Movie Review: ‘See You Next Christmas’

Review by James Lindorf

From Neil Simon’s “Same Time, Next Year” to Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy, we have always been captivated by a couple who keeps letting life get in the way of their undeniable chemistry. Humbly following in their footsteps is “See You Next Christmas,” the Humor & Humanity Award winner at the 30th Anniversary Heartland International Film Festival. An annual holiday party is the background for this tale of love and missed opportunities. You can find out what everyone is up to this year when Giant Pictures brings “See You Next Christmas” to streaming platforms on November 9th.

Every year Annie, writer and director Christine Weatherup, and her husband Tom (Vin Vescio) host a holiday party affectionately referred to as “Clarkmas.” Natalie, Elizabeth Guest (AP Bio), is Annie’s cousin; she is new in town and, as her mother likes to remind her, chronically single. Logan, AJ Meijer (Sneaky Pete), is Tom’s oldest friend and has just moved back to town to work and be closer to his mom. After a bit of a slow start at their first “Clarkmas,” Natalie and Logan end up in an intense conversation filled with witty exchanges and plenty of flirtation. When words no longer suffice, they give over to passion only to be interrupted when the apartment must be evacuated. If the disruption wasn’t bad enough, they were forced to climb out the bathroom window together, in front of all the other guests. The fallout from the embarrassing situation sets in motion a love-hate relationship that will last for years and “Clarkmasses” to come.

“See You Next Christmas” is built around two couples. The one hosting the event and the one that can’t seem to get started. Tom and Annie have that “ideal” relationship we are all supposed to be searching for. They are in love, romantic, and supportive. Their biggest concerns include the best way to serve hot appetizers. If they buy a house, will it be too far away for their friends to come and visit. In their personal relationship, they have love and passion for each other even during stressful times around the holidays and through troubles at work. They are endearingly quirky, and the pressure they put themselves under to put on the best party for their friends is extremely relatable. They are the stable core of the group we are supposed to want Natalie and Logan to become.

Guest and Meijer have terrific chemistry as Logan and Natalie, making them fun to watch in whatever stage the potential couple is in. Are they flirting, bickering, did one of them come with a date? Each year it is something else in the way. These obstacles are treated like mountains, surrounded by a moat filled with piranha that can only be magically crossed at the party. Their problems would be solved by saying what they mean or by listening to the other person. Having them so close to a breakthrough with something so stupid getting in the way keeps the audience on edge. Will this be when Logan doesn’t need to make a joke or if Natalie won’t get defensive over minor disagreements?

The core cast is all pretty good, but they fall into tiers. Vescio and Weatherup are good as the sweet friends but lack the charisma and presence in this performance to make you believe either of them could carry a movie as the lead. Meijer shows lots of promise and could be refined into a leading man or at least have a career in Rom-Coms as either the jerk she needs to leave for the “hero” and occasionally as the romantic lead he was here. Guest is the clear standout. She perfectly nails the sweet, flirty know-it-all Natalie, and I would be happy to see her in many more projects.

Outside of Natalie and Logan, the group of partygoers leaves something to be desired in both character and portrayal. Nina (Nalini Sharma) is constantly looking for acknowledgment of her superior baking, which I get. Still, she never does anything else of note. The morose Doug (Zach Kanner) always has something to complain about and would be exhausting in nearly every situation. The straw that breaks the camel’s back of this group is Dave Child’s Cliff. While Cliff is well-meaning, he is ignorant of his self-centered nature, leading to many of his foolish antics. These people are a collection of oddities that scream; they got invited because it is too awkward to stop. Tom and Annie have seemingly outgrown them, but they are fighting to keep those friendships alive.

It should come as a shock to no one that the plot of “See You Next Christmas” didn’t break new ground. The charm lies not in the story being told but in how it is being presented to us. The four main characters provide audiences a heartwarming tale of love, how it is special no matter how or when it comes into your life, and that it is always worth fighting for. “See You Next Christmas” is a 3.5 out of 5 and a step beyond all the Hallmark Christmas movies you could watch this year, and it might be worth putting on at your annual “Clarkmas.”

Genre: Romance, Comedy, Other
Original Language: English
Director: Christine Weatherup
Producer: Beatriz Chahin, Matt Enlow
Writer: Christine Weatherup
Release Date (Streaming): November 9th, 2021
Runtime: 1h 39m