The Christmas Listing – Film Review
Julia Rogers (Lexi Giovagnoli) is a very uptight and hardworking realtor who has lost her Christmas spirit. Julia works very hard to grow her business and help her dad save his home from foreclosure. When Julia and her competitor, the handsome Chad Everett (Travis Burns) are stuck with each other at the Farmstead Inn, a listing they’re both competing for, sparks fly until they realize what’s important, embrace each other and the spirit of Christmas.
Wait a second… you’re telling me that The Christmas Listing is not a Hallmark or Lifetime Original Christmas Movie? It certainly feels like one in every single regard. And if you know me, you know that I most certainly do not like those movies, which is kind of a big shame actually, because my favorite holiday is Christmas and my favorite season is Winter.
There is simply nothing better in life than watching an amazing Christmas movie (i.e. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation), drinking a glass of hot chocolate and eggnog, and relaxing by the fireplace. On top of that, who doesn’t love waking up on Christmas morning and spending the day with all of your loved ones? Even Christmas Eve has this magical feel to it that is nearly impossible to accurately describe.
I just really wish that the majority of holiday films knew how to capture that magical Christmas feeling that you get in real life. There are some exceptions to that rule, like the aforementioned Christmas Vacation for example. And Elf starring Will Ferrell, as goofy and over-the-top as it is, is another great example of how to do a holiday movie right. These romantic holiday movies just don’t understand how to encapsulate holiday magic. The Christmas Listing is no exception.
Courtesy of Nicely Entertainment
The story here is essentially the same story as every other romantic Christmas movie out there. A lonely girl starts to develop feelings for the handsome, charming man after spending a ton of time together. For some reason, this Prince Charming-like character is absolutely perfect in every way and finds himself in every one of these movies. The Christmas Listing has one too.
I wouldn’t mind these movies so much if they actually managed to put me in the Christmas spirit or put a smile on my face, but they don’t, because of how trope-filled and familiar they all feel. Right down to the music, cinematography, and even the editing, this movie absolutely feels like a Lifetime/Hallmark movie in all the worst ways.
And I usually find that these films feature actors that genuinely seem talented but for some reason, agreed to sign onto such a bad flick. In this movie, both Lexi Giovagnoli and Travis Burns try their best to deliver good performances but feel extremely bogged down with a poor and generic script that goes in the exact direction you think it’s going to go. These movies keep getting more difficult to watch each time.
The Christmas Listing plays out like every other romantic holiday movie you’ve seen before, complete with a generic and predictable storyline.
Overall Grade: F
MPAA Rating: N/A
Cast: Lexi Giovagnoli, Travis Burns, Greg Evigan, Rachel O’Connell, Susan Chambers, LeJon Woods, Alex Galick, Emily Sue Bengtson, Tracy Fisher, Claudia Anderson, Janet Fogg
Directed by: Elizabeth Snoderly
Distributed by: Nicely Entertainment
Release Date: November 30, 2020
Running Time: 84 minutes