By Danielle Cherry
A jarring twist takes place in this classic Hallmark-style romance. Avery (Lindsey Lohan) and Logan (Ian Harding) were childhood best friends who later became lovers. But after Avery decides to move away, they never thought they would see each other again. Not until they bump into each other at their respective boyfriend and girlfriend’s family home and discover that their significant others are siblings.
The reuniting of the characters was unique to that of other movie reunions. They both moved on with their lives and yet found themselves back together. To avoid making the whole Christmas arrangement weird, Avery and Logan made a pact to not tell that they used to date, contributing to the oxymoronic title of the film “Our Little Secret” (emphasis added).
Throughout the typical rekindling romance plot, there were some heartwarming moments between Avery and Logan, mostly thanks to Ian Harding. Avery was an upstart businesswoman reeling from the loss of her mother, while Logan worked for a construction company but was never able to move up in ranks.
Avery’s oversized ego is deflated when she meets her new boyfriend’s mother, Erica (Kristen Chenoweth), and struggles the whole movie trying to win over the stuck-up mother’s affections.
Ian Harding played Logan with classic charm, winning over Erica within an instant, and eventually winning back Avery’s heart. In contrast to the normal trope of an icy boyfriend and warm cheerful girl, Logan constantly saw the bright side of life.
I found myself liking Logan more than Avery, even becoming annoyed at Avery’s constant attempt to prove herself to Erica. Logan was more defined as an individual, having specific quirks that made him unique. Avery feels just like every other girl in a romance movie.
Some unique elements of the storyline set “Our Little Secret” apart from other Christmas romances. The film begins with watercolor animation giving the audience an overview of Avery and Logan’s past. I was surprised to find such an artistic element in an otherwise quite basic narrative.
What really caught my attention was the time-warping montage through the world’s biggest moments in history starting in 2014. Spanning through the decade until 2024, major moments flash across the screen, like Notre Dame burning down as well as the cyber truck’s first release. It was nostalgic to see the way that our world has expanded, and this small little Christmas movie did that so incredibly.
Everyone loves the feeling of a good movie twist. “Our Little Secret” attempted to create this feeling, but gave it away right from the get-go. When it got to “the big reveal,” it was no longer big, but rather annoying that I had already guessed the plot 20 minutes into the movie.
In an attempt to make their not-so-secret reveal more surprising, three other plot points were dropped into the end that never got resolved, only making the viewer stare at the screen in confusion while the end credits scroll.
The showrunners successfully set apart this movie as being different from the classic Christmas romance, but not in the best way. Taking a more mature stance than other Christmas romances do, many couples were discovered to be having affairs, promoting a message of selfishness.
It’s disheartening that this movie would seek to promote selfishness during a season where giving should be our main focus. Logan and Avery try to give back to each other, but in the end, both do so for their own gain.
The title of the film suggests a theme centered on the idea that lying about the past does no good in the present. However, this theme is put on the back burner, out of reach to an audience who isn’t looking for it.
Overall “Our Little Secret” was a good laugh, but it lacked a sophisticated plot or character development. I caught myself smiling at moments during the romance, but otherwise, I was slightly let down by the big-name actors found in the movie.
If you are in the mood to watch a typical Christmas Hallmark-style film, this is perfect for you. But if you truly want to watch a good movie, maybe look at another Christmas movie to fill your cup.
“Our Little Secret” is currently streaming on Netflix
Danielle Cherry is a freshman Communications major and writer for Cedars A&E and Sports. She is a Missionary Kid from Germany and loves a good cup of coffee.
Images courtesy of Netflix
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