Stream It Or Skip It?
Hallmark movies are known for their schmaltz, with silly premises and subpar acting. Their latest Countdown to Christmas film, which has really taken off across the entertainment landscape (especially on Netflix), centers on an Indian family that is obsessed with Christmas.
The Gist: Asha (Anuja Joshi) and Jake (Benjamin Hollingsworth) are old high school classmates that become reacquainted on Christmas and quickly become engaged by the following year. Asha, who was raised in an Indo-Christian household that is obsessed with Christmas, brings her fiance home for the first time for the holiday. But her controlling father makes it hard for Jake and his family to integrate into their traditions, threatening the future of their relationship.
What Will It Remind You Of?: This is Meet the Parents but with a cultural and holiday twist.
Performance Worth Watching: Asha’s brother Ravi, played by Sid Srikanth, is the voice of reason during one of her moments of doubt, and his screen time is a calming presence.
Memorable Dialogue: “I just can’t shake the feeling that our families are too different,” Samuel, Asha’s father, says as the conflicts between the families begin piling up. “Jake and Asha will make their own way,” her mom Nirmala counters, reminding her husband that they also came from different backgrounds but made it work.
Sex and Skin: To give you an idea of how little sex and skin there is, Samuel freaks out when he finds Asha and Jake cuddled—fully clothed—on the couch in the morning. I mentioned a strict Indian father, right?
Our Take: There’s a cliche about Christmas movies, especially the romantic ones that Hallmark became famous for: the protagonist will learn the true meaning of Christmas, come hell or high water. Sometimes it’s a curmudgeon who exists in a bleak version of reality; other times it’s the butting of heads and ideas that requires some magic Christmas fairy dust sprinkled on top. For Christmas at the Singhs it’s the latter, as Asha brings her new (white) fiance home for the first time—something her overbearing father isn’t thrilled about.
For a low stakes Hallmark movie, the film has its merits. It centers on an Indo-Christian family, a subculture that is often overlooked (because, yes, Indians belong to many faiths). The conflicts between the families are believable, even if occasionally contrived—and importantly aren’t rooted in racism. The acting is totally serviceable.
But as cool as it is to show the vast array of culture under the “Indian” umbrella, there are some idiosyncrasies that stand out and sent me straight to the IMDb page to find out it was written by non-Indians. Singh is a name typically associated with North India, but Asha’s brother calls her “akka” which is the Tamil (South Indian) word for sister. Even choosing the name Singh, instead of a more typical Indian Christian name (often names from the Bible, like Mathew or Jacob), makes me think it was chosen to be recognizable for Americans and ethnic for the network. The film is rife with cliches, from strict Indian parents that push their children to be doctors to teasing white people for their sensitive spice palates. Of course these are details that don’t make or break a story, but they are cultural specifics that detract from the other interesting choices around religion and family history that Christmas with the Singhs excels in.
It’s important to remember where this film is streaming and adjust expectations accordingly. Once you do that, you’ll get right in the holiday spirit.
Our Call: STREAM IT. This Hallmark movie is cliche but entertaining.
Radhika Menon (@menonrad) is a TV-obsessed writer based in New York City. Her work has appeared on Paste Magazine, Teen Vogue, Vulture and more. At any given moment, she can ruminate at length over Friday Night Lights, the University of Michigan, and the perfect slice of pizza. You may call her Rad.
