Four Christmases and a Wedding Review

“I’m staying right here. And I’m not letting another Christmas go by without you.”

Chloe Taylor finds the man she’s been waiting for at the Christmas Fair she organizes. His name is Evan Mathers. There’s just one problem: work is taking him to Norway for the next couple of years.

Every year, like Santa, he returns to her Christmas Fair. But each year something seems get in the way of their relationship in Lifetime’s 2017 film, “Four Christmases and a Wedding.”

‘Twas “Four Christmases and a Wedding”

No spoiler alert needed here, folks. You know from the title what you’re going to get – it’s just a question of how we get there.

“Four Christmases and a Wedding” takes place over five years. It breaks down like this:

• Year 1: Chloe (Arielle Kebbel) meets Evan (Corey Sevier) after a nasty fall on the ice. Sparks fly instantly. Both are single. However, he finds out he has to move to Norway for work for at least the next year or two. All she gets from Evan is a red vest.
• Year 2: Chloe can skate now, and she’s rocking the red vest, but bad news! Evan has a tall girlfriend named Raquel (Robyn Lawley). Despite this, there is clearly still chemistry between Chloe and Evan.
• Year 3: Evan has broken up with Raquel. But Chloe is now dating (if you can call it that!) Ted (Madison Smith), who had a giant crush on her for the previous two years and she is co-organizing the annual Christmas Fair with. Evan tells Chloe he wishes he had waited and followed his heart that first year. Later, Ted breaks up with Chloe (apparently because she isn’t into marathons) – but only after Evan sees Ted give Chloe a jewelry box (that he assumes is an engagement ring, but is actually just a snowflake).
• Year 4: Big changes this year! This is Chloe’s last fair (in honor of this, she gets a rink named after her: Chloe’s Christmas Rink). She’s moving (though it’s just 10 minutes away, thanks Zillow!). Evan doesn’t show up at first, so Chloe turns to Santa, and makes a wish: “That the man I’ve fallen in love with every year for the past four years would come back.” (Um, Chloe: that should be 3 years.) Luckily, Santa has the magic. He winks and touches his nose. Sure enough, Evan returns! But for some reason he goes to the fair after dark when it’s closed. And he sees the “for rent” sign in her apartment window. As Chloe returns home, Dasher (her dog) runs away from her and leads her right to Evan! He’s staying. They exchanges Merry Christmases and I love yous.
• Year 5: It’s time for a Christmas wedding, naturally. Chloe and Evan are married in front of Christmas tree covered in gold ornaments and surrounded by large gift-wrapped packages. Everyone cheers and goes outside, where it’s snowing. Mr. and Mrs. Mathers wish each other Merry Christmas.

The multiple year format is unique – at least for a Christmas movie. While there’s a lot to like here, it’s not quite a perfect Christmas movie.

Let’s dive in.

Our Review: “Four Christmases and a Wedding”

For Chloe and Evan, the key word is “timing.” They have a powerful connection from the start, but the timing just doesn’t work out.

Most of these interruptions make sense, but some of it is clearly a stretch. Perhaps it should have been “Three Christmases and a Wedding” instead.

Anyway, Chloe and Evan fall in love again with each other every year. But it isn’t until the fourth Christmas that they finally choose each other that the timing finally works.

There is definitely great chemistry between the leads.

Evan was a standout, especially in that scene from the third Christmas when he tells her he wishes he had stayed. Chloe was also great throughout as well. The acting from supporting cast was all solid as well – no real weak points to call out.

Also of note was the relationship between Chloe’s mom, Anna (Markie Post) and Russ Peterson (Judge Reinhold).

Anna and Russ reconnect in the first Christmas; Russ joins mom and daughter for Christmas dinner (and smooching with Anna) the second year; they’re vacationing in Florida together for year three; and they’re starting a bakery together and we learn it’s the last Christmas that will be in Anna’s house.

In the end, everything gets tied up nicely. Chloe and Evan finally get together. Ted has found a woman who shares his love of marathons. Anna and Russ are happy. Evan’s sister, Kate (Caitlin Stryker), has a new man in her life. And Chloe’s best friend, Steph , is pumping out babies like clockwork.

🎄 The Nice List 🎁

💃 Our Favorite Scene 🕺

The scene where Evan and Chloe are dancing (and she does so barefoot) during the first Christmas was our favorite.

