There’s a cause why Sarah Drew and Justin Bruening proceed to do initiatives collectively. They merely by no means miss.
Their chemistry is out of this world and all the time so endearing to observe that it attracts you in every time they’re onscreen collectively. Reindeer Games Homecoming is a major instance of this.
And Sarah Drew was as pretty as all the time, starring in, govt producing, and penning this heartfelt story of grief, love, and discovering oneself.
Reindeer Games had lots of the frequent staples for a traditional Christmas movie. We had the small-town heroine reconnecting with the hot-shot highschool crush who went off and grew to become well-known.
We had these enjoyable festivities and an ideal sense of neighborhood that was distinguished due to the supporting characters. And some battle and different issues virtually interfered with our couple discovering their manner again to 1 one other and having their fortunately ever after.
A number of the movie took some barely completely different approaches too. Refreshingly, whereas the attraction and love between Mac and Chase had been obvious, they balanced properly with their respective particular person tales and challenges.
Mac’s grief, displaying that not solely is it removed from linear, but it surely by no means lets up irrespective of how way back a dying was — it was very distinguished within the story.
It made Mac a really rounded character, and her love story with Chase was solely a tiny fraction of what she wanted to face, deal with, and overcome within the movie.
Mac was a girl who felt caught, and it was such a relatable sentiment that the period of time they spent exploring that side of issues for her was a breath of recent air.
Grief has a manner of freezing an individual in a second. And Mac’s whole life stood at a standstill when she misplaced her father. She was too afraid to maneuver on, discovering some consolation in her hometown, the sense of neighborhood there, her father’s buddies, and extra.
But she additionally felt stagnant and had but to pursue her dream of ending her residency.
I acquired a pleasant chuckle at the truth that Mac is a physician, too. April Kepner will all the time dwell on; it felt like a pleasant deal with and nod at her followers.
There’s nothing extra life like than somebody not ending up the place they meant to be or taking an extended, windy path to succeed in their purpose.
The dying of Mac’s father derailed her a bit, however she nonetheless discovered one thing significant to do in instructing AP Sciences at her alma mater and serving as a volunteer EMT, too.
And whereas it is doubtless that she’ll decide up her residency once more, the time she spent instructing nonetheless counts for one thing and felt like a mandatory pitstop.
Seeing somebody as promising as Mac nonetheless take an surprising path to turn into a physician was comforting and good.
We’ve fostered a society that constantly sells the notion that in case you do not instantly attain your purpose in a specific manner or throughout a selected timeline, then it is too late.
We acquired to see by way of Mac how that is not the case.
In that sense, her main purpose on this story wasn’t particularly about getting the man ultimately. Sure, a part of her lesson to be taught was not working away from love, trusting it and Chase, and not ruining this good factor.
But it felt prefer it took a backseat to her reaching the subsequent stage of her grieving course of and therapeutic by opening her father’s letter to her and studying to dwell once more fairly than exist.
It was a simple story that did not have the standard hokey, zany, festive targets like saving an annual Christmas occasion, a B&B, or one thing.
Even Christmas felt like a backdrop greater than a distinguished theme of this movie.
Mac’s main story was about reconnecting with herself and wishes, which was lovely.
It eliminated a few of the typical cheese within the movie whereas nonetheless bringing all of the emotion and coronary heart, a shift from what has turn into the usual system for vacation flicks and mockingly taking us again to the extra traditional Christmas movies of yesteryear.
Chase had an analogous journey he needed to take throughout this film, too.
He was dealing with his personal crossroads as an motion star too near the unsuitable aspect of “washed up.”
He was keen about appearing, however he additionally felt stalled in his profession and life. Hollywood is a fickle trade, which was taking a toll on him.
When an individual feels a bit untethered of their life, generally the very best factor they’ll do is return dwelling. Sure, he got here to assist his pregnant sister and nephew, however you would inform that dwelling go to was one thing he desperately wanted, too.
At dwelling, he acquired the ego enhance and adoration from his neighborhood that he should’ve been missing within the large metropolis as he was preventing for roles.
Everyone was beside themselves along with his return, which offered quite a lot of amusing moments. And it was additionally cute to see him slowly shedding that Hollywood persona and remembering who he was.
He was nonetheless very Hollywood, from the very enticing albeit at instances unsuitable leather-clad, unhealthy boy aesthetic to his reluctance to do issues like partaking within the Reindeer Games till his arms had been tied.
But even when he appeared most out of contact, Chase was all the time a down-to-earth, fun-loving character. Even when he and Mac spoke about their previous, you bought the impression that whereas he was a well-liked, enticing jock, he wasn’t the stereotypical kind.
He was a little bit of a lovable dork, too, and they’d a mutual appreciation for one another and attraction since they’d shared a kiss as teenagers.
They each had been guarding their hearts again then and even within the current, however as adults, Chase was essentially the most keen and glad to take the leap.
Mac’s reservations had been legitimate, although. For one, they’d that historical past the place she felt like he left her within the chilly and friend-zoned her as if he was embarrassed to be with the science nerd after their faculty journey.
It’s not the kind of factor you rapidly recover from or do not take into consideration, at the same time as an grownup. But now, she was very conscious of their completely different statuses and the way it appeared they had been on completely different paths.
