very predictable story, nearly cliche, but the events between the start and the end are less than that. Leo and Manny’s newfound relationship provides a much-needed layer of comedy to the movie, and they are the most likable characters in the movie. This plot feels very simple and down-to-earth, it does feel fabricated or overdramatized. I was happy to see they managed to avoid at least a few cliches associated with this genre, but it was still a cheesy, heart-warming movie. There are a few elements in the plot that develop into situations that are almost identical to the novel we just read, Paradise Peak. The resemblance between the plots was interesting to see with drastically different characters. I did think the characters in this movie were well written, better than those in Paradise Peak.
The emotional development we see from our two protagonists is great, and it really makes the emotional ups and down more significant. Without that development, this movie is probably bland, and mediocre at best, but our 4 main characters make this movie that much better. Leo and Manny bring something different to this movie than we traditionally see from Rom-Coms, and they add a hilarious element that makes the story feel more real. Everyone has those friends that make fun of you when something goes wrong with a girl, but are also there for you when things are tough. That is the best way I can describe Leo and Manny.
This is probably going to go down as one of the better movies I have seen in 2020, and also one of the better movies released by Netflix. It brings a great mix of comedy, emotion, and drama to the table in one of the most popular movie forms, Rom-coms. I would like to see a few more surprises and things that are off the beaten path in this genre, but it is still a great movie. It is going to bring more than a few smiles to you over the course of an hour and 45 minutes, and possibly a few tears. Grab a bowl of popcorn and go check out this feel-good movie.
Sebastian: 8.5/10
I thought that this was a fun movie that had some good moments throughout. I felt that the characters were written pretty naturally and their dialogue flowed well. The character of Joseph had a pretty similar arc to that of Neil Alden from the book Paradise Peak (which we reviewed) but I still found it to be a compelling ark as a redemption/ finding yourself story is something that I enjoy. The funniest part of the movie was the relationship between Manny and Leo who are an unlikely pair that bond over time and there is a lot of comedy that comes from just the two of them interacting with one another. I found it interesting how much time was devoted to the characters of Manny and Leo and I felt that it added a different dynamic to the romantic comedy genre which kept it refreshing. At the heart of this film is the relationship between the characters of Joseph and Callie as we witness the development of their romance especially from the side of Callie who through much loss in her past has closed herself off to a chance at a new relationship and the gradual nature of her opening up was something that I enjoyed. The drama side of the story mostly comes from Callie and her younger sister Hannah’s mom dying of lung cancer and as she decided not to continue chemo her time is limited but the love and caring between these three characters really adds to the film and you can see how Joseph comes to want this life and type of relationship. The movie only has one major problem and that is that it is predictable. Though I mentioned before this movie has a similar plot to the novel Paradise Peak and the similarities are quite large and after about ten minutes in, I was 90% sure I knew where the film was going and for the most part, I was right. The thing is though while it follows a formula it executes the formula quite well in my opinion and works on most levels.
All in all, while not a ground-breaking film it manages to cause quite a few laughs and have some meaningful emotional scenes which convince me to recommend this film to anyone who wants to watch a romantic comedy type movie.
Nathanyal: 8.0/10
For those of you who are familiar with our website, you would remember that we reviewed a novel called Paradise Peak. Now, A California Christmas has many similarities to that novel. If Travis Alden were rich and didn’t know how to work the land, you get Joseph Van Aston.
Overall, this movie was quite enjoyable to watch. It had a basic story that was used to emphasize other aspects of the movie. However, this also made the movie very predictable, as there were decisions made in the future that were foreseeable.
Now, the main appeal of this movie lies in its great characters and their interaction with each other. By far the most entertaining people to watch were Leo and Manny. They had natural chemistry together and their unexpected friendship was a great surprise to lighten the mood. Besides Leo and Manny, those characters on their own also held their ground. Leo’s main role is a support character, but his quips and lighthearted jabs bring many comedic moments. The leads for this movie aren’t bad either. They each have their moments of weakness where they explore their past, but overall, they are quite basic.
Overall, this movie was a fun pastime. The best part of the movie is by far any interaction involving Leo or Manny. It’s a basic love story that will bring smiles to your face.
