"Nothing unimportant ever happens at the Plaza."
Hello everyone!
Here we are with our third Christmas movie review since December started, where did the time go? I honestly feel as if it's zipping along like we're in some sort of race to the finish line. I'm probably going to blink and it's going to go from 2019 to 2020.
Meanwhile, you gotta do what you gotta do, right?
So here we go with another Hallmark Christmas movie because, well, why not?
They've certainly done much better this year than in several years past, although granted I also haven't watched every single movie they've churned out. There's bound to be weak links in the chain because of the quantity of them.
But the ones I HAVE watched, so far at least, have generally been very enjoyable. Sure there might have been one or two that could have done a bit better, but all that aside, as a general rule, this has been a pretty good Christmas countdown so far.
And since I'm all about the good vibes, why don't we head on to probably the most well-known holiday location in New York? Christmas at the Plaza is up next.
Links to my previous reviews in connection to this holiday theme can be found at the bottom of the page, as per usual.
Christmas at the Plaza was one of the movies that I put on my MUST SEE list because of the two leading actors in it. I've grown to appreciate Hallmark's staple Ryan Paevey though I was on the fence about him before, but that's probably because I've gotten to see him in a few movies since then. Elizabeth Henstridge, of course, is Simmons from S.H.I.E.L.D., and I've loved her from day one of seeing her in that show, so I was interested to see what she'd do with a role that's a lot less science-y!
So, onwards.
Jessica is a historian who, at the beginning of the movie, is interviewing to put up a Christmas display at the famous Plaza Hotel, a position that will definitely look good on her resume but will also hopefully be something to really sink her teeth in. She's kind of struggled a little bit with finding her place in the world (don't we all?) so she's hoping this will be a good place for her now.
Nick, on the other hand, owns a decorating business and is decorating the Plaza for the first time during this holiday season, so naturally he's got a case of the nerves, though Ryan does an admirable job at making the man look just anxious, not incompetent, something that's a very fine line really.
Of course it isn't even remotely smooth sailing when Jess comes to the Plaza, because for some reason she takes it upon herself to move a ladder she thinks was just left there - but nothing unplanned ever goes down at the Plaza, so she kind of leaves Nick hanging.
Oops.
She also struggles with the hotel archives after landing the job for the display, because she has no clue where to begin or how to begin, even with Nick's help, and she's a bit bah-humbug about the whole thing it seems, especially since her boyfriend, a professor or at least someone in some sort of teaching position, kind of doesn't take her seriously.
On the verge of quitting, Jess stumbles over what could be a potential theme: Christmas tree toppers.
The Plaza orders to have a specific, different topper every year, and has done since the beginning, so if she's lucky she can find the lot of them down in the archives, and this gives her wings the wind she needs.
Plus, Nick is really supportive and helpful and tries to do everything he can to aid her and not be a nuisance.
Unlike her boyfriend, who actually asks her not to talk about what she's doing when they're in any kind of gathering, because it reflects badly on him since it isn't something serious.
Excuse me?
Jess should have kicked him to the curb then and there, and it doesn't help that she somehow psychs herself up he'll propose to her - how? And on what grounds?! - when he actually only wants to ask if she'll write a paper with him, so then she can stop playing with her silly Christmas whatevers.
HA.
Dispirited about her personal life, but more convinced than ever that she needs to nail this presentation, Jess throws herself into finding the one topper that's missing, apparently having never arrived at the Plaza when it should have, and Nick and her search leads them to the company that's always made the toppers, where to their surprise they learn Reginald, the kindly older man who's the chief bellhop, actually used to make ornaments like that.
Jess goes to talk to him, asking what went wrong, and he explains that he was going to gift the missing tree topper to his then-sweetheart, but unfortunately her family didn't approve of him so the romance went nowhere, and he lost his passion for his art in the same vein. He apologises to Jessica, but it looks as though she'll be without that particular topper.
This is cause for some alarm, because the woman who hired her doesn't really get the concept of 'lost' and that it's the Plaza's fault, not Jessica's, because it's now Jessica on the line for this.
Really? Really?!
Ahem.
While this is going on, Nick isn't even trying to hide that he likes Jess and is attracted to her, which is a bit refreshing given that in Hallmark, this whole song and dance usually only comes to a head in the last minute of the movie. Nick's pretty straight-forward though, but he's also fair enough in that he doesn't want to push since Jess IS in a relationship.
Doesn't matter that she spends more time with Nick than with her boyfriend, or that she ends up going to Nick's house to spend time with his family, including but not limited to cookie baking and Christmas karaoke.
Sadly, Nick kind of has to deal with an ex who wants him back, which Jess sees; Nick doesn't want the other woman, but the damage is already done ... aside from the tree topper that suddenly pops up.
Our man Reggie either felt bad for Jess OR he suddenly found his Christmas mojo again, because he goes back and finishes the topper, surprising his nephew (who now runs the family business) AND himself, because he wants to go back to doing what he used to love.
That's fine with Jess, since, you know, her job is now safe, and she can finish the display, to the satisfaction of everyone around her - though in the end she turns down the permanent position at the Plaza, wanting to go back into teaching, if she possibly can.
Her friend (who played an Elf for most of the movie) compliments her on her house decorations, and Jess is confused since she didn't have time/energy to decorate after the thing with Nick and breaking up with her boyfriend (who was only really with her because it was comfortable, anyway, and realized it was too little, too late), but what she sees when she looks at her house is a perfect decoration - and a star in the middle.
Nick only puts stars into decorative jobs that he does out of love.
So, without further ado, Jess goes to find him at the Plaza, where he's toasting to his grandparents, as he always does, and the two share a dance and sweet kiss on the floor.
Because, really, it's Plaza magic, people (isn't there always some sort of magic?)!
And Reggie? Well, his long lost love comes back to him, so HE gets a happily ever after, too!
xx
*images and video not mine
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