It felt realistic and showed they had a lot of chemistry. After putting the whole big event together able to put her hair down and relax and just let go and dance with him.

🎅 You’ll Laugh 😈

When Chloe, trying to hide from Evan during the second Christmas, talks to Santa. She asks Santa: “Explain to me what maybe considered naughty vs. maybe a misdemeanor?”

Another funny scene happens during the second Christmas. They get pulled into singing “The 12 Days of Christmas,” where the rules are to speed up with every verse.

By the final verse, Chloe and Evan are almost competitive, like they’re arguing with each other by singing angrily at each other. Anna’s response: “That was interesting.”

 😥 You’ll Cry (or Come Close) 💔

As Chloe watches Evan dance with Raquel during the second Christmas. You can just see the emotion on her face – a highlight moment for Kebbel.

Oh but things even ramp up a bit in the next scene, when Evan wants to dance with Chloe, but Raquel arrives to tell them they have to get on a airplane home.

Also, during the third Christmas, Evan gets a chance to shine, when he tells Chloe that he wishes he had followed his heart that first Christmas when they met.

⛄ Joy to the Christmas Movie References! 📄

What’s better than Christmas movie references in a Christmas movie? Not much.

In “Four Christmases and a Wedding”, you’ll see:

• Clips from “Dear Santa” (2011) featuring Amy Acker (during the first Christmas)
• Christmas movie trivia involving “Frosty the Snowman”, “Miracle on 34th Street” and “Dear Santa” (during the third Christmas)

🌌 Bonus Christmas Connection

During the second Christmas, Chloe shows Evan her recreation of the northern lights.

One year later, Corey Sevier appeared in the Hallmark movie “Northern Lights of Christmas.”

🎄 This Looked & Sounded Super Christmasy 🦌

There was no doubt this was a Christmas movie from the start, with Chloe paining Christmas scenes of the fair. Her home and office were all beautifully decorated for Christmas.

The Fairmont Christmas Fair was filled with decorated Christmas trees, a giant inflated Rudolph, a huge snow globe, snowman, Santa, and nutcracker decorations, and gingerbread houses. There was even a game, where the characters raced with an ornament on a spoon.

The Christmas ball was also super Christmasy. One knock here though: they reused the same decorations at the Fair each “year” and the ball looked exactly the same each year, even including some of the same shots of food.

💑 The Naughty List 🏃

😳 Chloe & Ted? Dating? 😘

It was a bit unclear exactly what was happening here.

So Chloe agrees to go on a date with Ted. After dinner, they’re working arm in arm, as Ted wonders if Chloe is jealous of Tricia, the girl who likes marathons. And then there is the most awkward dodging of a kiss.

It all felt rushed. Especially considering Anna seemed to think Chloe and Ted were about to get married.

Is 4️⃣ Years a Stretch? 🤔

It was a bit predictable, with Evan having girlfriend one year, then next year Chloe having a girlfriend. You knew it couldn’t happen four years in a row, but there needed to be something preventing their relationship from happening.

Plus we had the typical Christmas mix-up – where Evan thinks he sees Ted proposing to Chloe, so instead of making sure, he just runs off for a year.

And what happened during that entire year? Neither one could go after the other? Call? Email? Even though both are single?

👶🏼 Steph and Her Babies  👶🏼 👶🏼

So Steph (Caitlin Stryker), Chloe’s best friend and co-worker, is pregnant year 2. She’s on maternity leave for the third Christmas. And she’s pregnant again for the fourth Christmas.

Um. Yikes?

👧 Is Sara a Christmas Vampire ⁉️

Sara, Evan’s niece, looks the same age the whole movie.

That’s kind of bad when it’s supposed to take place over five years.

🏌️‍♂️ Scenes from a Golf Course 🏌️‍♂️

Did you notice that golf course in the background while Chloe and Anna were video chatting? We sure did. And boy was it distracting (and repetitive!).

The WORST List

❄️ Snow, Snow, Go Away ❄️

Some of the snow, especially near the end of movie, looked super fake. Especially that snow on the bushes.

🐾 Poor Dasher 🐶

Dasher went a full year without being adopted? Thankfully Chloe got to adopt him – but should it have really taken her until the third Christmas? Poor dog.