Lindsay Lohan, an icon of all icons, is someone who has made an impact in such little time and in so many different ways. Her career started off with her as one of the most promising actresses of her time but was quickly backtracked by personal struggles. After some years out of the public eye, she finally returned with a leading role in a major motion picture. Lohan’s first film back, “Falling for Christmas,” is the perfect relaunch for her career.
After some years out of the public eye, Lohan is finally back in a leading role in a major motion picture.
Photo courtesy of Netflix
In the film, Lohan plays Sierra Belmont, a spoiled heiress to a hotel resort. When she gets proposed to by her influencer boyfriend, Tad, she falls off the snow mountain they are on right to the bottom. There she is found by Jake, played by Chord Overstreet, who owns the ski lodge next to Sierra’s father’s hotel. He brings Sierra to a hospital where they discover she has lost her memory from the fall and does not remember anything about her life. Jake offers her to stay with him and his family at the ski lodge where they try to help Sierra get back to living her life.
The film as a whole is a typical Christmas movie similar to one you have probably seen before, but there is nothing wrong with that. “Falling for Christmas” does a great job of submerging the audience into this winter wonderland and creating a warm, fuzzy feeling in your heart. The setting is perfect for a Christmas movie and makes the audience wish they were with the characters doing all these fun things for the holiday.
Jake and Avy take Sierra to a Christmas festival in town where they encounter a special man with a white beard.
Photo courtesy of Netflix
As the film moves along with the characters doing different activities, we see Sierra and Jake start to catch feelings for each other. They can’t help it as they are together every day doing things that are very sweet and romantic like making breakfast, going skiing and spending time with Jake’s daughter, Avy (Olivia Monet Perez). A significant scene for their relationship is when Sierra tells Jake she does not think she has ever met him before because if she did, she would have remembered him.
We also start to learn about the loved ones Sierra and Jake are missing, including Sierra’s mom and Jake’s wife who have both passed away, showcasing the vulnerability of both characters. It was smart of the film’s writers to add this emotional storyline for the lead characters as the holidays are always a time for families to be together. Having both leads missing someone can create a relatable moment for an audience member who is going through the same thing around Christmas.
As the film moves along, Sierra and Jake start to catch feelings for each other.
Photo courtesy of Netflix
Of everything, Lohan’s performance is easily the best part of this mostly uniform film. She gives her role more range than a Netflix Christmas movie deserves or has ever had. With a character like Sierra, Lohan had the ability to show both her comedic and dramatic sides, which is strategic considering this is her first movie in almost a decade. And with the film being a holiday movie, one that is most likely going to get rewatched multiple times, it makes sense that she wanted to do something where she can showcase her abilities.
Jake and his daughter, Avy, take Sierra in and help her try to regain her memory.
Photo courtesy of Netflix
I experienced a lot of happiness and comfort seeing Lohan in a romantic comedy again, one of the genres we all know her for. There truly were moments I started to get emotional because watching a new movie from her was something I did not know was going to ever happen again.
Overall, “Falling for Christmas” is a joy. Everything in the film works as a reintroduction to Lohan. With the nostalgia of watching her and the film being about Christmas, there is not much to complain about. After watching it, it truly felt like Lohan never left us. She picked up her charm, wit and charisma that she had back then so quickly and easily.
