THE NINE LIVES OF CHRISTMAS: Romance and Feline Magic for the Holidays

Synopsis

Fireman Zachary Stone (Brandon Routh) is a confirmed bachelor who doesn’t believe in love or commitment. When a stray, tabby cat named Ambrose shows up at his door, Zachary takes him in and slowly starts to see that a little companionship might not be so bad after all. Zachary’s commitment to solitude is further challenged when he meets Marilee (Kimberley Sustad), an animal lover and veterinary student who teaches Zachary how to care for his new feline roommate. Chemistry immediately develops between the two, but Marilee has vowed not to date until she graduates and Zachary is not ready to jeopardize his independence, though he senses Marilee is special. With Christmas rapidly approaching, Marilee’s sister Jaclyn (Stephanie Bennett) convinces her to add romance to her nose-to-the-grindstone life of work and school, while fire chief Sam (Gregory Harrison) encourages Zachary to understand the importance of love, marriage and having someone special with whom to share the holidays. When Zachary’s model girlfriend Blair (Chelsea Hobbs) pressures him to get rid of Ambrose and has Marilee fired from her job at a pet supply store that her father owns, Zachary sees the light, realizing he is in love with Marilee and that life is better if shared with someone special.

Review

I’ve been trying to write this review for a couple of days now, struggling to find a “hook” or fresh way to talk about it. And therein lies both the good and the bad, or perhaps the average, of The Nine Lives of Christmas.

It’s a pleasant holiday movie, following a predictable storyline with likeable leads. It’s not overly precious or nauseatingly saccharine. The characters are well-drawn enough for us to care about them, the acting is solid overall, and the cats add a bit of accessibility and humor.

The subplot with Zachary’s girlfriend, “fashion model” Blair, borders on the ridiculous. She’s the stock pretty-but-superficial-and-mean-girl who contrasts with the down-to-earth-pretty-but-doesn’t-know-it-sweet heroine, which is fine, but if you’re going to claim she models for Vogue, at least know the basics about the industry. I.e. Vogue doesn’t do “editorials about toothpaste”. On a stronger note, Marilee’s depiction as a veterinarian school student seems legit, and she gets extra points for not being the usual baker-florist-party-planner. (Not that there’s anything wrong with those professions; I’d love to work in any of them. But it gets old when every female character has the same profession/dream.)

There are a couple of elements worth mentioning here: first, Hallmark finally appears to be trying to diversify their casts, and we see that in this movie, albeit with supporting characters. I hope we see more of that this season and beyond.

I was also struck by the advice, support, and teasing Zachary receives from his fellow firefighters. This may be the best written set of male friends we’ve seen in a Hallmark movie. Kudos to screenwriter Nancey Silvers for capturing that side of a burgeoning relationship, even if it’s somewhat sanitized.

Also, the first kiss (I hope you’ve seen enough Hallmark movies to know that’s not a spoiler) is a sizzler. Hobbs and Routh have a gentle sort of chemistry most of the time, but that scene turned up the heat.

Overall, The Nine Lives of Christmas is a pleasant if not particularly noteworthy addition to the Hallmark holiday oeuvre.

The Nine Lives of Christmas premieres Saturday, November 8 at 8/7c on the Hallmark Channel.

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