Photo Courtesy of Digital Spy
Story by Bryanna Weinstein/Contributing Writer
If you’re in need of another classic Vanessa Hudgens Christmas rom-com to watch, then you’ve come to the right place, friends.
“The Knight before Christmas” has a simple yet silly premise– Vanessa Hudgens stars as Brooke, a gentle science teacher living in Bracebridge, Ohio, who doesn’t believe in love until she meets a time-traveling 14th-century knight named Cole (Josh Whitehouse) who manages to change her outlook on the sappy matter.
If you’ve watched “The Princess Switch,” which again stars Vanessa Hudgens, then you should already know what to expect when you combine her with a Christmas tale. Although this does beg the question of how many Christmas rom-coms in Netflix’s catalogue are intertwined with one another in terms of the universe they’ve created.
The film, of course, begins in the 14th century where we are introduced to Cole. He’s given a quest to be fulfilled by an Old Crone, and if he doesn’t complete his quest by Christmas Eve, he’ll never become a true knight.
And so, Cole is dropped into 2019 where he quite literally runs into our main character– and that’s where the fun begins. This film takes the fish out of water trope and still manages to keep it fresh with a fun holiday spin. Most of the humor stems from Cole’s attempts to navigate our modern world.
It makes so much sense why Brooke falls for Cole. It’s easy to admit that this film really makes you feel that cheery, warm feeling inside. It’s absolutely unrealistic, but that’s where the fun of it comes from.
These films offer escapism in the most pure, unabashed way possible, adding fuel to the boom in rom-coms this year. Many people simply want an escape and perhaps even a little belief in magic during this time of year.
One thing I loved about the film is that Brooke never essentially “needed” a man. That seems crazy considering the genre is pervaded with stories of women needing saving, so it’s a refreshing take.
She has a literal knight in shining armor that makes her practically swoon and yet she saves herself and finds happiness in that way. In fact, she learns more from Cole than she expects about both love and magic.
Netflix has been dishing out plenty of holiday movies to get you in the spirit and this film is no exception. Whether you’re in need of holiday cheer or just a good laugh, this film delivers that with a little bit of Christmas cheese to go along.
Magical thinking is something this story provokes quite well, as there are many things Brooke and the audience don’t understand at the beginning. The film asks both her and the viewer to try to comprehend the incomprehensible, and if you buy into the ride, it works.
If you plan to watch this film and many others like it, then definitely be on the lookout for more heartwarming Christmas films next year. Vanessa Hudgens plans on doing a sequel to “The Princess Switch” in 2020, so her relationship with Netflix seems to be paying off.
To contact Lifestyles Editor Brandon Black, email lifestyles@mtsusidelines.com.
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