Let it Snow is showing now on Netflix.
The Netflix straight to streaming Christmas movie is somewhat of a mixed bag, especially those aimed at a young adult audience. For example, while we have the odd and occasional festive delight, we also have a whole host of stereotypical and saccharine Christmas turkey’s.
Thankfully, Let it Snow is one of those hidden festive treats; it’s tinsel dressed romcom offering us something slightly different from the normal festive love-in. So what’s so different about Let it Snow, I hear you ask? Well, let’s start with its narrative structure. At its core, Let it Snow could easily be labelled as a standard Christmas themed teen rom-com. However, although this genre may sit at its heart, Let it Snow is also a coming-of-age comedy/drama reflecting a group of teenagers on the verge of change. Here Let it Snow has just as much in common with classics such as Fast Times at Ridgemont High as it does with loved-up festive offerings such as Last Christmas.
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Now at this point, let me get one thing straight, I am in no way saying Let it Snow sits in the same league as Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Neither am I saying Let it Snow is a priceless gem of cinema; it’s a pretty mainstream offering in truth. But, this is a straight-to-streaming movie that carries a warm festive vibe and teenage energy often missing from Christmas offerings.
The story plays out just as you would expect from a Christmas Eve based rom-com; however, it’s the films classic coming-of-age narrative that elevates it to something more genuine. Here we have a group of teenagers coming to the end of their adolescent journey in a small American town, each deciding where they want their lives to take them. While at the same time searching for that unique romance as the snow begins to fall.
Here we meet Tobin (Mitchell Hope), who is secretly in love with his best friend Angie (Kiernan Shipka). Then we have Tobin’s best friend Keon (Jacob Batalon), who wants to party and forget that everything around him is changing. Meanwhile, Julie (Isabela Merced) struggles to decide whether to go to college or continue caring for her ill mother. At the same time, stranded pop superstar Stuart (Shameik Moore) is desperately seeking some normality away from his fame. Finally, there’s Dorrie (Liv Hewson), who can’t understand why the girl she loves ignores her in public.
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With a cracking ensemble cast, Let it Snow ripples with youthful energy and diversity, reflecting the complexity of teenage relationships and the painful end of adolescence. And while Let it Snow may never allow its characters to develop fully; there is something refreshing honest in the lives it aims to portray. Equally, there is also much to be admired in its positive representation of LGBTQ+ relationships, something the Christmas romcom has only recently begun to reflect with any meaning.
The result is a surprisingly warm and tender film that offers us an entertaining and festive story that, while quickly forgotten, carries a bucket load of Christmas cheer. And while it may not be perfect, Let it Snow easily equals any other Christmas romcom while also celebrating the classic coming-of-age picture.
