Driving Back for Christmas
One of the joys of Christmas movies and in particular made for TV Christmas movies is that you watch them for a feeling, that element of wintry and festive charm. And as such it doesn't matter a great deal if a movie is unoriginal or predictable because as long as it gives you that Christmassy feeling then job done. That brings me to "The Road to Christmas" probably one of the most predictable Christmas movies I have ever watched yet its transparent romantic comedy storyline didn't bother me once. And the simple reason for that is because "The Road to Christmas" does what it sets out to do; deliver a fun Christmas romantic comedy which makes you smile whilst putting you in the mood for Christmas.
Fashion photographer Claire Jameson (Jennifer Grey - Bloodhounds of Broadway) is wrapping up work in Chicago whilst her Italian boyfriend Lorenzo (Jean Michel Paré) heads to Aspen to finalize arrangements for their Christmas Eve wedding. But after everyone warns her about marrying an Italian Claire decides to head to Aspen early only to find her plane diverted, the bus doesn't go all the way and after a run in with some hill-billies she is left stranded in the middle of nowhere. Except she meets Tom (Clark Gregg) and his daughter Hilly (Megan Park - She's Too Young), who happen to be from Chicago and are heading by road to Vale offering to give her a lift, a lift which ends up changing their lives in a way none of them would have imagined.
Now to be fair the start to "The Road to Christmas" is a bit different than you expect because to be honest this is one predictable movie. What I mean from this is that for the first 20 minutes or so we have Tom and Hilly on their journey and then Claire on her mishap filled journey and every now and then they happen to be at the same point at the same time as Hilly spots Claire as they drive past her.
Anyway this semi different opening soon paves way for what is the main and completely predictable story as Tom and Claire meet and don't get on but of course the more time they spend together the friendlier they become. Yes "The Road to Christmas" features a story which has been done more times than I care to remember as someone due to get married meets someone who turns out to be more appropriate on the way and has to decide between their heart and their head. And to be honest pretty much all the scenes which follow from Hilly and Claire chatting to the uptight Claire having a laugh with Tom are as you would expect. The only surprise is a little one when it comes to Lorenzo although to be honest you would have to be daft not to have spotted it before we get to the twist.
But the thing is that whilst "The Road to Christmas" is a by the book Christmas romantic comedy it works in a pleasant, middle of the road sort of the way. Everything about it is what you expect from moments of humour to moments of romance and it does have that bit of Christmas charm, that aspect of being sweet and cute. And the reason it does is because both Jennifer Grey as Claire and Clark Gregg as Tom do a nice job, making them this couple who seem good together.
What this all boils down to is that "The Road to Christmas" may be a movie you have not watched yet but it is one which features a storyline which I am sure you will be familiar with. It is really just a textbook Christmas romantic comedy which does nothing different to any other movie but in an easy to watch sort of way it works.
Tags: TV Christmas Movies, Christmas Movies
