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Stream It or Skip It: ‘Christmas with You’ on Netflix Casts Aimee Garcia and Freddie Prinze Jr. In a Holiday Version of ‘Marry Me’

Where to stream:.

• Christmas With You
• Stream It Or Skip It

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Netflix’s holiday content continues with Christmas With You , a star-crossed romance between a falling pop star (Aimee Garcia) and a high school music teacher (Freddie Prinze Jr.). Do these two make beautiful music together, or should you spend Christmas with another movie? 

CHRISTMAS WITH YOU : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist:  Aimee Garcia ( Lucifer ) plays Angelina Costa, a pop music superstar on the level of a Beyoncé — or at least she was. After a catastrophic TikTok mishap, Angelina suddenly looks out of touch and like she’s coasting on a back catalogue of hits. That’s when she’s gifted an ultimatum from her label: record a hit Christmas single or else . Angelina, desperate for any validation, decides to drop in on a superfan (Deja Cruz) that she saw on Instagram the night before. This turns out to be the right move because superfan Cristina’s dad Miguel (Freddie Prinze Jr.) is a music teacher — and he has an unfinished song that he’s been working on for fun in his spare time. And since Angelina and her manager Monique (Zenzi Williams) can’t drive back to NYC in a snowstorm, why not spend the night turning an after school project into a potential holiday hit…?

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?:  Okay, this one is the Marry Me of the holiday season. Not only is it about a pop music mega-lebrity dating a teacher, but Garcia’s character toured with J. Lo when she was 15. Coincidence ? I mean, probably, but the similarities are very much there.

Performance Worth Watching: Relative newcomer Deja Cruz lights up every scene she’s in with starstruck optimism — that is, when she’s not crying on command in scenes about her dead mother. She’s got the range, and playing Miguel’s daughter Cristina lets her show it off. Also, Falling for Christmas , A Gingerbread Christmas , Christmas with You — what’s with all the single dads and dead moms this year?

Memorable Dialogue: Angelina explains her latest diet to Monique: “It’s when you only eat lettuce, but you alternate by day the kind of lettuce you eat. It’s much more exciting than it sounds. Mo — the transition from arugula to spring mix makes your whole week.”

A Holiday Tradition:  Every year, Costa performs at the Greatest Gift Foundation’s A Christmas to Remember Gala Fundraiser. Foundation, Christmas, gala, fundraiser — yep, checks all the boxes.

Two Turtle Doves: ‘Tis the season for holiday movies about pop stars and musicians. Hallmark’s In Merry Measure (out now) followed a pop star’s trip back home and her showing the high school choir a thing or two… alongside her old rival. There’s also Holiday Harmony on HBO Max (Nov. 24), which is about a songwriter’s hope of competing and winning in a song contest — but then she gets stuck in a small town. And then in CBS’s When Christmas was Young (Dec. 18), a Nashville music manager needs a hit song and, of course, falls hard for an up-and-coming songwriter.

Does the Title Make Any Sense?: Uh, no , because the song that Angelina and Miguel write is titled “Christmas Without You.” What gives??

Our Take:  Christmas With You is a hard movie to really give a “take” on, I’m finding — primarily because I believe that these kinds of movies should be judged based on what they set out to accomplish rather than comparing them to the entirety of cinema. What does a viewer want when they choose to put on Christmas With You ? They want to be charmed by the performances, swoon over the romance, and be dazzled by the Christmas-iness of it all. If there are a few laughs and even just one legitimately surprising twist, that’s a bonus. So, does Christmas With You deliver?

Aimee Garcia definitely delivers, as she always does. She pretty much steals every scene she’s in in every project she tackles, and that includes Lucifer — a show starring a literal handsome devil. But Freddie Prinze Jr. isn’t able to match Garcia’s energy. There’s a similar vibe at work here as in Falling for Christmas with Lindsay Lohan. Unless you were one of the few who watched the Punky Brewster revival on Peacock, you probably haven’t seen Prinze in live-action in a decade or more (albeit for much more family-friendly reasons than the ones that have kept Lohan offscreen). But Lohan gives Falling for Christmas her all and delivers the kind of over-the-top, campy excellence that you want in a Netflix holiday movie. Prinze’s character, a widowed father and music teacher, doesn’t give him much to play with and he ultimately is just kinda there.

That makes the romance itself a tad under-developed. Garcia and Prinze are fine together (remember how Garcia can do pretty much no wrong onscreen?), but the film takes such a huge leap regarding their relationship for the final act’s obligatory “she was being selfish all along” moment that I had to rewatch a scene three times in order to figure out why Miguel and his daughter Cristina suddenly felt betrayed by Angelina.

As for the Christmas-y wonder… there are lots of decorations and lights — Miguel’s halls have been thoroughly decked — but there’s something off about the production that makes everything feel sub-Hallmark. The lighting is so bright and flat that it doesn’t make the decorations glow so much as just show us that they are there.

All that is to say, Christmas With You is 2/3rds of a perfectly fun watch, primarily due to Garcia and Cruz — and the movie has such a pure heart that it feels super Grinch-y to hate on it. But even though these movies all follow the same melody, it works because that melody is catchy as hell. Unfortunately there are a few jarring moments towards the end of the movie that make you wonder if the CD is skipping.

Our Call:  SKIP IT — but a light skip it. We want to support Aimee Garcia and are waiting for her to get the classic Christmas movie she so deserves.

• Aimee Garcia

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Christmas with you.

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 0 Reviews
• Kids Say 1 Review

Common Sense Media Review

Holiday love story has some drinking, body image issues.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Christmas with You is a holiday-themed romance starring a mostly Latino and Black cast. The main character is a celebrity who sings in a mix of Spanish and English. She's spoiled and a little snobby, but she has a good heart and her better side comes out when she spends time with a…

Why Age 10+?

Yves St Laurent, The North Face. Mention or images of social media sites like Tw

Adults drink wine, tequila, and champagne.

People bond over the loss of loved ones.

Sexy dancing and outfits, kissing, flirtation.

Any Positive Content?

The main characters are Latino and Black. Characters often speak a mix of Spanis

Miguel is a good father and generous person. Angelina has a good heart underneat

Online image isn't real life. Being kind and being with family are important asp

Products & Purchases

Yves St Laurent, The North Face. Mention or images of social media sites like Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, Tinder, Bumble.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Violence & Scariness

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Diverse Representations

The main characters are Latino and Black. Characters often speak a mix of Spanish and English. A family plans a quinceañera party. They cook pozole and tamales.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Positive Role Models

Miguel is a good father and generous person. Angelina has a good heart underneath her spoiled exterior. Ricardo cares more about his image than his real life. The head of the music label gives and takes away opportunities without care or loyalty.

