Film Review: 'A New York Christmas Wedding'

Christmas has never been an easy time of year for Jennifer Ortiz (Nia Fairweather). With both her parents and best friend dead, all the holiday does for Jennifer is remind her of what she's lost. Even her upcoming wedding to her rich fiancée David Wilks (Otoja Abit) can't lift her spirits. After a tense dinner with David and his parents, Jennifer goes for a walk to clear her head and runs into a young man named Azrael (Cooper Koch). Little does Jennifer know how much their conversation will change her life--literally. As the next morning, Jennifer wakes up to find herself in an alternate reality.

Not only is Jennifer's father (David Anzuelo) alive in this reality, but so is her childhood best friend Gabrielle Vernaci (Adriana DeMeo)--who is also her fiancée in this other life. Jennifer is shocked at first and wants nothing else but to get back to her real life. But with some encouragement from guardian angel Azrael, Jennifer eases into her new timeline. The journey will not only reawaken old feelings that Jennifer has long kept repressed, but it will also have her questioning if her real life is the one she wants.

Don't be fooled by the merry little poster above and the Hallmark-ian sound of the plot synopsis. Granted, Netflix's latest MarVista acquisition A New York Christmas Wedding (a title that seems to promise lighthearted romance) has some of that Hallmark-y charm going on for it. The opening act in particular is bound to get you in that frame of mind. But once Jennifer's It's a Wonderful Life reality hop takes place, it becomes clear that the movie isn't going to be all hot chocolate and cozy sweaters. In addition to providing a good mix of idealized escapism and brutal realism, A New York Christmas Wedding has an earnest cast and compelling story to make it a unique MarVista Christmas film.

But as I said, don't go into this movie expecting something on par with something you'd find playing on Hallmark. While the previously reviewed The Christmas House hinted at the struggles felt by those in the LGBT+ community, A New York Christmas Wedding goes all-in on such exploration. In a bold move, director/writer Otoja Abit decided to tackle the controversial issue of LGBT+ acceptance within religious circles--in this case, within the Catholic church. In addition to that, there's also some heavy topics stemming from Gabrielle's tragic backstory and the fights between her and Jennifer feel weightier than the couple fights you see in other Christmas movies. Throw in all the swearing and sexual content, and it goes without saying that this might not be the best pick for Family Movie Night if you're looking for some feel-good, worry-free fluffiness.

But if you're in the mood for a different Hallmark-esque Christmas flick, A New York Christmas Wedding is just that. Admittedly, the opening act had me a little worried about how the movie would turn out. The pace felt off, as did Nia Fairweather's performance and delivery. But once you get into the meat of the story, the pace is more consistent and Fairweather's performance evens out. Once Jennifer enters her alternate reality is when A New York Christmas Wedding really comes together, thanks to its emotionally compelling story and central romance. Significant focus is put on the conflict facing Jennifer and Gabrielle's titular wedding: the fact that their childhood church refuses to officiate same-sex weddings. This allows the movie to take a stance against those who use religion and manipulate scripture to justify homophobia and other bigotry, culminating in a beautifully cathartic scene celebrating love and equality. Chris Noth delivers said scene with impassioned sincerity, and before that, does a good job of depicting Father Kelly's moral quandary.

(Dear Chris Noth: if you're reading this, you're officially forgiven for playing Mr. Big and for appearing in the Sex and The City franchise as a whole)

A New York Christmas Wedding's other big emotional plot point has to do with Jennifer and Gabrielle's relationship. The first time we see the girls together is during their friendship-ending argument, which is the first sign that there's a bumpy road ahead for them in the alternate timeline. Jennifer's callous act of guilt-tripping and harsh letter are sure to strike many as disgusting, and alternate-reality Gabrielle is a bit rough around the edges when we first meet her. But once Jennifer and Gabrielle begin dealing with the damage from their teenage falling-out, both women's flaws are ironed out and you quickly get invested in their relationship. In spite of their imperfect performances and characters, Fairweather and Adriana DeMeo play Jennifer and Gabrielle's troubled relationship dynamic well. This proves essential for the third act to hit as hard as it does, as it's because of how compelling Jennifer and Gabrielle's relationship is that you'll feel your heart breaking when their beautiful future together is threatened.

WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW

In fact, the scene where Azrael confronts Jennifer after her and Gabrielle's "wedding" to remind her that she has to return to her real life is strikingly chilling. It thoroughly pulls you into the tragedy of the situation and how Jennifer is being forced to walk away from the life she and Gabrielle could've had together. The only thing taking away from this heartbreaking scene's power is Cooper Koch's performance. While the twist about Azrael being the spirit of Gabrielle's stillborn baby was a surprise and could've added another layer of emotion to the third act, Koch's stiff performance kills that. In Koch's hands, Azrael seems too indifferent and at times outright cold towards Jennifer's predicament to be a convincing guardian angel looking to help the woman who's in love with his mother. This attitude also makes Azrael's final "appearance" in the movie as a creepy-looking Christmas ornament even more unnerving and unemotive.

Spoilers Below

Otoja Abit works in front of the camera as well as behind it, playing David Wilks with a healthy amount of charm for a standard Expandable Love Interest character. David Anzuelo is sure to warm your heart with his portrayal of Jennifer's immensely supportive and loving father, while Tyra Ferrell brings histrionic cruelty as icy mother-in-law-to-be Alison Wilks. Natasha Goodman (in her first IMDB-recorded role) and Camilla Harden appear as teenaged Gabrielle and Jennifer, with the girls sharing consistent chemistry that makes you believe in their long-ago friendship and then-unspoken attraction.

While it may start out looking and sounding like average Hallmark-like material, A New York Christmas Wedding has much more going on beneath its glossy surface. Not only is the language significantly more mature than made-for-TV fare, the film explores some heavy-for-a-Christmas-movie subjects such as institutionalized homophobia and religious hypocrisy. Still, there's a good amount of yuletide fantasy to keep the story from becoming too depressing, making A New York Christmas Wedding as light and sweet as it is impactful and thought-provoking. So if you're looking for a break from sugary Christmas movies that still has that holiday magic sprinkled into it, this Netflix feature has what you're looking for.

Score: 8 out of 10 texting-and-biking accidents.