There is a motive why Sarah Drew and Justin Bruening proceed to do tasks collectively. They merely by no means miss.
Their chemistry is out of this world and at all times so endearing to observe that it attracts you in at any time when they’re onscreen collectively. Reindeer Video games Homecoming is a major instance of this.
And Sarah Drew was as beautiful as at all times, starring in, government producing, and penning this heartfelt story of grief, love, and discovering oneself.
Reindeer Video games had most of the widespread staples for a basic Christmas movie. We had the small-town heroine reconnecting with the hot-shot highschool crush who went off and have become well-known.
We had these enjoyable festivities and an awesome sense of group that was outstanding because of the supporting characters. And a few battle and different issues virtually interfered with our couple discovering their method again to at least one one other and having their fortunately ever after.
A whole lot of the movie took some barely totally different approaches too. Refreshingly, whereas the attraction and love between Mac and Chase have been obvious, they balanced properly with their respective particular person tales and challenges.
Mac’s grief, displaying that not solely is it removed from linear, however it by no means lets up regardless of how way back a demise was — it was very outstanding within the story.
It made Mac a really rounded character, and her love story with Chase was solely a tiny fraction of what she wanted to face, deal with, and overcome within the movie.
Mac was a girl who felt caught, and it was such a relatable sentiment that the period of time they spent exploring that facet of issues for her was a breath of contemporary air.
Grief has a method of freezing an individual in a second. And Mac’s whole life stood at a standstill when she misplaced her father. She was too afraid to maneuver on, discovering some consolation in her hometown, the sense of group there, her father’s pals, and extra.
However she additionally felt stagnant and had but to pursue her dream of ending her residency.
I acquired a pleasant chuckle at the truth that Mac is a physician, too. April Kepner will at all times reside on; it felt like a pleasant deal with and nod at her followers.
There’s nothing extra life like than somebody not ending up the place they supposed to be or taking a protracted, windy path to achieve their purpose.
The demise of Mac’s father derailed her a bit, however she nonetheless discovered one thing significant to do in educating AP Sciences at her alma mater and serving as a volunteer EMT, too.
And whereas it is possible that she’ll choose up her residency once more, the time she spent educating nonetheless counts for one thing and felt like a vital pitstop.
Seeing somebody as promising as Mac nonetheless take an surprising path to turn into a physician was comforting and good.
We have fostered a society that persistently sells the notion that if you happen to do not instantly attain your purpose in a specific method or throughout a particular timeline, then it is too late.
We acquired to see by way of Mac how that is not the case.
In that sense, her main purpose on this story wasn’t particularly about getting the man ultimately. Positive, a part of her lesson to study was not operating away from love, trusting it and Chase, and never ruining this good factor.
However it felt prefer it took a backseat to her reaching the subsequent stage of her grieving course of and therapeutic by opening her father’s letter to her and studying to reside once more slightly than exist.
It was an easy story that did not have the same old hokey, zany, festive objectives like saving an annual Christmas occasion, a B&B, or one thing.
Even Christmas felt like a backdrop greater than a outstanding theme of this movie.
Mac’s main story was about reconnecting with herself and needs, which was lovely.
It eliminated among the traditional cheese within the movie whereas nonetheless bringing all of the emotion and coronary heart, a shift from what has turn into the usual method for vacation flicks and satirically taking us again to the extra basic Christmas movies of yesteryear.
Chase had an identical journey he needed to take throughout this film, too.
He was going through his personal crossroads as an motion star too near the fallacious aspect of “washed up.”
He was captivated with performing, however he additionally felt stalled in his profession and life. Hollywood is a fickle business, which was taking a toll on him.
When an individual feels a bit untethered of their life, typically the very best factor they’ll do is return dwelling. Positive, he got here to help his pregnant sister and nephew, however you may inform that dwelling go to was one thing he desperately wanted, too.
At dwelling, he acquired the ego enhance and adoration from his group that he should’ve been missing within the huge metropolis as he was combating for roles.
Everybody was beside themselves together with his return, which supplied quite a lot of amusing moments. And it was additionally cute to see him slowly shedding that Hollywood persona and remembering who he was.
He was nonetheless very Hollywood, from the very engaging albeit at instances unsuitable leather-clad, unhealthy boy aesthetic to his reluctance to do issues like partaking within the Reindeer Video games till his arms have been tied.
However even when he appeared most out of contact, Chase was at all times a down-to-earth, fun-loving character. Even when he and Mac spoke about their previous, you bought the impression that whereas he was a preferred, engaging jock, he wasn’t the stereotypical kind.
He was a little bit of a lovable dork, too, and so they had a mutual appreciation for one another and attraction since they’d shared a kiss as teenagers.
They each have been guarding their hearts again then and even within the current, however as adults, Chase was probably the most keen and glad to take the leap.
Mac’s reservations have been legitimate, although. For one, they’d that historical past the place she felt like he left her within the chilly and friend-zoned her as if he was embarrassed to be with the science nerd after their faculty journey.
It is not the kind of factor you shortly recover from or do not take into consideration, whilst an grownup. However now, she was very conscious of their totally different statuses and the way it appeared they have been on totally different paths.