Positive Messages

Online image isn't real life. Being kind and being with family are important aspects of life. Reach for your dreams. Angelina is on a near-starvation diet (she says she will only eat lettuce for several days) and complains about her weight ("muffin top") despite being very thin.

Parents need to know that Christmas with You is a holiday-themed romance starring a mostly Latino and Black cast. The main character is a celebrity who sings in a mix of Spanish and English. She's spoiled and a little snobby, but she has a good heart and her better side comes out when she spends time with a humbler family in a small town outside the city. There, she's reminded that real life is more important than online image, and that kindness is a better objective than popularity or fame. She's on a near-starvation diet and complains about her weight despite being very thin. Adults drink wine, tequila, and champagne, and there's sexy dancing, flirting, and kissing. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

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• Kids say (1)

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

Angelina ( Aimee Garcia ) is an aging pop star who needs a new hit to keep her record contract in CHRISTMAS WITH YOU. When she stumbles upon a young fan's (Deja Monique Cruz) rendition of one of her songs, she decides going to meet her could make for good social media content. What she doesn't expect is that the teen fan and her dad ( Freddie Prinze Jr. ) might help her with her new song. Before she knows it, she's grown attached, but her celebrity life is very far from theirs.

Is It Any Good?

This predictable holiday romance lacks chemistry or much real emotion, but it's pleasant enough. Some of the cultural touchstones in Christmas with You feel very real-to-life, like the family's blending of Spanish and English or the abuela's insistence that guests eat. Others feel a little heavy-handed, like the slow-mo tamale-making that's meant to advance the main characters' relationship. Angelina's obsession with her weight comes across as unhealthy and outdated.

Two supporting actors leave an impression. Zenzi Williams has some great knowing looks as Angelina's personal assistant. We will probably see more of Deja Monique Cruz, who gives a charming performance as the daughter about to celebrate her quinceañera.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about what you think attracts Angelina to Miguel in Christmas with You , considering their differences.

What other films have you watched where characters speak a mix of languages? Does it change the viewing experience if you don't speak or understand both languages? Why or why not?

Does Angelina remind you of any real-life celebrities? If so, who?

Movie Details

• On DVD or streaming : November 17, 2022
• Cast : Freddie Prinze Jr. , Aimee Garcia , Deja Monique Cruz
• Director : Gabriela Tagliavini
• Inclusion Information : Female directors, Latino directors, Latino actors, Female actors, Black actors, Indigenous actors
• Studio : Netflix
• Genre : Romance
• Topics : Friendship , Music and Sing-Along
• Run time : 90 minutes
• MPAA rating : NR
• Last updated : February 17, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

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Christmas With You Reviews

It really is a very sweet movie, and the music is … listenable!

Full Review | Dec 17, 2022

A cheesy yuletide musical/romance story that's uninspired and dull.

Full Review | Original Score: C | Dec 16, 2022

Christmas With You is the realistic, emotional alternative for people who just want to feel like the holidays can still be a magical time, even in the very real world we live in.

Full Review | Dec 4, 2022

This predictable holiday romance lacks chemistry or much real emotion, but it's pleasant enough.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 28, 2022

Garcia and Prinze are so likable that it’s satisfying to see them spend an hour or so of screen time figuring out what the audience knows right away.

Full Review | Nov 25, 2022

Even though I'm absolutely excited to see Freddie Prinze Jr. on my screen again, I wish it was in a better movie.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/10 | Nov 24, 2022

It’s got some flaws that will likely keep it out of the year’s Top 10 Christmas movie charts, but it’s refreshingly warm and sweet like a nice mug of hot apple cider.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Nov 23, 2022

Sadly, Christmas With You falls into the “bad” category, never quite finding that niche beyond its lack of chemistry and stiff dialogue.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 18, 2022

Christmas With You isn’t going to win an Academy Award but will win your heart. It’s the right kind of corny holiday cheer that hits the seasonal assignment.

Full Review | Nov 18, 2022

Even though these movies all follow the same melody, it works because that melody is catchy as hell. Unfortunately, there are a few jarring moments towards the end of the movie that make you wonder if the CD is skipping.

The film shines when it comes to its messaging of putting yourself out there and women supporting women. Unfortunately, the original music isn’t very strong.

Not even Santa Claus can save Christmas with You, and he wasn’t invited to make an appearance in this cheerless reminder that sometimes it’s better to have a Silent Night than a crappy movie.

Full Review | Original Score: D | Nov 17, 2022

Christmas With You tells a sweet romance with great chemistry between Freddie Prinze Jr and Aimee Garcia, but what sets this romcom apart is its focus on family and the importance of embracing culture.

Full Review | Nov 17, 2022

It’s cheesy in all the right places and serious in very few, but Christmas With You is reliably sweet and sincere when it needs to be.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 17, 2022

By far the sturdiest component of “Christmas With You” is Freddie Prinze Jr.’s hair. Who sculpted it to such a disconcerting spike? Did it time-travel from the late 1990s? Does gravity apply to it?

Christmas With You could hardly be a more generic title, and the 90-minute bundle of anodyne cheer lives up to its vanilla promise.

It's a holiday trifle for sure, but there’s enough to feel satiated — if just temporarily — by the festivities on display.

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‘Christmas With You’ Review: Pop-Rocking Around the Christmas Tree

Aimee Garcia plays a pop star scrambling to write a holiday hit in the insipid rom-dram “Christmas With You.”

• Share full article

By Ben Kenigsberg

When watching the dullest, most formulaic Netflix fodder, you may find it necessary to fixate on an odd element simply to stay invested. By far the sturdiest component of “Christmas With You” is Freddie Prinze Jr.’s hair. Who sculpted it to such a disconcerting spike? Did it time-travel from the late 1990s? Does gravity apply to it?

Weather seems to exert an only intermittent influence in this insipid holiday love story, directed by Gabriela Tagliavini and set in the run-up to Christmas — at least in theory. Early on, the screenwriters summon a snowstorm to strand the protagonist. But the outerwear in Manhattan looks conspicuously light, nor is there much visible breath. Admittedly, it has been a warm year, and climate change, much more than Prinze’s hair, is something to ponder too.

