Christmas on Cherry Lane (2023) stars Vincent Rodriguez III, the muscular, bulging actor who specializes in family-friendly gay guys. I figured I would watch in the background while doing other things on my laptop, but no, it requires you to pay attention. There's a major plot twist. I'm giving only the character names, not the actors' names.
There are three families on Cherry Lane on Christmas Eve
Family 1: John and Lizzie, who is due in two weeks, just moved into the house, and are planning a quiet Christmas alone. They put up the tree and sing "Oh Come, All Ye Faithful," with a Hallmark Tree Trimmer ornament. This will become important later.
Suddenly Lizzie's Mom and Dad arrive, and announce that they invited her brother and his family! But Johnand Lizzie haven't even unpacked. Where will they put all those people?
Left: Dad Frank
Family 2: Regina and her friend Daisy, not shown, unpack Christmas decorations. Her back story: she's a widow with adult children, and a boyfriend named Nelson.
The adult kids, Winnie and Conrad, arrive in a horrible car. Why does he keep it, now that he's making a ton of money? Because his Uncle Ham gave it to him after Dad died. This will be important later.
Sister Winnie doesn't have a job, except singing at open-mike nights for tips, but she'll be a famous singer one day, she says. Mom wants her to try business school.
Mom announces that she's getting married to her Boyfriend, and she's selling the house and moving to Florida. The adult children do not like this at all, and plot to break them up.
Family #3: Zian, left, and Mike, who works as a chef at a restaurant called Repair. They just moved into their house, too, and they're planning a Christmas Eve party tonight with twelve people. Except contractor Quinn and his crew haven't finished remodeling the kitchen yet. He brings them a plate of Christmas cookies, complements them on what a cute couple they are, and asks if "that famous singer" is coming to the party. This will be important later.
Mike is freaking out. Maybe they could move the party to the restaurant? No, this is the first Christmas in their new house, where they're going to raise their family, so it's important to hold it here. They walk outside and sit on lawn chairs in the cold and sing "Silent Night." All of it.
Speaking of starting a family, the lady from the adoption agency tells them that the foster family they were placing a girl with backed out, so they're getting a child tonight -- on Christmas Eve. With twelve people coming for a party. Hopefully a family-friendly party. How are they going to get a bedroom ready?
More plot complications after the break. Spoiler alert: it's a big plot twist.