In her thoughts, it did not make sense {that a} Hollywood star would find yourself with this small-town woman from Vermont, whether or not she was a trainer or a physician.
It made her really feel like a fleeting fling slightly than one thing sustainable and tangible with longevity. Mac’s emotions have been comprehensible, however everybody with eyes, whether or not it was Mac’s hilarious scene-stealing finest good friend Simon and father’s buddies or Chase’s sister, might see how smitten Chase was together with her.
Chase continuously checked out Mac like she held all of the secrets and techniques to the universe and was his final lifeline. It was evident to everybody however her that he was critical and dedicated to what they may very well be as a pair.
Mac was an excessive amount of in her head about what might get in between them that she wasn’t respecting what Chase wished, what he was saying, trusting that his emotions have been deep and that he wasn’t the identical man he was when he made that mistake in highschool.
It did not cease them from having fun with themselves, although. Whether or not it was the enjoyable antics of polar plunge challenges and their aggressive shenanigans or the intimate moments the place they bonded over secret hiding locations and confided in one another, they honestly accomplished each other.
Once more, Drew and Bruening and the chemistry between them is the life pressure of this film and the way it thrived.
There’s a pure consolation and ease between them due to their historical past of working collectively, which interprets superbly onscreen.
You should purchase into the characters as outdated pals, former flames, and soul mates. The familiarity between Chase and Mac wasn’t pressured within the least.
And Bruening nails all of the points that make a implausible main man. Chase was a person in love, and he did not cover it in any method. However what was so fulfilling about his relationship with Mac is that regardless of their years aside, he knew her extremely effectively.
He might see proper by means of her, very attuned to her wants and needs. He matched her vitality, balancing the issues she wanted most and figuring out when she required them.
Chase was Mac’s largest cheerleader and motivator. He held her in such excessive regard and cherished her with out essentially inserting her on some inconceivable pedestal.
And when he supported her, it was as a result of he genuinely cared about her and wished to, and it was with out ulterior motives.
This pairing was beautiful as a result of even when they did not find yourself romantically linked, you may consider they’d be each other’s “particular person” anyway.
All of this made you crave the romantic payout much more, although. The movie did not disappoint when it got here to delivering on that.
Their first kiss was good, particularly it approaching the heels of Chase encouraging and hyping Mac up. It was steamy and sizzling, and a peak distinction is without doubt one of the finest romantic tropes in existence and freaking catnip for the style.
Clearly, somebody understood the project with this as a result of there wasn’t a single time after they weren’t enjoying into their peak distinction to ship on the feels.
Chase already gave the very best kind of hug, the place he embraces an individual together with his full physique and even lifts them.
However that first kiss took it to a different stage. One of many hottest makeout periods, and when Chase lifted Mac off her ft within the course of, it was inconceivable to not swoon.
Simon was most likely dwelling his finest life watching that from his window. He was the proper viewers stand-in, if there was one.
And that was simply the primary kiss! How nice was it to have one among these movies the place they do not save the primary kiss for the epic conclusion?
It hits in a different way when you’ll be able to watch the couple you are falling in love with share a number of kisses all through a movie. It additionally places extra of the romance and bodily expression of it again into play. The chaste takes on romance can fairly actually take the steam and momentum out of a love story, and that is turn into too commonplace.
Reindeer Video games Homecoming delivered on that sensuality and romance tenfold. Every of their kisses was uniquely particular and solely solidified how Mac and Chase have been made for each other.
And their first and second under no circumstances detracted from the candy conclusion when Chase used the crossword puzzle to ship her on a scavenger hunt to search out him on the station.
He made certain his emotions for her and the way actual he thought of the connection recognized and plain as he gained her over as soon as and for all.
And that ultimate kiss was simply as swoon-worthy as the primary, and good grief did they earn it.
As a conclusion, it felt proper that neither of them needed to deny their objectives or sacrifice one thing to be with each other. They have been nothing however wholly supportive of one another.
Chase acquired the three-movie deal that was taking him to Prague, and whereas we did not have any affirmation, Mac would both be in Boston ending her residency or in Vermont educating nonetheless.
It may very well be difficult as a result of filming films and residency packages are time-consuming, and long-distance will be troublesome, however they’re dedicated to creating it work. It hasn’t even crossed their minds that they can not do that, which bodes effectively for them.
Reindeer Video games Homecoming felt like an all-encompassing movie that minimize to the guts of the vacations with out essentially making them a precedence. It was much less camp, cheese, and fluff.
It did its finest to seize on a regular basis human and life experiences past the season. It did not restrict itself to its style and may very well be one to observe all yr spherical.
And Drew and Bruening can positively go on the checklist of one of many hottest pairings price rooting for within the style. Whereas it is uncertain that the request even must be put into phrases, given their intensive, repeat historical past of working collectively, I would like to see them sort out the style once more.
Significantly, extra please! And I wish to see Drew’s subsequent foray into writing one other story and bringing it to life.
Over to you, TV Fanatics.
How did you want this movie? Did you respect the understated deal with Christmas and fewer hokey takes? Are you a fan of the dynamic duo of Sarah Drew and Justin Bruening? Hold forth beneath.
Jasmine Blu is a senior workers author for TV Fanatic. Observe her on Twitter.