The movie stars Aimee Garcia, who also sings the big songs, as a pop superstar named Angelina. People keep telling Angelina that she’s becoming irrelevant. Her self-esteem wounded, and up against a deadline to write a Christmas song, she and her tireless personal assistant (Zenzi Williams) pay a surprise visit to a teenage fan, Cristina (Deja Monique Cruz), who charmed Angelina on Instagram. Cristina’s music teacher father (Prinze) turns out to be pretty good at songwriting. He also makes great pozole and has that prominent hair, which no one once remarks upon.

The plot evokes an uninspired retread (or inversion) of “Notting Hill,” and a synopsis bears more than a passing resemblance to that of this year’s Jennifer Lopez vehicle “Marry Me,” which I missed. Owen Wilson supplied the hair.

Christmas With You Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 29 minutes. Watch on Netflix.

‘Christmas With You’ Review: Freddie Prinze Jr. Returns to Rom-Coms in This Holiday Treat

A singing sensation in need of a new tune and a stifled single father in need of a key change form a decent duet in Netflix’s seasonal offering.

By Courtney Howard

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As sweet, sticky and snappy as a candy cane, “ Christmas with You ” provides a refreshing, sugary boost to any Netflix subscriber’s cinematic diet. This holiday offering, centered on a burnt-out pop star searching for creative inspiration and finding love, welcomes its co-star Freddie Prinze Jr. back to rom-coms, a genre from which he’s been absent for the past two decades. It also delivers unexpected seasonal delights with authentic, universal appeal. The ease with which it packages comedic hijinks and poignancy allows specifics of Latin American culture to shape and broaden its genuine emotional impact. And what a lovely gift that turns out to be.

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Director Gabriela Tagliavini finds the narrative’s strong rhythmic pulse almost immediately in the flashy opening credits, which showcase her heroine’s singing strength and fortitude. She even brings the razzle-dazzle to the interstitials between scenes, utilizing New York City landmarks all aglow and small town suburbia’s cozy winter chill. Incorporating cultural heritage — from scenes that feature food to those that fete special traditions — augments the rich, heartening thematic underpinnings and character design.

Technical craftsmanship also earns its place as a stocking stuffer. Tagliavini and editor Michael Jablow have a proper grasp on the picture’s energetic ebbs and flows, cutting with comedic beats in mind and knowing precisely how long to hold on the sentimental ones. Despite a noticeable flattening of the imagery’s depth and dimension (an all-too-common quality with films of its ilk on the streamer), Wing Lee’s production design is bursting with life, where a teen bedroom tangibly feels lived-in and the family’s dining and living rooms are decked out in twinkly-lit holly jolly.

Screenwriters Paco Farias, Jennifer C. Stetson and Michael Varrati cleverly build in searing sentiments about legacy and longevity in the business, shown through the prism of the evolving, supportive relationship between two female artists. But they forget to properly develop Cristina and Miguel, instead front-loading and back-loading their conflicts, respectively, and wrapping those conflicts up in a too-tidy bow. Cristina’s conundrums, primarily involving asking a cute boy to her quinceañera, are dealt short shrift. Also, she’s only impacted by the death of her mother for about 5 minutes in the first act, in a tender but fleeting bonding moment between her and Angelina. It’s not clear what Miguel’s obstacles are until the third act, when he blurts them out in clumsy exposition.

Garcia turns in a humorous and heartfelt performance, palpably felt in the comedic stylings as well as the more melodramatic chords played. There’s also a playful naturalism to her scenes with Williams, who’s this film’s stealth MVP with her perfectly on-point reactions and charisma. Though as written, Miguel is sadly a little one-note, Prinze imbues the character with a warmth and likable vulnerability. Together he and Garcia create a good amount of chemistry to sell the creative partnership and, later, the love story.

“Christmas with You” is a holiday trifle for sure, but there’s enough to feel satiated — if just temporarily — by the festivities on display. Marking a nice return to form for a star sorely missed from the genre he helped usher into the pop culture zeitgeist, the film displays spirit and soul as infectious as a pop song. And despite being highly orchestrated, this little ditty is catchy.

Reviewed on Netflix, Nov. 15, 2022. Running time: 89 MIN.

• Production: A Netflix release of a GMT Films production. Producer: Lucas Jarach, German Michael Torres. Executive producers: Eric Brenner, Kerri Hundley.
• Crew: Director: Gabriela Tagliavini. Screenplay: Paco Farias, Jennifer C. Stetson, Michael Varrati. Camera: Stefan Czapsky. Editor: Michael Jablow. Music: Pancho Burgos-Goizueta.
• With: Aimee Garcia, Freddie Prinze Jr., Deja Monique Cruz, Gabriel Sloyer, Zenzi Williams, Socorro Santiago, Lawrence J. Hughes, Nicolette Stephanie Templier.

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Christmas with you review: aimee garcia exudes star power in genuine holiday rom-com.

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It’s that time of year again, when people trade in their Halloween decorations for Christmas ornaments and replace their scary movies with jolly romantic comedies filled with holiday spirit. Streaming service giant Netflix is no stranger to the genre that brings in the cheer, laughter, and occasional romance. Its latest, Christmas With You , sees Aimee Garcia and Freddie Prinze Jr. join forces to create Christmas magic through song. Gabriela Tagliavini directs the screenplay from Paco Farias, Jennifer C. Stetson, and Michael Varrati. It’s cheesy in all the right places and serious in very few, but Christmas With You is reliably sweet and sincere when it needs to be.

Aimee Garcia stars as pop superstar Angelina, whose career takes a turn for the unexpected when her label brings on rising star Cheri Bibi (Nicolette Stephanie Templier). Left with limited opportunities to advance her career forward, Angelina must show her label that she’s still got the star power by bringing them a hit Christmas song. Feeling low on inspiration, Angelina escapes to a small town, where she meets her number one fan Cristina (Deja Monique Cruz) and her songwriting single father Miguel (Freddie Prinze Jr.). Together, they set out to create music magic, where love is in the air and hope is right around the corner.

Related: 10 Best Movies Like Netflix’s Falling for Christmas

Christmas With You is everything one would expect from a Netflix Christmas movie . It’s predictable, a little farfetched, and it often leans into cringe territory. Yet, everything about it makes the film a perfect watch for this time of year as it reliably navigates feelings of love, loss, and new beginnings. Through Angelina, the script nicely conveys these sentiments and experiences in a way that audiences would find significant. Even though Angelina is a superstar, she is a person with normal hopes and dreams, which humanizes her character. And seeing her character navigate this point in her career with the heavy burden of loss creeping up at every turning corner enhances the script, making the feature more than meets the eye.

