‘Falling for Christmas’ hits #1 on Netflix: Lindsay Lohan shuts down haters — ‘charming’ return was ‘worth the wait’
Lindsay Lohan is back! Her latest movie “Falling for Christmas” is currently the number one film on Netflix, quickly rising to the top following its November 10 debut. It’s her first major acting role since “Among the Shadows” in 2019. She plays Sierra Belmont, a young and newly engaged heiress who experiences a skiing accident. After being diagnosed with amnesia, she finds herself in the care of the handsome lodge owner and his daughter.
SEE Lindsay Lohan rocks a classic for her holiday return on Netflix
Chord Overstreet, George Young, Jack Wagner and Olivia Perez are all among the ensemble, but it’s clearly Lohan’s return that sparked headlines and interest in the film. While many cheered for her return, others said she was destined to fail. Lohan definitely shut down the haters, but what are critics saying about the actual movie?
Eamon Hennedy of Ready Steady Cut makes the obvious comparison to “Overboard” right off the bat, writing, “It’s glossy, snowy, hits every storytelling beat you can tell it’s going to within the space of its first twenty minutes, and is rubbish.” Everyone involved knows this is not destined to be a classic, but will no doubt dominate the streaming service for its lead alone. “This is escapist fare produced for the holiday season, and the film is pleading with you to just check your brain in at the door and let it wash over you…Lohan is charming and lovely, and a lot of her work here harkens back to the mid-2000s when she was starring in things like ‘Herbie Fully Loaded’ and ‘Just My Luck,’ and while she has some chemistry with Overstreet, everything is played safe and grounded, so as to just to be sure to not in any way rock the boat with more sensitive audience members.”
Maggie Fremont of TV Guide notes that there is no reworking of the wheel in terms of cliché holiday film aspects. “If, however, you go into it realizing it’s really just a Hallmark Christmas movie with a much more recognizable lead than most, you’ll have a perfectly adequate, very merry time.” The cheer level is at its height and Lohan and Overstreet shine. On the flip side, the leads lack chemistry and the script leaves a lot to be desired. Fremont adds, “’Falling for Christmas’ may have its faults, but if you’re looking to spend an hour and a half being warmed by Christmas cheer and an inevitable happy ending, it has its charms, too.”
Marya E. Gates of RogerEbert.com immediately praises Lohan who “is at her best…and allows her natural comedic chops to shine.” Clearly, the acting skills that were long overshadowed by the tabloid drama are still there. “Yet, Overstreet is stuck as a bland ‘nice’ guy with all his edges neatly sanded off. His supposed long-standing grief over his deceased wife barely registers beyond a shallow glint in his eyes.”
Danielle Solzman of Solzy at the Movies begins by praising the return of Lohan. “We’ve been long overdue to watch Lindsay Lohan in a leading role on screen. It wasn’t a question of if but when. I can tell you right now that the wait was worth it.” Lohan even gets to revisit a song that fans will forever associate her with as she “starts singing along to ‘Jingle Bell Rock,’ which is being covered by sister Ali Lohan. Lindsay Lohan sings the song herself in a cover rendition during the film’s end credits.” So fetch! In the end, “Lindsay Lohan’s return in Falling for Xmas is a reminder of how much fun it is to watch her on screen and especially in comedies.”
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