The Netflix film Let It Snow is an adaptation of the book of the same name by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle. The film, though not completely faithful to the book, is a charming romantic comedy set during the holiday season and features a talented ensemble cast.
Since it takes place during the holiday season (on Christmas Eve, in fact), and since it is a new release, it makes a great film to watch in order to get into the holiday spirit. However, the film has some aspects that are not traditionally associated with holiday films, particularly Christmas films. Here are the 5 reasons it is the perfect Christmas film, and 5 reasons it is not.
Not Perfect: The Publicist's Storyline
Stuart Bale's publicist, played by the iconic D'Arcy Carden, only makes a few appearances in the film but manages to create conflict between Julie Reyes (Isabela Merced) and Stuart Bale (Shameik Moore), who are falling in love with each other. When she picks up Stuart from Julie's house, she remarks how she hates snow, making her somewhat of a Scrooge or Grinch-type character.
Scrooge and Grinch characters are fun in Christmas films, however, the publicist's story did not follow the typical tropes, which involve a change of heart. The film likely did not have time to include such tropes in the plot, making the publicist's lines about snow insignificant.
Perfect: The Snow
This one is a rather obvious aspect of this particular film, but snow in Christmas movies helps establish the correct atmosphere. The entire plot of the film has to do with the fact that a snowstorm hit the town of Laurel, Illinois, causing chance encounters and providing opportunities for winter fun such as sledding.
The snow also creates a cozy atmosphere, setting up the protagonists with opportunities for the romance that they all seek, whether it is a kiss in the snow, or seeking refuge in the Waffle House which turns it into a breakfast date.
Not Perfect: The Party Scene
It is not uncommon for Christmas films to have party scenes. These parties typically are Christmas parties and involve Christmas music, decorations, and food, with the guests in themed attire such as ugly Christmas sweaters.
The party scene in this film involves teenagers, pop music, and underage drinking. These tropes are more typical of teen movies, which Let It Snow is, on top of being a Christmas romantic comedy. This and the fact that the party is relevant to the plot make the scene still appropriate for the film but the scene does not add to the film being Christmasy.
Perfect: Winter Sports
The film features different wintry sports, namely sledding and broomball. Julie and Stuart go sledding after Stuart charms some young moms into letting him borrow a sled. While descending the hill, Stuart falls off, and Julie crashes into a snowbank and lands on the road near the hill.
The Duke (Kiernan Shipka) and Tobin (Mitchell Hope) are invited by The Duke's friend JP (Matthew Noszka) to play broomball with him and his college buddies. Tobin, who is in love with The Duke, tries to match the toughness of the men around him, but ultimately beefs it on the ice, and is humiliated. Winter sports are a classic Christmas movie trope and is employed by the movie for moments of comic relief.
Not Perfect: Stealing A Keg
When the broomball playing does not live up to Tobin, The Duke, or JP's expectations, the trio decide to ditch and take the Reston brothers' (Jon and Jamie Champagne) keg, which gives way to a comical chase scene between Tobin's run-down car, nicknamed Carla, and the Reston brothers' new sports car.
Like the party, stealing a keg falls more along the lines of what is expected in a teen movie, further adding to the film's place in the teen genre, but does not make for a perfect, feel-good Christmas movie.
Perfect: The Small Town
While Christmas movies that take place in cities can be just as good, there is something that is just cozy about small towns in the winter, much like the snow. Let It Snow takes place in the town of Laurel, Illinois, where everyone seems to know each other.
The fact that everyone knows each other contributes to the closeness of the characters and can add conflict when a stranger appears, even if the stranger is a famous singer like Stuart Bale. The closeness also provides a means for people to act charitably toward each other in the name of the Christmas spirit.
Not Perfect: The Music
In the film, there are maybe two or three Christmas songs featured. However, the rest of the soundtrack is filled with pop and classic rock hits. While the soundtrack itself is good and fun to listen to, the lack of Christmas songs in the film is less than ideal for a Christmas movie, which is typically littered with many Christmas songs, and maybe a few pop hits.
The film does open and close with Christmas songs, though, one of which is performed by one of the main actors, Shameik Moore.
Perfect: The Narrator
Many Christmas movies have narrators, just like Let It Snow does. This narrator is inserted into the story as a lady who drives a tow truck and is known as Tin Foil Woman, among other nicknames, due to her use of aluminum foil on her clothes.
The narrator in the film only speaks as such at the beginning and the very end, making her at first easy to forget by the time Tin Foil Woman is introduced, causing audience not to make the connection until the end, when she is shown watching over the party at the Waffle House and the narration starts once again, implying some sort of omniscience about her, which is typical of Christmas movie narrators.
Not Perfect: The Unfinished Elf Storyline
In most Christmas films involving someone, usually the protagonist, in pursuit of an item that is impossible to get, a sort of divine intervention occurs in the form of a Christmas miracle and the protagonist finds what they have been looking for.
In Let It Snow, Julie is looking for a New England Farmhand Elf, Volume Two for her sick mom. Since it is Christmas Eve, the seller is out of stock, and Julie is ultimately unsuccessful, much to her disappointment. Because there was no Christmas miracle involving Julie's search for the elf, this aspect of the plot contributes to the film's imperfection as a Christmas movie.
Perfect: The Romance
Who doesn't love a good romance story during the holidays? Let It Snow has three primary romances between Julie and Stuart, The Duke and Tobin, and Dorrie and Tegan. There is even a fourth thrown in toward the end, with JP and Addie (Odeya Rush), Dorrie's friend, having a meet-cute, implying they possibly will be a couple in the future.
Each main romance follows the typical romance formula, filled with ups and downs, misunderstandings, and ultimate confessions of love. Dorrie and Tegan's romance is even a queer one, which makes the film even better.