While Tagliavini’s direction never overpowers the sincere nuances of the storyline and character relationships, she nicely showcases the importance of simplicity. This is mostly demonstrated through Angelina and Miguel’s growing relationship, as they develop a stronger bond through songwriting. While any other rom-com would seize the opportunity to generate overly romantic scenarios and obnoxious dialogue, Tagliavini practices restraint, relying on her actors’ chemistry and focusing on the heart of the film. This decision results in sweet interactions between the film’s leads, making it all the more enjoyable overall.

Almost every point of Christmas With You is predictable, and even somewhat conventional by rom-com standards. And yet, there’s no true barrier to enjoyment thanks to the touching script and great cast. Aimee Garcia simply rocks as Angelina, exuding true star power just like her character. Her chemistry with Freddie Prince Jr. simply works, even though his approach to playing Miguel comes off a little stiff and awkward. Oddly enough, it works for the character, and truly enables viewers to cheer on this unlikely pair. Then there’s Deja Monique Cruz as Cristina; Cruz’s resume may be short, but her performance here really showcases her talent well. It wouldn’t be surprising if audiences saw a lot more of her in the coming years.

Full of love, laughter, and holiday spirit, Christmas With You is this season’s rom-com that is bound to pull on the heartstrings of its viewers. Not only does the script provide a touching tribute to chasing one's dreams no matter the age, it also beautifully rationalizes the need for human connection even amidst the loss of a loved one. It doesn’t break any genre barriers, nor does the film offer anything new to say about these respective topics. However, Tagliavini nicely crafts a Christmas rom-com that is funny and sincere — a feat with which many other holiday romantic comedies have struggled.

Next: Falling For Christmas Review: Lohan Dazzles In By-The-Numbers Christmas Rom-Com

Christmas With You releases on Netflix on Thursday, November 17. The film is 89 minutes long and not rated.

Christmas With You

Distributed by Netflix, Christmas With You is a 2022 romantic comedy directed by Gabriela Tagliavini. The film stars Freddie Prinze Jr. and Aimee Garcia as an unlikely couple that bond over the holidays. Aimee Garcia plays a pop star looking for some time off that finds relaxation and possibly love.  

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Christmas with You

Follows a pop star who's got a career burnout and escapes to a small town where she finds not only inspiration but a shot of love. Follows a pop star who's got a career burnout and escapes to a small town where she finds not only inspiration but a shot of love. Follows a pop star who's got a career burnout and escapes to a small town where she finds not only inspiration but a shot of love.

• Gabriela Tagliavini
• Paco Farias
• Jennifer C. Stetson
• Michael Varrati
• Aimee Garcia
• Freddie Prinze Jr.
• Gabriel Sloyer
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• 39 Metascore

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• Trivia Freddie Prinze Jr's Netflix Debut.
• Goofs When Angelina and Monique walk out of the recording studio, the camera pans to show the Empire State Building. Angelina then searches for Cristina's high school and says they can drive there in a couple of hours. They arrive in front of Hugh P. Kirwan Performing Arts Center, which is in Queens and only 20 minutes from the Empire State Building.
• Soundtracks Feliz Navidad Mi Amor Written by Andy Abad, Tom 'Chi Chong' Fong Performed by Jasmine Lopez Produced by Andy Abad, Tom 'Chi Chong' Fong Executive Produced by Lucy Ramirez-Ewart, William Ewart

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Christmas with You review – Aimee Garcia and Freddie Prinze Jr make music and find love at Christmas

A cross between Marry Me and Music and Lyrics , but with a Christmas twist, this won’t win awards, but Christmas With You passes the time very nicely and charmingly.

We review the Netflix film Christmas With You, which does not contain spoilers.

There’s a point around a third of the way through Christmas with You , the latest Yuletide concoction to be unleashed this year by Netflix , where you might be questioning just how it is that Freddie Prinze Jr ‘s character Miguel is able to pay for his electricity bill. If the credit sequence with its depiction of a Christmas-flavored New York doesn’t already scream out to you that ‘this is a Christmas film,’ then the large number of decorative lights that surround the interior alone of the house that Miguel and his family live in will certainly do so.

Of course, it’s a question that is never even raised within the film, and to be fair, nobody is going into Christmas with You wanting to ask those questions. Like so many romantic comedy dramas that take over our streaming services and television schedules this time of the year, any notions of realism are vanquished as soon as the upbeat New York City-set opening credits begin.

Those opening credits introduce us to Angelina ( Aimee Garcia ), a successful pop star struggling in an era of social media and upcoming younger talent who only has a week to write and produce a hit Christmas pop song. Discovering a video online from a younger fan named Christina ( Deja Monique Cruz ), Angelina decides to surprise Christina in her hometown, meets her family as a result, and ends up writing a hit song with Christina’s dad Miguel . Will Angelina and Miguel find love with each other amongst their songwriting? It’s a rhetorical question, let’s be honest.

Following only a week after the premiere of Falling for Christmas , the heavily hyped latest in the Brad Krevoy universe of Christmas movies, Gabriela Tagliavini brings a more gentle and refreshingly Spanish flavor to her film in comparison to the white privilege fantasies that one gets with Krevoy’s productions. Make no mistake, this still takes place somewhat in a fantasy world where everyone and everything is either upper class or middle class and nobody has much to worry about in terms of their finances, which makes these types of Christmas films weirdly fascinating this year in terms of them being released during the cost of living crisis. Declarations of love are just around the corner and the streets are snowy and picturesque, but it’s still a world away from the castles, fictional royalty and opulence within every inch of the production design that populates the likes of A Christmas Prince or The Princess Switch .

Instead, Tagliavini’s movie finds charm and joys in the minutiae of the lives of its characters, most prominently in the quinceañera that it builds up to in the final act, itself subverting the notion that the song that is being written throughout the film will be the third act set-piece, which instead acts as a catalyst for the drama that will take the movie to its upbeat conclusion. It’s a nicely different notion for a film in a sub-genre that is frequently criticized for portraying Christmas in all too caucasian ways, usually adorned with red and white jumpers.

Christmas with You is not going to be an award winner, but it is a nicely charming concoction that does the cheesy Netflix Christmas thing in such a way that you can’t help but enjoy the charms. Garcia and Prinze Jr are a lot of fun, have nice chemistry and at ninety minutes it passes the time nicely, and while no Christmas movie cliche is left unturned, it plays the hits in an entertainingly enjoyable way.

What did you think of Christmas with You? Comment below.

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Article by Eamon Hennedy

Eamon Hennedy joined Ready Steady Cut in September 2022 as a Film and TV writer. Coming from Northern Ireland, Eamon calls himself a “Film and Television” buff, fuelled by his addiction to coffee.