In her thoughts, it did not make sense {that a} Hollywood star would find yourself with this small-town woman from Vermont, whether or not she was a instructor or a physician.
It made her really feel like a fleeting fling fairly than one thing sustainable and tangible with longevity. Mac’s emotions had been comprehensible, however everybody with eyes, whether or not it was Mac’s hilarious scene-stealing finest buddy Simon and father’s buddies or Chase’s sister, may see how smitten Chase was together with her.
Chase continually checked out Mac like she held all of the secrets and techniques to the universe and was his final lifeline. It was evident to everybody however her that he was critical and dedicated to what they might be as a pair.
Mac was an excessive amount of in her head about what may get in between them that she wasn’t respecting what Chase needed, what he was saying, trusting that his emotions had been deep and that he wasn’t the identical man he was when he made that mistake in highschool.
It did not cease them from having fun with themselves, although. Whether it was the enjoyable antics of polar plunge challenges and their aggressive shenanigans or the intimate moments the place they bonded over secret hiding locations and confided in one another, they honestly accomplished each other.
Again, Drew and Bruening and the chemistry between them is the life pressure of this film and the way it thrived.
There is a pure consolation and ease between them due to their historical past of working collectively, which interprets fantastically onscreen.
You can purchase into the characters as previous buddies, former flames, and soul mates. The familiarity between Chase and Mac wasn’t compelled within the least.
And Bruening nails all of the elements that make a implausible main man. Chase was a person in love, and he did not disguise it in any manner. But what was so fulfilling about his relationship with Mac is that regardless of their years aside, he knew her extremely effectively.
He may see proper by her, very attuned to her wants and wishes. He matched her vitality, balancing the issues she wanted most and understanding when she required them.
Chase was Mac’s largest cheerleader and motivator. He held her in such excessive regard and cherished her with out essentially inserting her on some not possible pedestal.
And when he supported her, it was as a result of he genuinely cared about her and needed to, and it was with out ulterior motives.
This pairing was pretty as a result of even when they did not find yourself romantically linked, you would imagine they’d be each other’s “person” anyway.
All of this made you crave the romantic payout much more, although. The movie did not disappoint when it got here to delivering on that.
Their first kiss was excellent, particularly it approaching the heels of Chase encouraging and hyping Mac up. It was steamy and sizzling, and a top distinction is without doubt one of the finest romantic tropes in existence and freaking catnip for the style.
Clearly, somebody understood the task with this as a result of there wasn’t a single time after they weren’t enjoying into their top distinction to ship on the feels.
Chase already gave the very best sort of hug, the place he embraces an individual along with his full physique and even lifts them.
But that first kiss took it to a different stage. One of the most popular makeout periods, and when Chase lifted Mac off her toes within the course of, it was not possible to not swoon.
Simon was in all probability dwelling his finest life watching that from his window. He was the right viewers stand-in, if there was one.
And that was simply the primary kiss! How nice was it to have one in every of these movies the place they do not save the primary kiss for the epic conclusion?
It hits otherwise when you possibly can watch the couple you are falling in love with share a number of kisses all through a movie. It additionally places extra of the romance and bodily expression of it again into play. The chaste takes on romance can fairly actually take the steam and momentum out of a love story, and that is turn into too commonplace.
Reindeer Games Homecoming delivered on that sensuality and romance tenfold. Each of their kisses was uniquely particular and solely solidified how Mac and Chase had been made for each other.
And their first and second by no means detracted from the candy conclusion when Chase used the crossword puzzle to ship her on a scavenger hunt to seek out him on the station.
He made certain his emotions for her and how actual he thought of the connection identified and plain as he gained her over as soon as and for all.
And that last kiss was simply as swoon-worthy as the primary, and good grief did they earn it.
As a conclusion, it felt proper that neither of them needed to deny their targets or sacrifice one thing to be with each other. They had been nothing however wholly supportive of one another.
Chase acquired the three-movie deal that was taking him to Prague, and whereas we did not have any affirmation, Mac would both be in Boston ending her residency or in Vermont instructing nonetheless.
It might be difficult as a result of filming motion pictures and residency applications are time-consuming, and long-distance may be tough, however they’re dedicated to creating it work. It hasn’t even crossed their minds that they cannot do that, which bodes effectively for them.
Reindeer Games Homecoming felt like an all-encompassing movie that minimize to the center of the vacations with out essentially making them a precedence. It was much less camp, cheese, and fluff.
It did its finest to seize on a regular basis human and life experiences past the season. It did not restrict itself to its style and might be one to observe all 12 months spherical.
And Drew and Bruening can undoubtedly go on the record of one of many hottest pairings price rooting for within the style. While it is uncertain that the request even must be put into phrases, given their intensive, repeat historical past of working collectively, I’d like to see them sort out the style once more.
Seriously, extra please! And I want to see Drew’s subsequent foray into writing one other story and bringing it to life.
Over to you, TV Fanatics.
How did you want this movie? Did you respect the understated deal with Christmas and fewer hokey takes? Are you a fan of the dynamic duo of Sarah Drew and Justin Bruening? Sound off beneath.
Jasmine Blu is a senior workers author for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.
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