#Xmas

Rating: 8/10 

Reason: Great acting, and the story was not too cheesy. Could have had more funny moments.

*Watched on Amazon Prime Video (Age Rating: ALL)

SPOILERS BELOW!

                                                                        

Interior Designer Lady (IDL) and Sister own an interior design store that is not doing well despite their best efforts. 

An Influencer Couple is having an influencer contest that IDL wants to enter, but she figures her best chances are if she poses as a wife and Mom, so she convinces her friend Photo Man (who she used to date) to pretend to be her hubby, with her Sister's baby as her kid.

IDL is in the top 20! (Did you expect any different?)

*Side note* Interior Designer Lady and Sister have fabulous hair! 

Mother sees the fake video and assumes IDL is actually married and had a baby. Mother decides to go visit her daughters for Christmas. 

Photo Man and IDL are very good at pretending to be a couple. A random lady compliments their couplehood, and now IDL feels bad for lying...

They made the top 10!

Sister tells IDL she needs to keep up the charade for the good of their store.

Mother arrives, and now they need to tell Mother the truth, but don't blow it up, Mother!  Mother declares herself an actress. "We can do this!"

IDL is suspicious of Mother's motives.

IDL is not happy. Mother tends to make things about herself, and IDL is worried how this will affect her chances in the contest. 

They are in the top 3!

The Influencer Couple are coming to visit. This is a disaster! 

The only way this charade will work is if IDL, Photo Man and the baby use Mother's rented house. This favour will come at a cost. Mother insists on being involved, and spending Christmas together with her daughters. 

The house is not decorated well, so IDL and Sister have a big job to make it look nice for the visiting Influencer People. And Christmas. 

Mother breaks out a few old family decorations. Now they are being sentimental.

Photo Man is beginning to like playing house with IDL. They have a brief 'stare at each other' meaningful moment...

Influencer Couple are fighting on the way to the house. They decide to pretend to be happy during the visit. 

Apparently the plan to stay at Mother's house did not include the baby staying there... Oh what a tangled web. I can't even begin to explain...

Influencer Couple asks IDL and Photo Man about their history, and ask about wedding photos... Quick change of subject, and the day is saved!

It's nighttime so IDL and Photo Man have to go to their shared bedroom... Photo Man says he likes this version of his life. IDL is worried that she will repeat Mother's mistakes, and she doesn't want to inflict that pain on anyone. Photo Man says nice things and IDL falls asleep. 

They both slept on top of the covers with their shoes on. (Shoes on in the house?! On the bed?! This is definitely not a Canadian movie!)

IDL is beginning to realize that being genuine is more important than being the best, and she's beginning to let her messiness and imperfections show. 

Oops! Photo Man and IDL ended up under some mistletoe! Kissing commences. They both appear a bit shell shocked afterwards. IDL reiterates that it wasn't real, but it helped them in the contest. Photo Man offers that they should do it some more... Practice makes it look more realistic, right? That's a step too far for IDL. She excuses herself to wash her hair.

Because of his newfound popularity, Photo Man gets a job offer in the city. IDL assumes he won't go, but Photo Man asks, "what's keeping me here?"

IDL replies, "family, friends... Me."

But that's not good enough for Photo Man. He wants more than pretend if he's going to stay. 

In a moment alone, Photo Man gives IDL a Christmas gift. It's a book of photos of IDL.  He has clearly loved her a long time. He wants to make this fake relationship real. IDL is afraid she'll lose her best friend of the relationship doesn't work. 

IDL then tells Sister she has very much enjoyed her fake family, and now she's afraid she also wants it to be real. 

The sisters put on a dance.

Influencer Couple have a fight about being a couple vs being influencers. 

IDL and Mother have a fight about Mother making things about herself and not being a good Mother to IDL.

Influencer Couple tell IDL they are separating and there's no such thing as a perfect couple.

Photo Man wants to know if he should take his job offer in the city, or stay here for IDL.

IDL doesn't know.

Time for a speech! IDL is feeling super guilty for all the lies. "We're not a couple! This isn't my baby! Mother and I don't get along!"

Photo Man is mad because it all felt so good being together. He's tired of IDL being scared. He has always loved her. Photo Man can't be IDL's friend anymore. 

IDL talks to Sister and Sister tells her she didn't think IDL was faking it as much as she thinks. That was IDL without the self-doubt!

IDL does a public apology video, and admits it's ok not to be perfect. "Just be yourself! Just be myself, IDL!"

Photo Man took the job in the city, and Mother tells IDL to tell Photo Man she loves him! Don't throw love away! IDL runs! 

Influencer Couple stop IDL and say,"thank you for being real. It brought us back together!"

IDL tells Photo Man she has always loved him too, but she was scared. She's still scared, but she doesn't want to lose him! Photo Man stops her with a kiss, then takes a photo of them.

The end