NO SLEEP ‘TIL CHRISTMAS
US, 2018, 90 minutes, Colour.
Odette Annable, Dave Annable, Charles Michael Davis, Jess Salguero, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Alphonso Mc Auley.
Directed by Phil Traill.
This is a romantic comedy, set around Christmas time (but not a Christmas film as such) which many audiences will find very likeable while others may find it far too cute!
Difficult to say how credible the plot is. Lizzie (Odette Annable) is something of a control freak, and organiser of events. She is engag periods ed to Joshua (Charles Michael Davis) a top and efficient surgeon. The trouble is that she cannot sleep, becomes more and more stressed, is expected to be organising the wedding experiencing the pressure of Joshua’s mother (Sheryl Lee Ralph). She nods off in all kinds of different places.
On the other hand, Billy (Dave Annable, married to Odette in real life) manages a bar but has past psychological reasons for not being able to sleep.
Frustrated, Lizzie goes for a drive, not paying attention, while Billy is out jogging with his earphones on, at 3 AM. There is a collision, mutual blame, going to the hospital and parking outside and, miracle of miracles, both able to sleep! This will lead to a mutual arrangement, financial, whereby the two rent a hotel room and are able to sleep.
On the one hand, there is tension with advice from Lizzie’s assistant. Billy also has some friends and gets their advice. Lizzie is, of course, the exact opposite of Billy.
The wedding is getting closer. Lizzie is persuaded to go to the children’s party by Billy. What will Joshua say if finds out…? And, with the wedding ceremony, will go through with it? Not too hard to guess the ending.
1. Romantic comedy? Cute? The title? The Christmas atmosphere and the preparation for the wedding?
2. American cities, homes and apartments, shops and offices, clubs and bars, the streets and accidents, hospitals? The musical score and the Christmas tone? Karaoke?
3. The plausibility of the plot, the two have their reasons for not being able to sleep, driving and jogging during the night, the accident, the discovery of being able to sleep in each other’s company, the car, the hotel room, the effect on each of them, improving their work? Lizzie and the arrangement to finance Billy’s bar, the building of the bar, the opening?
4. Lizzie, businesslike, controller, engaged to Joshua, surgeon? Dinner with his mother? Going to sleep? Arranging the wedding, the planning, missing the dress appointment? Nodding off at strange moments? The improvement when finding that she could sleep when Billy was present? Their talking, getting to know him better, their differences? The Santa Claus party, her being discovered, disclaiming, the secret?
5. Joshua, surgeon, writing, his work, able to sleep, with his mother, the phone call, discovering the truth, disbelief, the scientific experiment? The
wedding, with the priest, Lizzie nodding off, Joshua tolerant and allowing her to break off the wedding? His mother’s harsh reaction?
6. Lizzie, companionship with Billy, trying to do the right thing, the scientific experiment, the wedding, everything organised, the dress, the bridesmaids, the priest…? Not being able to give her consent, escaping, the car, chasing Billy and knocking him over?
7. Billy, messy, his ex-girlfriend, the explanation of not being able to sleep because of the disappearance of his father? The encounter with Lizzie, sleeping, the arrangement, the bar, accepting the financial support, the renovation of the bar, his friends and their daughter, the customer becoming a partner? The opening, karaoke? Running from the wedding?
8. The popularity of this kind of romantic comedy?
