Let’s face facts. Christmas movies tend to suffer because no one really puts any thought into them. Most of the time, the movies tend to be a passable way for the studios to make a high return on investment by fishing something out of the slush pile. However, they can easily turn into a horrifying mix of bad acting, cliched storytelling, and unbearable moments that’ll turn a regular guy into some kind of Scrooge at the drop of a hat.
So, imagine my surprise when I came across Freeform’s No Sleep ‘Til Christmas. It’s not going to top Die Hard as the best Christmas movie ever made, but it’s way better than the painful average.
The Cast Oozes Chemistry.
Movies that don’t have a special effects budget survive on the strength of the cast. Luckily, No Sleep ‘Til Christmas has a good one that is carried along by the acting ability of Odette and Dave Annable. One would certainly expect a married couple to have great on-screen chemistry, but these two manage to take things to the next level by developing a relationship that doesn’t turn into an eye-rolling disaster.
In fact, I’d argue that it’s one of the more believable love stories that I’ve seen in a long time… if we put aside the ridiculous premise, that is. More on that later.
The supporting cast does a good job, too. While most are there to represent a decent group of friends and family members, I want to focus on Charles Michael Davis’ Josh. He isn’t on-screen as much as I would like, but he manages to sell himself as the most understanding fiance in the world. I suspect that most viewers will feel something for his arc over the course of the movie, especially since the writers manage to avoid painting him as the evil guy. With that said, there probably should have been an extra scene or two so that the audience can get to know him better.
They Manage To Sell An Absurd Premise.
The strangest thing about No Sleep ‘Til Christmas has to be its plot. Every piece of it should not work. And yet, it does.
The movie focuses on Lizzie (Odette Annable), a high-strung event planner in Chicago. She seems to have it all, but there’s just one problem: She can’t sleep at all.
Naturally, she runs into (or is it over?) Billy (Dave Annable). She discovers that Billy has the same condition, so they come up with an easy solution. Billy agrees to “sleep with” Lizzie. In exchange, she’ll help him finance his dream bar. After that, it’s off to the races!
I know. It sounds silly, right? How could a story like that work?
If we put aside the idea that a person malfunctions without 6-8 hours of sleep per night, it comes down to chemistry and subtlety. Most romantic comedies put two people together that are polar opposites, but No Sleep ‘Til Christmas does things differently. These two are similar enough that one can easily see why they start to orbit around one another.
And of course, the movie trades bullshit cliches like running off to the airport for a whole bunch of awkward, PG-rated sex jokes. What could be better than that?
It’s Not Flawless.
While there’s a lot to like about No Sleep ‘Til Christmas, I feel that it’s important to point out that the movie doesn’t really have a sense of balance. The development of Josh is the most notable example of the problem, but one could also extend this criticism to characters like Mrs. Wright (Sheryl Lee Ralph), Vivian (Tina Jung), or Kristina (Stacey McGunnigle).
The performances serve their purpose, but little additions and tweaks could have added subtle touches of depth to each character and the overall story.
Conclusion.
No Sleep ‘Til Christmas may not knock your socks off, but it’s well worth a watch during the holiday season. The actors are great, the story is absurdly entertaining, and there’s nothing that’ll make you roll your eyes or squirm in your seat. It’s not for everyone, but it might just put a smile on your face.
And really, isn’t that what we all want when the weather sucks?
Happy Christmas, everyone!
This movie sucks and is cringed.