PLOT: Two exes unknowingly date a pair of siblings, and are forced to spend Christmas weekend together. They rekindle their friendship by helping each other out through the anxiety of typical “holiday family drama,” but will sparks fly again?
REVIEW: Want to curl up with a blanket, a furry friend, or a loved one? Sit back, get cozy and whip up some hot chocolate because Netflix’s Our Little Secret was recently released, and will definitely give you the feels if you love a good holiday rom-com! This one teams Netflix Christmas staple Lindsay Lohan with Ian Harding from Pretty Little Liars, with Wicked‘s original Glinda, Kristin Chenoweth, and Lindsay’s old Mean Girls foil, Tim Meadows, thrown in for good measure.
One has to hand it to Lindsay Lohan- she’s in the middle of one heck of a comeback. Carrying the hat of the film’s producer, Lohan seems to have a knack for this kind of fare. She seems to want to make her character relatable with nuances that highlight her rock-solid acting. She approaches her character in a gentle and modest way, making her relatable in a way that will please its intended audience. Her co-star, Ian Harding, is both witty and charming in his performance, making him an excellent foil for Lohan. It seems pretty likely this is going to become another major holiday hit for the streamer – that’s for sure.
While you pretty much know what to expect when you put on a movie like this, it can’t be denied that director Stephen Herek (Mr. Holland’s Opus) knows exactly how to make a holiday rom-com work. The title of this film accurately predicts the underlying theme in this Christmas movie, with plenty of twists, surprises, and secrets forming during the holiday get-together. Each family member has their own special characteristic that brings humor and entertainment into the mix, with Chenoweth a stand out as the overbearing mother of Lohan’s new BF that she’s trying to impress. It also needs to be said that it was great seeing both Lohan and Meadows on screen together again post-Mean Girls.
Netflix’s Our Little Secret does exactly what it set out to do – it creates that fuzzy warm feeling we get after watching a rom-com. It succeeds in evoking just enough emotion for a holiday film that has the typical “Hollywood narrative ending”. In terms of design and lighting for this production, many festive colors are shown with a very simple, suburban small-town type of set. With that being said, there was nothing extravagant in terms of aesthetics, which was surprising considering movies in this genre tend to go big and take strides in making a ‘snow-globe world.’ Nonetheless, I think keeping the set design simple made the storyline punch even more, creating a sense of realism and emotions during the winter season.
Something that stood out was the soundtrack of this film, not only is it mixed with Christmas music, but also songs from different genres and eras of music. For example, Kool & The Gang is referenced in the movie, while in another scene Maggie Rogers’ “Light On” is playing as a non-diegetic sound to elicit characters’ emotions.
The script, written by Hailey DeDominicis, is quite funny. Without giving too much away, the way the characters interact and intertwine is well-thought-through and clever. Herek makes the film less about the holiday and more about the people you surround yourself with, which is always a great reminder no matter what time of year. With its many twists and turns, it still has the cheesy Christmas ending that many viewers already want before starting the movie, making it a crowd-pleaser. But, even if it plays by the rules, the plot has enough twists and turns to keep you thoroughly entertained, and the cast is top-notch. This is a fun holiday flick that will no doubt be another huge hit for the streamer.