“Christmas Ever After” is a fun, entertaining holiday film but what I found entertaining and also pretty cool, is how the writers and director Pat Kiely were able to create the film without making any reference to Izzi being in a wheelchair. In fact, her disability is not even a factor in this Christmas telefilm. It’s a huge step in showcasing a lead actress with a disability and how the telefilm manages to showcase the character was well-done.
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TITLE: Christmas Ever After
FILM YEAR: 2020
DURATION: 88 Minutes
BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition
COMPANY: Lifetime Television
RATED: TV-G
RELEASE DATE: 2020
Directed by Pat Kiely
Written by Katrina Mathewson, Tanner Bean
Executive Producer: Suzanne L. Berger, Larry Grimaldi, Julianna Hays, Hannah Pillemer, Fernando Szew, Arnie Zipursky
Produced by Robert Vroom
Supervising Producer: Ryan Greig
Music by James Gelfand, Louise Tremblay
Cinematography by Sylvaine Dufaux, Michel St-Martin
Edited by Chantal Lussier
Casting by Rosina Bucci
Production Design by Robert Wise
Set Decoration by Michele Ouellet
Costume Design by Renee Sawtelle
Starring:
Ali Stroker as Izzi Simmons
Daniel di Tomasso as Matt
Bill Marchant as Bob
Melia Charlotte Cressaty as Kacey
Nicole Leroux as Sarah
Charlotte Legault as Parker
Gita Miller as Jennifer
Kim Nelson as Mila
Popular romance novelist Izzi Simmons (Tony® winner Ali Stroker) spends every Christmas at her favorite snowy bed & breakfast, but this year, she’s faced with an impending deadline and a severe case of writer’s block. Luckily, inspiration strikes in the unlikely form of the B&B’s new owner Matt (Daniel di Tomasso), who bears an uncanny resemblance to the handsome hero from Izzi’s novels. As both partake in the lodge’s annual itinerary of Christmas activities, Izzi’s writer’s block is cured and the first pages of her and Matt’s own love story may just be beginning.
And I continue with my holiday film marathon and for day four, I am checking out “Christmas Ever After”, a Lifetime holiday telefilm!
I have read about how it stars Ali Stroker (who was a finalist on “The Glee Project” and got the opportunity to star on “Glee”) and also won a Tony Award for “Best Featured Actress in a Musical” for her performance in “Oklahoma!”.
And I believe, Stroker may be the first actress who uses a wheelchair to be featured as a main talent, which again, is awesome to see Lifetime Television continue to be progressive and have stories which are inclusive of those who are from a different culture, interracial relationships, LGBTQ and also individuals with disabilities.
The telefilm also stars Daniel di Tomasso (“Major Crimes”, “Timeless”), Bill Marchant (“Chappie”), Melia Charlotte Cressaty, Nicole Leroux, Gita Miller and Kim Nelson.
“Christmas Ever After” is about a romance novelist, Izzi Simmons, who needs to meet her deadline for her upcoming novel. If anything, Izzi loves the cover art of her novels featuring a man who she calls “Desmond”.
While every Christmas, Izzi has been spending a week at Antler Lodge, her editor and best friend Mila (portrayed by Kim Nelson) tells her she must complete her deadline, as she is now on her third, to finish her novel which was supposed to be available for the holidays.
Izzi agrees to do it, but if she can go to Antler Lodge, as this may be her last opportunity to stay in her favorite room before it changes ownership.
When Izzi arrives, she nearly hits a man because he looks nearly identical to her romance novel cover character, Desmond.
While in shock, when she arrives to Antler Lodge (now known as Antler Chalet), she notices that the small intricacies in her room, such as the creaking floorboard has been fixed. For Izzi, she doesn’t like things perfect, but she learns from the current owner Bob (portrayed by Bill Marchant) that it was fixed by his son Matt (portrayed by Daniel di Tomasso) and it happens to be the person, who looks identical to Desmond. And that Matt will be taking over the lodge.
Matt is a widower, and he and his daughter Kacey (portrayed by Melia Charlotte Cressaty) have moved back home and for Matt, he wants to run the lodge. His father wants him to live there but for Matt, he is still trying to move on from his heartbreak of losing his wife.
And with each interaction with Izzi, Matt finds his heart warming up to her. Is he falling for her? Is Izzi falling for him? And will she finish writing her latest novel?
“Christmas Ever After” is a fun, entertaining holiday film but what I found entertaining and also pretty cool, is how the writers and director Pat Kiely were able to create the film without making any reference to Izzi being in a wheelchair. In fact, her disability is not even a factor in this Christmas telefilm. It’s a huge step in showcasing a lead actress with a disability and how the telefilm manages to showcase the character was well-done.
Characters who interact with her, sit down within eye level, Izzi is pretty much the life of the party and people don’t treat her any different. And I do like the message of how the film presents Izzi as a person who is a successful writer, she is shown driving and she is shown as a person who is self-sufficient and people not asking her if she needs help because of her disability. I also like the confidence and dialogue delivery from Ali Stroker’s character, Izzi Simmons.
Ali Stroker said in an interview with USA Today, “I’m really excited that this narrative now exists, because when I was a kid I didn’t have that,” she said.
“I went to see theatre and watched TV and movies, and I never saw anybody like me. Those narratives are so powerful for young people, because you understand that that can be you. You can have your love story.”
And I feel what Lifetime Television is doing for their holiday films is important and again, they have been consistently progressive, and I do like that a lot!
As for the overall film, I found “Christmas Ever After” to be entertaining and fun. The dialogue between Izzi and Matt is always fun to watch and the big reveal at the end, was something I didn’t see coming.
I did enjoy the Christmas vibe of this film and also glad to hear Ali sing as well!
“Christmas Ever After” definitely gets a thumbs up from me!
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