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Christmas With You REVIEW – Absolutely Vanilla

There's no Christmas spice in this movie.

Listen, I loved Freddie Prinze Jr. in the 90s and in the early 2000s. He had a boy next door vibe, a certain earnest quality, and most of his movies entertained, even if they weren’t a hit with the critics. So believe me, it pains me to say this, but I expected more from his comeback role. Unlike Lindsay Lohan’s successful turn in Falling for Christmas , Christmas With You doesn’t really allow him to play to his strengths, and you’ll end up feeling more disappointed than excited at the end of it.

If you’ve seen Music and Lyrics, with Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore, then you basically have the blueprints of how Christmas With You will pan out. Angelina’s (Aimee Garcia) a famous singer, but finds herself on the back burner with her agent, getting replaced by younger talent. She needs a Christmas song to prove that she’s still got it. However, she’s been in a bit of a creative rut since her mom passed away, and can’t seem to find inspiration for her new tune.

To escape her creative drought, she decides to visit one of her fans, and shows up unexpectedly at Cristina’s (Deja Monique Cruz) school. Eager for even more distraction, Angelina agrees to follow Cristina and her father Miguel (Prinze Jr.) back to their home for dinner, which turns into an overnight stay when they find themselves stuck because of the snow. Garcia is believable as a popstar, she’s got the looks and the moves, but it doesn’t feel quite as jaw-dropping after we saw J.Lo play the same role in Marry Me earlier this year. Miguel’s also a school teacher, another aspect that this movie seems to have borrowed from Marry Me.

While the romance in Marry Me worked, The romantic narrative in this movie falls flat. Garcia and Prinze Jr. have no romantic chemistry together, and work better as friends, which might have been a more interesting narrative choice if the movie was brave enough. The movie seems to think that mere gazing is enough to establish any kind of spark, which is definitely an incorrect presumption. Prinze Jr. also looks so uncomfortable at times when Garcia’s character is flirting with him, and he turns into this formal grandpa, who utters his lines with the utmost decorum.

The strongest aspect of the movie is the theme of women supporting women, though it isn’t handled with much nuance, so we don’t really feel the camaraderie despite the sentiment. Christmas With You does sell the holiday atmosphere – you’ll feel quite the jolly vibe from all the Christmas lights and decorations – and it also spotlights Latin-American culture through Cristina’s quinceañera and all of the meals enjoyed in Miguel’s home. In the end, though, it’s the father-daughter relationship between Miguel and Cristina that steals the show. They’re the heart of the movie, though I don’t think that was the intention.

The music’s alright, though I’ve already forgotten the song they made together – it’s certainly not on the level of a Mariah Carey Christmas song. Christmas With You plays it too safe, and will ultimately be forgotten. Sorry, Freddie.

READ NEXT: 20 Best Marvel Gifts For Christmas 2022

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Christmas with You (2022) Netflix: Movie Review & Ending, Explained – Do Angelica and Miguel reunite after the gala?

Christmas with you (2022) netflix plot summary & movie synopsis:.

Angelina (Aimee Garcia), a pop star, who once enjoyed her years of fame, is now seeing her popularity fading with every passing day. With the music industry preferring younger talent, and the audience wanting their music to be consumed in a certain way, she is not getting the spotlight that she was once used to. Whenever she goes out on the stage, she performs only her old songs. Her assistant, Monique (Zenzi Williams) picks up on that and suggests she create a Christmas-themed song as per the industry demands. The audience expects something new and fresh from every artist. So, a Christmas song can reclaim her position of fame owing to the nature of such music quickly gaining popularity.

Along with Monique, Angelina starts driving outside the city. While the number of her fans is fading, she notices one loyal fan of hers – Christina (Deja Monique Cruz), who has a great voice and singing skills. She decides to do a meet-and-greet at her school since she could see her name and the school’s location from her Instagram post. While Monique is reluctant to the plan at first, she eventually agrees to it. They go to Christina’s school and she gets to meet this pop star in person, along with her father – Miguel (Freddie Prinze Jr.), who is the school’s music teacher. While Angelina had planned to leave right after meeting her, the snowfall makes Miguel advise her to wait for a while. He invites her and Monique to their home to stay until it settles down.

Later at night, Angelina sees a composition written by Miguel and starts playing it on his piano. She finds the melody impressive and starts impromptu working on it. While playing it, she realizes that this music could help her with getting the Christmas song as Monique suggested and gain the spotlight. As a result, she asks Miguel if he would like to be her co-writer for his song. He finds this request unbelievable. Why would a pop star like her want to work with a non-professional like him? She however keeps insisting on her, to the point of revealing the urgency of her need due to her creative block. So, he agrees to it.

After returning to the city, Angelina starts working on her gala performance. Since she had worked on a Christmas song with Miguel, she decides to play the same on the piano. She also invites both Miguel and Christina to the gala as her VIP guests. The father and daughter get starstruck by the glitz and glamour of this event. While she is about to start performing on the stage, Angelina invites Miguel to play the piano beside her. He is initially scared to go up on the stage in front of a big crowd. However, he eventually goes there and she sings a romantic song with all the romance imbued in it.

Christmas with You (2022) Netflix Movie Review:

A christmas family film that manages to strike a chord or two despite a myriad of cliches.

Frank Capra’s ‘ It’s a Wonderful Life ’ is quite easily my favorite Christmas film. While it is seeped into optimism and shows a cynic’s journey toward understanding the value of togetherness, it uses its coming-of-age trope in a way that does not feel insincere. We believe in the chap’s struggle to make peace with his present. Besides, it also has values and morals with an idealism that may feel utopic but has a well-intentioned charm to it. Christmas with You has some of these elements, although not executed with nearly the same level of wisdom.

So, when we are very well aware of the film being another formulaic affair, it becomes of utmost importance whether it still manages to make you feel something. The chemistry between Aimee Garcia and Freddie Prinze Jr. is occasionally convincing to buy into the idea of these two people falling in love. The arc of romance is generic, which can be unflattering because of the familiarity with all the narrative tropes.

Christmas with You (2022) Netflix Movie Ending, Explained:

Do angelica and miguel reunite after the gala.

Miguel returns from the gala to his home, while she keeps going along with her routine. Soon after, on the day of the SNL performance, Cheri Bibi pops by and mentions her admiration for her. She also notes that she expected her to perform with her boyfriend. Angelina assumes she means Ricardo, who recently broke up with her, publicly. However, she means Miguel. That makes her want to leave everything behind and head right towards the person who gave her this comforting feeling after a long time.

