WHAT’S IT ABOUT
In pursuit of a fairytale romance with the man of her dreams, Layla must race through New York City to get her hands on the hottest ticket in town: the sold out Pentatonix Christmas Eve Concert.
MOVIESinMO REVIEW
Netflix has “Meet Me Next Christmas,” starring Christina Milian as Layla, to help restore the genre of romantic comedies. The story begins when a winter storm cancels Layla’s plans of going to a Pentatonix concert with her boyfriend, Tanner (Brendan Morgan). Stuck in the airport, she finds herself with the charming James (Kofi Siriboe) in the first-class lounge. Though she’s taken, their immediate connection sparks a playful proposition: if she’s available next year at this time, at the concert, they should meet again. Cut to a year later, Layla has just broken up with Tanner. The film glosses over this potentially important breakup just a little too quickly but does set up an intriguing romantic chase. Enter Teddy (Devale Ellis), the warmhearted concierge who becomes her unlikely ally in securing tickets to the sold-out Pentatonix concert—and possibly, her way back to James. The film is brightest when it’s Layla and Teddy out and about, scouring the city for tickets to that concert. That entails a detour into very funny drag show territory, thanks to Teddy’s cousin Jordy (Kalen Allen). Though this elaborate sequence feels a bit disconnected from the main plot, it successfully shows the growing bond between the lead characters. Milian has an infectious charm about her, frequently breaking the fourth wall with subtle, knowing glances that lean in and wink at the tropes of the genre without sacrificing an ounce of her character’s authenticity. Her musical talent, in which she blends perfectly with the integration of Pentatonix—doing more than just a cameo performance—places this movie on solid footing. The a cappella group scenes are made up of these spontaneous performances, entertaining the audience while comedically frustrating their manager, Becca (Nikki Duval). Director Rusty Cundieff finds those moments of true connection mostly in the second half when Teddy’s romantic side comes to the fore. But the screenplay sometimes falls into unnatural dialogue, such as when Layla refers to her airport meeting as a “meet-cute” or calls James “her person.” The movie also doesn’t quite earn Layla’s quick emotional turnaround from James to Teddy, although natural chemistry between Ellis and Milian eases over that plot point. Other supporting characters help to give the story more dimension, including Layla’s best friend, Roxy (Tymika Tafari), whose convenient revelation that she never liked Tanner anyway seems designed to ease the audience’s conscience about Layla’s moving on. The characterization of Teddy as a passionate cook with mysteriously poor reviews creates an intriguing contradiction, adding layers to his otherwise straightforward persona. Where the film is light-hearted fun, it sometimes does sacrifice emotional depth for pacing. The hurried handling of Layla’s breakup takes what could have been an even more poignant exploration of relationship transitions. The movie does, however, succeed in capturing the very unpredictable nature of love and just how important timing is in a relationship. “Meet Me Next Christmas” is an ideal background for holiday activities—rather charming and funny enough to keep audiences engaged but not too demanding of intense concentration. It makes for an enjoyable watch, thanks to Milian’s engaging performance, Ellis’s endearing presence, and musical interludes by Pentatonix—rare in most streaming fare. This movie may not be perfect, but it is going to bring us a heartwarming story to remind us that love comes when and where we least expect it.
OUR RATING – A MILLIAN 7