CHRISTMAS IN THE CITY: Ashley Williams Charms In The Big City

Lifetime’s latest holiday movie, Christmas in the City, is a sweet tale of a single mom trying to do what’s right for her family.

Wendy Carroll (the always delightful Ashley Williams) is struggling to keep her late father’s candy store afloat in her small hometown. She feels a responsibility to maintain his legacy, while caring for her mother and her little girl, Grace. Grace’s father took off when Wendy was pregnant, followed closely by her father’s death, yet she maintains a cheerful outlook on life and an effervescent personality.

When a foreclosure notice arrives for the little shop, Wendy’s mother takes the opportunity to encourage her daughter to venture to the Big City to look for work and try something new. It takes some coaxing, but Wendy agrees to go for a few weeks to earn money to save the store. She and Grace head to the city where they join Wendy’s BFF, Angie, in her tiny – but well-furnished – apartment. Angie (Shanola Hampton) is an aspiring musical theater actress who earns a living working at Wolman’s department store, a throwback to the types of stores that used to dot cities across the country before malls took over.

Wendy lands herself a job at Wolman’s after bumping into the heir to the department store kingdom, Tom Wolman (Jon Prescott). He is immediately drawn to Wendy’s warmth and optimism, but naturally there are obstacles to this budding romance.

Wolman’s is struggling and the board of directors has hired marketing hot shot Teanna Musk (Ashanti having way too much fun being a vixen) to turn things around. Teanna’s strategy? Out with the old, traditional Christmas and in with the new, sexy Christmas. Tom and his uncle, founder of Wolman’s, aren’t happy about seeing their traditions banned from the halls of their store, but they go along with Teanna’s plans in hopes that she knows what she’s doing.

Of course Teanna has more in mind than helping the store through a rough patch; she has designs on the head office herself, and sees Tom as her path to get there. “Teanna Wolman, that has a nice ring to it.” That’s right, she’s Wendy’s romantic rival and wastes no time setting a plan in motion to discredit Wendy in front of Tom.

Christmas in the City is an oft told tale made fresh by the adorable Williams as Wendy, a terrifically diabolical performance from Ashanti, and unexpected moments of levity. Watch Teanna’s assistant, Bruno, in the background of their scenes together; and don’t be surprised if you recognize the holiday movies Wendy and Angie watch during a couple of scenes.

Christmas in the City premieres Saturday, December 7 at 8/7c on Lifetime.