In the end, they all start living as a happy family together. While the family gets their big wishes fulfilled, she finds the warmth that she was seeking, for a while. The lack of the same warmth had made it impossible to continue creating anything new. After all, you need the emotions to connect with people more than just the craft.

Read More: A Christmas Story Christmas [2022] ‘HBO MAX’ Review

Christmas with You (2022) Netflix Movie Links: IMDb , Rotten Tomatoes Christmas with You (2022) Netflix Movie Cast: Aimee Garcia, Freddie Prinze Jr., Deja Monique Cruz, Gabriel Sloyer

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‘Christmas with You’ Review: Freddie Prinze Jr.’s Netflix Holiday Rom-Com Will Make You Feel Nothing

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It’s been 18 years since Freddie Prinze Jr. made his last “Scooby-Doo” appearance, but the beloved ’90s teen star has still yet to solve the mystery of how to be a convincing actor. Not to sound like a total Scrooge, but Netflix ‘s “Christmas with You” is such a woefully by-the-numbers approach to the holiday rom-com that it forgets the most important ingredient: it even lacks the spirit of Christmas itself .

In Gabriela Tagliavini’s film, Prinze stars as Miguel, a single dad music teacher whose talented singer daughter Cristina (Deja Monique Cruz) uploads a rendition of pop star Angelina’s (Aimee Garcia) hit track on Instagram. Angelina’s own flailing music career hinges on a Christmas hit, all the better to mimic Mariah Carey’s career (this is an actual reference in the movie) but Angelina just can’t tap into the holiday spirit, as she’s reminded at every time that she’s no longer relevant. 

Well, that never gets resolved. Instead, Angelina tracks down Cristina and eventually enlists Miguel to help write her ballad.

The only thing that happens in this bland, mindless movie are multiple drawn-out dance sequences, including an opening number that would make “A Star Is Born” Ally’s cringe-y “SNL” performance look like the VMAs. “Christmas with You” would be forgivable if it seemed like the cast was having fun behind-the-scenes, or even trying onscreen. It’s only Cruz’s upbeat attitude that makes “Christmas with You” remotely tolerable, and even then the young actress is grossly underused.

Pop star Angelina’s plight is that she’s a “perfectionist” and therefore a hardcore career woman who gave up her chance at true, non-public relations mandated love. While Angelina pretends to still be in a relationship with her ex, famous telenovela actor Ricardo (Gabriel Sloyer), she faces a “Girls5Eva” problem: Her music is being sampled by someone younger, and label manager “Billion Dollar” Barry (Lawrence J. Hughes) is threatening to downgrade her on his roster. She just needs a Christmas miracle to fix her “outdated” TikToks and bad Bumble profile so she can publicly dump Ricardo for good.

Too bad this movie has no magic whatsoever to help her on that quest.

“Christmas with You” is not an escapist holiday fantasy like the best, most lovable holiday-time fare that is as easy to consume as sugar cookies. Nor does “Christmas with You” offer any kind of career comeback for Prinze, like Lindsay Lohan’s surprisingly perfect, smart festive rom-com “Falling for Christmas.” Instead, “Christmas with You” is clunky and cranky, making half-hearted digs about “lettuce diets” and pretending to be cute by having Angelina munch celery kept in a decorative vase (girl, those stalks belongs in the fridge).

The plot is part “Marry Me” and part Hallmark holiday movie, although the cable network films seem to, on average, have higher stakes. And even “Marry Me” star Jennifer Lopez herself is referenced in this trying-to-be-cute meta moment, with Angelina mentioning that she missed out on her own quinceañera while working as a backup dancer for Jenny from the Block back in the day. As if J.Lo would employ children on tour?! Miguel even is a school teacher, just like Owen Wilson’s “Marry Me” character. We’ve all done this before, but no one can touch Lopez’s onscreen charisma, singing, and dancing chops, so it’s not even a comparison, even with Garcia’s theater background.

Angelina is dead set on getting “Beyoncé numbers” on social media and is told that her “outfit is fire” by multiple people. The script, penned by Paco Farias, Jennifer C. Stetson, and Michael Varrati, feels like a Mad Libs take on “modern” lingo, immediately making “Christmas with You” blandly obsolete itself. The moments that try for real emotion include Angelina bonding with Miguel’s daughter Cristina over both having dead moms (the key to any good Christmas movie, as we’re told by the NCU aka Netflix Christmas Universe ). There is no spark between Miguel and Angelina, even with a sensual tamale-making, devoid of any spice.

In fact, the least fake attempt at real love in this film is shown between Miguel and Cristina, culminating in her quinceañera. When the climax of your holiday rom-com has nothing to do with romance or  Christmas, there’s a problem. “Christmas with You” is almost unwatchably dull, solely sparking the desire to fast-forward through the out-of-touch jokes about selfies and Milan Fashion Week to remind us that Angelina is famous  and ask, aren’t we having fun  yet?!

Not even Santa Claus can save “Christmas with You,” and he wasn’t invited to make an appearance in this cheerless reminder that sometimes it’s better to have a Silent Night than a crappy movie.

“Christmas with You” starts streaming on Thursday, November 17 on Netflix. 

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CHRISTMAS WITH YOU

"celebrating christmas with family changes lives".

What You Need To Know:

Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse: No smoking or drugs; Miscellaneous Immortality: Light miscellaneous immortally of female wearing extravagant, promiscuous outfits for attention and to help define her brand and image, which doesn’t set a great example for young girls navigating how to find their self-worth.

More Detail:

Aging popstar sensation Angelina learns that her songs aren’t relevant anymore. Her record label threatens to drop her, unless she can write a hit Christmas song. A beloved Christmas song is a sure way to regain the support of her fans and help her career. There’s one problem, though. Angelina hates Christmas. This was the holiday her mom died, and she has never enjoyed anything about Christmas.

Feeling lost and discouraged, she continues to go about her life, dressing in her flashy outfits and playing the game of doing social media videos with A-list actor “Ricardo” to increase their social following. When she shows up for a photoshoot for a magazine, she’s heartbroken after the record label informs her they’ve deiced to put a younger, rising pop sensation on the cover instead.

With this news, Angelina decides on a whim to travel to a small town, two hours outside of the city to meet Cristina, a committed fan. Angelina watched Cristina sing one of her songs on social media and express how much it meant to her because her own mom, who also passed, used to sing it with her. So, Angelina decides to surprise this super fan with a personal visit.

