‘Meet Me Next Christmas’ Netflix Movie Review - Another Forgettable Christmas Rom-Com

It's funny how Christmas movies go out of their way to ensure their characters receive a happy ending. The events are manipulated to make every piece fall into place so neatly that the whole experience reeks of artificiality. These films convey the message that Christmas is magical - that it's a time when good things happen to those who deserve them. Basically, a down-on-their-luck character is bestowed with romance, happiness, and goodwill. But the calculations the Christmas Movies indulge in look very contrived, very predictable. You watch them and are constantly hit with the realization that these developments can only occur in a film. What's created to make you believe in the Christmas Magic instead turns you into a cynic. The Christmas Movies, like the superhero films, follow rigid rules to satisfy a particular section of the audience. They play safe, and the result is unoriginal - something you have already watched a million times.

Rusty Cundieff's Meet Me Next Christmas, written by Molly Haldeman and Camilla Rubis, has an interesting idea at its center: What if you are attracted to two people and both of them look like your soulmate? The chemistry is simply perfect. Who will you choose in such a case? When Layla (Christina Milian) meets James (Kofi Siriboe) at an airport lounge, she almost immediately gets comfortable in his presence, and as their conversation goes on and on for a few more hours, they realize they could be a compatible couple. Layla, however, rejects the notion because she already has a boyfriend, Tanner (Brendan Morgan). Later, when Layla encounters Teddy (Devale Ellis), a concierge, and spends time with him as they find leads for a concert ticket, she realizes, "Hey, Teddy can be my perfect boyfriend." Who will Layla choose now - Teddy or James?

Meet Me Next Christmas had the potential to keep the audience guessing until the end; however, its lack of originality becomes apparent quickly when, before Layla, you predict that Tanner will get caught having sex with some woman. And when does this happen? Right before Christmas. Why? James and Layla made a deal that if they were single by the next Christmas, they would meet at the Pentatonix concert and officially become a couple (hence the title). So you see, the movie turns Tanner unfaithful at the last moment to just send Layla on a romantic quest. Layla and Teddy's meeting is also more than just an accident. These two met each other at the same lounge where Layla met James, but their encounter was brief at that moment. Now Teddy finds Layla as one of his clients, and for the most part, he tries to remember where he saw her before coming across her at his workplace (Layla, too, doesn't recall Teddy's face).

Why is Teddy working as a concierge? He used to be a chef, but after his mother fell ill, he returned home to care for her. Okay, so why doesn't Teddy go back to his original job after his mother gets better? Teddy's mother even expresses her desire for him to follow his dreams and doesn't mind if he leaves home to pursue them. Despite his poor performance, Teddy continues working as a concierge so that he can meet Layla, assist her with the tickets, and become her life partner. There appears to be no other convincing reason. You see through Meet Me Next Christmas' contrivances. This is why you, before the film, end up declaring James' fate. It's easy to guess his reason for attending the concert, as the film is devoid of surprises. The one saving grace is Kalen Allen's energetic screen presence, though even he can only do so much to breathe life into this dull collection of clichés. The band members often end up saying - or singing - a word together, which merely elicits a surprised response from their manager. This joke is mild; it doesn't evoke chuckles. Meet Me Next Christmas is neither funny nor does it have that romantic spark that could elevate it from the realm of forgettable. It lacks a breath of fresh air, which is why it will fade into obscurity long before the arrival of the holiday season.

Final Score- [3/10]
Reviewed by - Vikas Yadav
Follow @vikasonorous on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times