There are plenty of things I can rely on in the holiday season: My mother breaking something on Thanksgiving, me in the mall hours before Christmas, A Charlie Brown Christmas, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Christmas carols ad nausem, Hallmark movies, parties, food, and my father taping “The Christmas List.”
Oh, yes, he loves the movie. And that’s why I made it this month’s topic.
So, what’s on my Christmas list? SPOILERS!
The Christmas List tells the story of Melody Parris (Mimi Rogers), who works the perfume counter at a department store. She is known as “the nose” and is able to figure out scents just by people’s descriptions. But she has a lot to deal with as the holiday season starts. Her mother, Natalie Parris (Stella Stevens), isn’t much for tradition Christmas and wants to see Melody married like her sister Caroline (Anne Farquhar). And at work, she is passed over for a promotion in favor of the less talented but more beautiful April May (Madison Graite). Melody decides to write a Christmas list and “mail” it to Santa.
Once she does, she starts receiving the things on the list. A mother who is traditional. A pair of pink fuzzy slippers. She also wins a car but shares the prize with a young boy named Danny Skylar (Bill Switzer). He is the lonely son of a widowed doctor, David Skylar (Rob Stewart), who befriends Melody when she is able to find the perfume his mother used to wear. He also prefers her over the woman his father is planning on marrying, Faith (Marla Maples). Melody and David start to get closer but Melody’s life starts to fall apart. Can she put the pieces back together? And what about the Skylars?
It’s a cute movie. Rogers’ character is relatable. She’s not drop-dead gorgeous, especially when compared to Graite or Maples. And like others, she is unsuccessful but not due to lack of talent. It’s due to not standing out. She needs to speak up and prove she is the one the bosses should’ve promoted. The movie is the journey for Melody to find her inner courage.
She also helps Danny find his inner courage as well. He is still mourning his mother when the story starts and isn’t ready for his dad to move on. Then he meets Melody. She helps him heal, giving him the attention he needs. And she helps his father remember what it means to be a parent. Also to see through Faith.
Stevens as the mother is a hoot. From the non-traditional, not inclined to celebrate woman to the picture of the perfect mother, it’s great. And the fact the movie makes it seem like magic may be afoot is even better. In the end, everything has a rational explanation but for a moment, both Melody and the viewers believe.
And that’s the magic of Christmas.
Next month: Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen month! Staring with “It Takes Two”!
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