Jump to the good stuff: The Story | Some Thoughts | The Final Verdict
The Story:
Under the Christmas Tree is a lesbian holiday romance set in Maine.
Before retiring and leaving their holiday themed business to their daughter, Alma (Elise Bauman), Mr. and Mrs. Beltran hire a consulting company to recommend ways to modernize the company. While Mrs. Beltran (Wendy Crewson) likes the ideas the company shows them, Alma does not.
Meanwhile, Charlie (Tattiawna Jones) is hired by the state of Maine to find the perfect Christmas tree for a holiday tree lighting celebration. While scouting forests with her assistant, Rohan (Shawn Ahmed), they find the perfect tree on the Beltran property.
Prior to meeting the Beltrans to discuss acquiring the tree, Charlie and Rohan run into Alma at a local pâtisserie. Charlie and Alma exchange interested glances and begin talking. It isn’t until Charlie and Rohan meet with the Beltrans and discover that Alma is their daughter that things get awkward. While Alma’s parents like Charlie’s proposition, Alma does not. She has too many memories tied to the tree to allow it to be cut down.
Will Charlie be able to convince Alma to part with her cherished tree or will her romantic feelings for her get in the way?
Some Thoughts:
Under the Christmas Tree has all the marking of a holiday romance. It has a silly story, lovable characters, and a sense of family. The acting, directing, and production values are what’s to be expected from this type of romantic movie.
My only issue with this film is that the romantic leads have no chemistry. Jones and Bauman go through the motions of two people falling in love, but they don’t have the spark that this type of story needs. Their acting abilities are typical for TV romance, so the problem isn’t there. The issue is the casting. They simply don’t connect.
The rest of the film is great. The story is a light mix of holiday cheer and plot.
The Final Verdict:
Under the Christmas Tree is a fun romantic romp that suffers from a lack of chemistry between the leads.
