Netflix’s Falling for Christmas is a light-hearted welcome to the holiday season. The film gained considerable attention before its release in due to it being the first film featuring popular actress Lindsay Lohan, who plays the film’s main character, in over a decade. Lohan gained popularity for her roles in films such as The Parent Trap and Mean Girls in the 2000s, but took a step back from acting after dealing with addiction and legal struggles. Her comeback was much anticipated by longtime fans, as well as younger viewers who watched Lohan’s films long after they were released.
The romantic comedy is certainly not a cinematic masterpiece, but it’s a fun and festive film that’s enjoyable to watch. It tells the story of Sierra (Lohan), the spoiled daughter of a hotel owner that suffers a ski accident while her boyfriend, Tad (George Young), is proposing to her, causing her to lose all of her memories. She is found at the hospital by Jake Russel (Chord Overstreet), the owner of a bed and breakfast that had previously tried to do business with Sierra’s father. Sierra, who now goes by Sarah, begins to assimilate into her new life until her father finds her and restores her memories.
After getting her memories back, Sierra realizes that the life of luxury she had with Tad and her father isn’t what she truly wants. And, (spoiler warning), she stops working for her father’s hotel and breaks off her engagement with Tad in order to live a simpler life with Jake. In true romantic comedy fashion, the two of them fall in love and live happily ever after.
While certainly not the most realistic love story, the film was cheerful and fun, which is what many people want to see in a holiday movie. It conveys an important message of staying true to yourself and what you believe in. It also shows that wealth isn’t all there is to life; rather, it is important to follow your heart and do what you truly enjoy.
One unique feature of the film was a cover version of the song “Jingle Bell Rock,” which pays homage to a performance by Lohan’s character Cady in the 2004 film Mean Girls. The new version also features rap artist Ali Tomineek. It was exciting to see Lohan reference one of the most iconic films in her early career, especially one that is still just as popular and loved today as it was when it came out. In addition, Lohan’s sister Aliana — who plays Bianca, a stylist that works for Sierra at the beginning of the film — sings a version of “Jingle Bells” in the film. While she has been an extra in some of her sister’s previous films, this is Aliana’s first credited role. However, she is no stranger to the music industry, having released her own Christmas album, Lohan Holiday, in 2006.
It was interesting to see Lindsay Lohan in her first adult role. Typically, she plays a high schooler, so this was the first time that fans got to see her as an adult. Lohan handled the role evolution with ease, doing an excellent job capturing Sierra’s character. If Lohan continues her acting comeback, it will be exciting to see what role she plays next.
Ili Pecullan is a freshman in the College of Human Ecology. She can be reached at [email protected].