Review

Movie Review: Checkin' It Twice
Subtitle: "When Christmas, Hotel Chaos, and Way Too Many Awkward Moments Collide in the Most Hilariously Predictable Way."

“Checkin' It Twice” is Hallmark’s latest holiday comedy, and if you’ve ever wondered what would happen if a Christmas hotel got hit with way too much holiday chaos, mismatched love interests, and a totally unorganized staff that has zero idea what they’re doing—then this movie is the Christmas miracle you didn’t know you needed.

The plot follows Kara (played by Sarah Drew, because no one does “totally normal woman who gets way too involved in Christmas madness” like her), a hotel manager who’s just trying to survive the holidays without her entire hotel turning into a Christmas disaster zone. Kara’s mission? To make sure that her family’s quirky hotel has a picture-perfect Christmas season. But as we all know, nothing goes smoothly in a Hallmark movie, especially when the hotel is way too involved in Christmas events like over-the-top holiday banquets and way too many themed Christmas rooms (because this is Hallmark, and nothing screams Christmas like everything being themed around the holiday).

Enter Brad (played by Niall Matter, because you can’t have a Hallmark Christmas movie without the perfect love interest), a man who’s definitely not into Christmas but somehow finds himself tied up in holiday chaos because he’s here to review the hotel for a very important business deal. Of course, Brad is all about efficiency and serious hotel reviews—you know, the kind of guy who wants everything to run smoothly without any Christmas spirit at all. He’s completely against Kara’s way too festive approach to the holidays, which involves way too many twinkling lights, gingerbread house contests, and holiday carolers who are way too enthusiastic.

Naturally, these two have zero chemistry—except, of course, they have way too much chemistry, because this is Hallmark. Watching Kara try to get everything perfectly Christmas-y while also pretending she’s not totally falling for the grumpy, Christmas-hating man is utterly delightful. Every time Kara tries to force Brad into Christmas activities like cookie decorating or being involved in a ridiculously large Christmas tree lighting, you’ll be laughing at how predictably sweet it all is. The "I’m not falling in love with you" moments are so obvious, it’s like watching a snowstorm in slow motion—you know it’s coming, but you just can’t look away.

The humor in this movie comes from the absolute chaos that is Kara’s hotel. Every time she tries to maintain some semblance of professionalism, her staff gets way too involved in the holiday shenanigans—like the awkward bellhop who insists on dressing like Santa Claus or the way-too-cheerful front desk clerk who accidentally triple-books rooms because Christmas magic is more important than hotel logistics. Add in some way-too-over-the-top Christmas events (think a Christmas wedding in a snow globe, or a reindeer-themed yoga class that no one signed up for), and Kara’s hotel becomes the absolute mess you’ll be grinning at the entire time.

Then there’s the romance, of course. As expected, Kara and Brad’s “we’re definitely not falling in love with each other” routine is so obvious you’ll be rolling your eyes while swooning at the same time. Every awkward “let’s pretend we’re not into each other” moment is followed by way too many magical Christmas kisses and a lot of accidental falling into each other—and before you know it, Kara and Brad realize they’re completely in love. It’s predictable, but it’s also so adorable you won’t care that you saw it coming from mile away.

The grand finale? Predictably perfect, as always. After a ridiculously dramatic hotel Christmas event that’s way too over the top (but totally Hallmark-approved), Kara and Brad finally admit their feelings for each other in front of the perfectly timed Christmas tree surrounded by too many guests and way too much holiday cheer. Because if you’re going to fall in love at Christmas, it might as well be in a hotel where everything is 100% chaotic and 100% heartwarming.

“Checkin' It Twice” is charming, hilarious, and utterly ridiculous in the best possible way. If you enjoy holiday mishaps, way too much Christmas magic, and a romance that’s so obvious it’s impossible not to laugh at, then grab your comfiest blanket, your fave Christmas cookies, and get ready for a holiday movie experience that will have you cheering for Kara and Brad—while you definitely make sure your hotel stays more organized than theirs. 🎄🏨💋