She shows up at the house with her quirky assistant, Monique, who might be the most enjoyable character to watch in the movie with her fun facial expressions and witty side comments. After Angelina spends some bonding time with Cristina, she learns she can’t go home because a huge snowstorm has trapped them inside. Monique and Angelina are forced to stay overnight.

That night, Angelina learns Miguel is a music teacher, who has a natural gift for music. They begin to write a song that night together, heightening the sparks between them. Over the next couple days, Angelina learns how much love and happiness is found within a simpler life and with being in a family. She shares homecooked meals, helps Cristina and her friends with the choreography for her upcoming Quinceanera, and goes on romantic trips to see Christmas lights with Miguel. With Angelina’s fear of Christmas finally cured, Angelina must return to the city to sing the new song.

Angelina’s career is revived, but she’s invited to go on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, the same night she promised to attend Cristina’s upcoming Quinceanera. Will Angelina break her promise?

CHRISTMAS WITH YOU is a sweet family movie that highlights the Hispanic culture and traditions in a natural, inviting way. Also, the movie promotes love, family, compassion, and honoring one’s parents. In the end, the pop star learns it’s more important to put loved ones and family before career success. However, Freddie Prinz, Jr. as the father seems too old for Aimee Garcia, who plays the pop star. Their romance seems forced. Also, the movie is sometimes too melodramatic and, despite a prayer in the movie, Jesus isn’t overtly mentioned. Finally, the pop star wears flashy, midriff-revealing clothes. So, young girls may get the wrong idea watching CHRISTMAS WITH YOU.

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Is Freddie Prinze Jr's Netflix Christmas movie worth your time?

Insert The Office 'No, God no!' gif here.

It follows pop star Angelina (Aimee Garcia, Lucifer ) who escapes from her daily life – struggling for inspiration, a fake relationship with a telenovela star, the threat of becoming obsolete – to grant young fan Cristina's (Deja Monique Cruz) wish in small-town New York.

While there, she finds not only inspiration for a new hit, but love (duh, it's Christmas) with the young girl's dad Miguel ( Freddie Prinze Jr ) who aspired once to a music career of his own. But the real question at the heart of Christmas With You is 'How many dead moms does it take to make a Christmas movie?'

The answer in this one is two : both Angelina and Cristina are mourning the deaths of their mothers, and for Cristina it's on the cusp of her quinceañera. We saw it recently in the much better Falling for Christmas (sorry, Freddie! Lindsey's outdone you) but in that case, the ramifications of a mother's death had tangible implications to the plot and the characters' actions.

In Christmas With You , it's merely a shortcut to create emotion where there is none. The only positive thing worth noting is the seamlessness with which Spanish is slipped into the dialogue — it's just unfortunately that what they have to say, regardless of language, is contrived and hackneyed.

Yes, it's a Christmas rom-com so really we can't blame it for being what it is – subject to the whims of the genre. But in Christmas With You , the stakes are so unimaginably low, the relationships so vapid and the eventual reconciliations so forced that it is actually not enjoyable to watch.

Prinze tries his best to convey a sense of sheepish charm in single dad Miguel, but the script isn't there, and the total lack of chemistry between everyone on set is abysmal. There's a lot of eyebrow acting, and not in a good way, to make up for the absence of real emotion that one might convey in a subtle facial expression or well-placed sigh.

The problem with building a movie around a conceit that requires a kind of innate talent (cooking, singing, fashion design, rather than say running a hotel) is that you have to believe those doing the cooking, singing, or fashion designing are actually good at it.

While we have nothing negative to say about Garcia's voice, the music itself feels just as manufactured as everything else – there is none of that spark, that indescribable thing – true, sudden inspiration – that sneaks up on you (for an example of succeeding at this, go watch Once ).

There is a strange kind of veneer over the whole film, and it makes you wonder how much of it was filmed in a studio with gallons of fake piped snow and green-screen Christmas trees were used. It's this facsimile of wintery magic that plagues the film like gone-off eggnog. Ho, ho, ho? No, no, no.

Christmas With You is now available on Netflix

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Gabriella Geisinger is a freelance journalist and film critic, and was previously Deputy Movies Editor at Digital Spy. She loves Star Wars , coming-of-age stories, thrillers , and true crime. A born and raised New Yorker, she also loves coffee and the colour black, obviously.

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‘Christmas With You’ (2022) – Netflix Movie – Review: A Very Sweet Feel-Good Season Movie

Christmas With You is a romcom starring  Aimee Garcia  and  Freddie Prinze Jr . It is directed by  Gabriela Tagliavini .

A young woman who has it all, health, wealth and success, and yet is still a bit lost. However, thanks to Christmas she will recover the true Yuletide spirit in the most traditional way. Does it sound familiar?

Angelina is a pop star who feels burned-out, and despite it all decides to grant a young fan’s wish in a small-town New York, where she not only finds the inspiration to revitalize her career but also a shot at true love.

Movie Review

New York is so generous in film, that includes the most used clichés, especially, when it comes to the Christmas theme. So if we add to that a music star who has lost the Christmas feel, we have the perfect premise for a season movie.

When it comes to Christmas movies (barring Bad Santa and the one with Bruce Willis ), they tend to be formulaic, somewhat insipid, and then there are those that are good movies, have something to tell and are technically well produced (see Love Actually ).

In the case of ‘Christmas with You’, we are in for a formulaic, and rather insipid feature viewing experience. It does not have an outstanding script, and seems to aspire to be just another Christmas movie that has no ambitions of becoming a memorable production. It has all the ingredients required: a slightly disenchanted protagonist, who still has just about enough energy and kindness to grant a Christmas wish, the season setting, snow, pine tress, reds, whites, and greens, charming counterpart, and music. The goodness in this character will not go unrewarded. That is Christmas impressed on mainstream film.

A sweet little production that we will soon forget.

Release Date

November 17, 2022

Where to Watch Christmas With You

See full credits >>

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REVIEW: ‘Christmas with You’

November marks that time of year when networks and retailers begin their seasonal push for the holidays. The Hallmark Channel essentially becomes the Christmas movie channel, and commercials seek to remind customers the Holidays are fast approaching. Over the years, Netflix has sought to try and capture some of that Christmas magic. And the streaming giant has successfully done so with The Princess Switch films and the Christmas Prince series. Now, Netflix is looking to expand its holiday collection even further with the addition of Christmas with You .

