Review

Movie Review: It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
Subtitle: “Where Town Rivalries Are as Intense as a Black Friday Sale.”

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas delivers exactly what you’d expect from a Hallmark holiday movie—small-town charm, twinkling lights, and two people falling in love despite their best efforts to argue over everything. What makes this one stand out is the added spice of a mayoral rivalry that somehow turns a Christmas festival into a battle royale of holiday cheer.

The story centers on two mayors: Sarah (Tricia Helfer) of East Riverton, who’s all about small-town traditions, and Liam (Eric Mabius) of West Riverton, who’s determined to make his town the ultimate Christmas destination. These neighboring towns are so competitive that you half expect someone to sabotage a snowman or booby-trap a Christmas tree.

When the towns are forced to combine their Christmas festivals (gasp!), Sarah and Liam are thrown together to make it happen. Naturally, they go from bickering over caroling schedules to bonding over cocoa faster than you can say “small-town romance.” Their chemistry is undeniable, but so is their relentless need to one-up each other in the holiday spirit department.

Tricia Helfer brings a mix of determination and charm to Sarah, a woman who can turn Christmas into a contact sport while still looking flawless in a parka. Eric Mabius’s Liam is equal parts smug and endearing, like a man who’s just realized his gingerbread recipe isn’t the best after all. Together, they create the kind of romantic tension that only Hallmark can pull off—equal parts banter and glitter.

But let’s not forget the real drama: the townspeople. Both East and West Riverton treat this festival merger like it’s the Olympics of Christmas. From choir standoffs to debates about tree placement, the townsfolk are hilariously overinvested. There’s even a subplot involving an elderly couple who might end the feud just by being adorable, but don’t worry—the towns’ antics keep things hilariously petty.

Unintentionally funny highlights include:
- Liam and Sarah competing to see whose Christmas lights are brighter, as if their electric bills aren’t a factor.
- A Christmas bake-off that’s treated with the same intensity as a Supreme Court hearing.
- Every townsperson acting like the festival outcome will literally determine the future of Christmas itself.

Of course, the movie has all the classic Hallmark trimmings: heartfelt speeches about community, snow that falls at exactly the right moment, and a last-minute grand gesture that makes everyone forget they spent 90% of the movie arguing. By the end, Sarah and Liam not only save Christmas but also discover that maybe, just maybe, two towns—and two stubborn mayors—can become one.

Final Verdict: 3.5/5 twinkling lights. It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas is a festive delight, full of over-the-top rivalries, holiday clichés, and just enough romantic charm to keep you invested. Watch it if you’re in the mood for a Christmas movie with a side of small-town drama, but maybe skip it if you’re already feuding with your neighbors over whose house is more decorated. 🎄✨🤶