Christmas with You follows the usual Christmas movie formula. One party forgets why Christmas is special, while the other party helps to remind them after they return “home” or “to their roots” for answers. It’s a popular trope because it works so wonderfully with the holidays. This movie, however, decides to throw in a teeny-tiny hiccup into the mix as it includes the harsh realities of the music industry. Christmas with You opens with a very early 2000s pop-star sequence as our leading lady, Angelina ( Aimee Garcia ), films a video for one of her songs. She’s had a long music career and has done everything in her power to stay relevant in a constantly changing climate – including restricting her diet, faking a relationship and changing up her look and sound as needed. But when she’s told she needs to deliver a hit Christmas song in order to stay relevant, Angelina decides it is time to do something different and truly connect with her fans. What happens next will change everything for the pop star.

Simple premise, absolutely, and yet, Christmas with You still manages to be a delight to watch. Garcia delivers a great performance – and a believable one at that – while her leading man, played by Freddy Prinze Jr. , seems to struggle from start to finish. Despite Prinze Jr. overacting each and every scene he’s in, Christmas with You is somehow captivating. Is any of it realistic? No. But is it a nice escapist fantasy? Yes. It’s a movie about family, love, and allowing oneself to be authentic.

It also tackles the realities female artists face within the music industry – things we’ve seen mentioned by some of pop’s biggest stars. Angelina struggles with eating, fearful of gaining weight. She struggles with being perceived as older or old, knowing how quickly the industry will write her off in favor of a younger star. She also seems keen to forgo her own happiness in favor of appeasing the record label because she spent so long trying to build her career, she’s fearful of losing it. It’s a rather depressing topic to take in with such a cheerful movie, but the two blend together wonderfully. Realistic or not, the fact that Christmas with You exists as more than a Christmas movie is notable. The cheese factor is there, yes, and that only makes it all the better — but there’s also heart in this movie, a whole lot of it.

Final verdict: Netflix’s Christmas with You is an adorable Christmas movie that is a million times better than anything Hallmark has to offer.

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In Netflix’s Holly Jolly ‘Christmas With You,’ Freddie Prinze Jr. Rallies For the Rom-Com

BACK UNDER THE MISTLETOE

With “Christmas With You,” the 2000s heartthrob is back in the business of making cheesy rom-coms.

Fletcher Peters

Entertainment Reporter

Jessica Kourkounis/Netflix

Netflix is all about the comebacks this holiday season. First, the streamer brought back Lindsay Lohan for a chalet romp with Falling for Christmas . Now, because they couldn’t get him for He’s All That with Addison Rae , here comes Freddie Prinze Jr. , back in all his c heesy rom-com glory with holiday music flick Christmas With You .

Christmas With You is a glorified Lifetime movie, taking notes from Marry Me and adding a festive dusting of snow to the mix. Washed-up pop star Angelina ( Aimee Garcia ) can’t be bothered to compose a Christmas song, though her label says that’s what she needs to stop herself from becoming totally irrelevant. Bah, humbug! Angelina refuses to whip up a Mariah Carey-style classic, instead thrusting herself into a real personal crisis.

Here’s where the Marry Me similarities kick in: Feeling so hopeless about her life, especially missing her deceased mother, Angelina resorts to the “tagged” section of Instagram, to see what her fans are saying about her. One fan, high school kiddo Cristina (Deja Monique Cruz), posts a particularly heartwarming video—she’s performing an Angelina song dedicated to her mom, who also passed away.

Instead of liking the video or reposting it to her story, Angelina opts to visit this girl without any warning, ditching her entire glamorous NYC lifestyle just days before Christmas. Thank goodness the girl not only lives within driving distance, but also attends a performing arts school, where her handsome father Miguel (Prinze Jr.) teaches music. The stars have aligned for Angelina, who might just be able to plunk out a Christmas song with this sweet little man.

Netflix always seems to blend the right amount of cheesiness with just enough tenderness in its Christmas slate. Christmas With You , which would pair perfectly with some mulled wine for a Falling for Christmas double feature, is no different. When you press play on a Netflix holiday rom-com , you should not expect greatness—rather, some silly fun times, a bounty that the baffling plot of Christmas With You has well-stocked.

Once you look past the staged, ridiculous, predictable nature of this movie, Christmas With You becomes perfectly goofy. The title itself isn’t even accurate: “Christmas With You” references the song Angelina sings in the film, but the song’s lyrics are actually “there can’t be no Christmas without you.” The movie dedicates itself to being otherworldly in ways similar to this, like when Freddie Prinze Jr., joins Bumble because he’s “too old” for Tinder. Is that a thing? Is the audience on Bumble older? I’ve never heard this. But, hey, Netflix rom-coms exist in a different reality.

The biggest gripe to have with the film is the lack of effort put into the Christmas side of the storytelling. Christmas With You could take place at any time—again, see Marry Me —but the fake snow and over-decorated house cover up the lack of holiday plot. Further, Christina is celebrating her quinceañera throughout the film; couldn’t this be the celebration at the movie’s core, rather than the holiday season? Nevertheless, Netflix needs to churn out more holiday content to keep us stuffed on Christmas cookies and holiday cheer, so Christmas it is.

Another slight downside: Christmas With You doesn’t offer Freddie Prinze Jr., too much space to swagger around, like he did in Boys and Girls and She’s All That . While he’s naturally charming on his own—that smile !—his character lacks any whimsy. He’s a dad, a teacher, and that’s pretty much it. Where’s the playboy, the suave know-it-all, the goofball we know and love?

He’s still Freddie Prinze Jr., though, and Netflix is doing a great job at garnering all the nostalgia players to buff up its slate this year. That list also includes Sarah Michelle Gellar, his wife, who recently starred as the headmaster of Do Revenge . But if you’ve been waiting for a great feature film comeback from the beloved ’90s star, don’t expect to see him in all his glory— Christmas With You brings him back, yes, but he feels a little like an animatronic rather than his old self.

Still, isn’t that kind of fun? Netflix brings in an animatronic Freddie Prinze Jr., for this goofy Marry Me- Esque movie with a terrible-yet-catchy song (Meghan Trainor, your days as on the Billboard Top 100 list are numbered). This is what the holiday spirit is about! Set up the Christmas tree and remember the good ’ole days, when Prinze Jr., ruminated on Scooby Doo : “It was a talking dog.” What a legend.

Christmas With You does what it needs to do to enter the Netflix holiday rom-com hall of fame. There’s a formula, and the formula works . Equal parts cheese and heartwarming, with one big comeback, an undeniably snappy tune, and a blizzard, Christmas With You will be a perfect backdrop for all holiday parties, Thanksgiving prep, and Christmas decorating.

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast  here .

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